In honour of National Indigenous Month, and International Pride Month, I am thinking about Identity and labels. Below is a photo of the stunningly, beautiful, Australian, Aboriginal Flag!!! Within the framework of both of the Communities listed above, I find the following information especially interesting. In some of the Indigenous Communities in Canada, and possibly also in other parts of the world, the term “Two-Spirit” is often used, which I think is Especially Beautiful. The Canadian Encyclopedia defines it as follows. . . “Two-Spirit,” a translation of the Anishinaabemowin term niizh manidoowag, refers to a person who embodies both a masculine and feminine spirit. Activist Albert McLeod developed the term in 1990, to broadly reference Indigenous peoples in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Two-spirit is used by some Indigenous peoples to describe their gender, sexual and spiritual identity.” I also learned from some Indigenous Community Members at the ImagineNATIVE Film Festival I think it was, that some Indigenous Communities are so Womin (my spelling ) positive, and centric, that they actually use only two terms to describe gender Identity - “Women” and “Non-Women.” FANTASTIC!!!!

Indigenous Communities: I have been to countless festivals, arts events and organizations, which Celebrate, Represent, and pay Proper Respect to Inuit, Indigenous, and Métis Communities in Canada. I cannot emphasize enough, the Crucial importance of seeing Artists from these specific Communities, perform and speak live, as opposed to just looking at museum exhibits only. I especially love listening to the Elders, and engaging in Smudging Ceremonies! Listen Carefully to what these Ancient, Original, and Founding Communities have to say, because it is Invaluable Wisdom! Below is information from various sites. “For generations, many Indigenous groups and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on June 21, or around that time of year, because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. We encourage you to take some time in June to learn more about First Nations, Inuit and Métis as well as our collective past. Here are a few ideas of how you can get involved and show your support. Discover stories, traditions, and cultures. The best way to gain a deeper understanding of First Nations, Inuit and Métis experiences is through their own voices. Enjoy Indigenous storytelling by picking up a book, attending a show, watching a movie, or listening to music from Indigenous artists.” ******************************************************************************************************

Pride Month and the 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities:

Below is the stunning Flag of Inclusion, which includes 23 different flags from the 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities.

The following flags are included: Queer (background) Rainbow (top; outside) Demisexual (upper diamond; upper half; right-hand side) Demiaromantic (upper diamond; upper half; left-hand side) Cupioromantic/-sexual (upper diamond; lower half) Lesbian (left and right to Rainbow) Gay (below Lesbian) Bisexual (right circle; outer part) Pansexual (right circle; inner part) Greyaromantic (left circle; outer part) Panromantic (left circle; inner part) Aromantic (inner circle; left) Asexual/Ace (inner circle; right) Agender (inner circle; bottom) Gendervoid (bottom third; upper circle) Non-binary (bottom third; left-hand side) Genderqueer (bottom third; right-hand side) Genderfluid (bottom third; left-hand side; inner section) Genderflux (bottom third; right-hand side; inner section) Bigender (lower diamond; left-hand side) Cisgender (lower diamond; right-hand side) Intersex (lower diamond; ring boundary) Transgender (lower diamond; inner ring)

In my case, even though I really don’t believe in any kind of labels and dissections - although I have Created some new terms and spellings, to help destroy some of the old, Dominant culture language, and to describe my own Diverse Communities, and I also use these new terms and spellings, in my own Creations - I have recently created the term, “Gender/Identity Free” to describe myself. This is because I do not identify with any of the current gender or identity labels or dissections, from either of the above Communities, or from any of the other Diverse Communities beyond them. This will no doubt continue to be true, no matter how many new terms any of the Diverse Communities continue to come up with, and to put out there, even though the 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities are especially great at staying cutting edge with this. I have been attending Pride, and countless other 2SLGBTQIA+ festivals, events, and arts organizations performances, for longer than I can remember! Below is some fascinating info! **Source History.com gay rights pride month “Pride Month is an annual celebration of the many contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to history, society and cultures worldwide. In most places, Pride is celebrated throughout the month of June each year, in commemoration of its roots in the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. However, in some areas—especially in the Southern Hemisphere —Pride events occur at other times of the year. Origins of Pride Month The roots of the gay rights movement go back to the early 1900s, when a handful of individuals in North America and Europe created gay and lesbian organizations such as the the Society for Human Rights, founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago in the 1920s. Following World War II, a small number of groups like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis published gay- and lesbian-positive newsletters and grew more vocal in demanding recognition for, and protesting discrimination against, gays and lesbians. In 1966, for example, members of the Mattachine Society held a “sip-in” protest at Julius, a bar in New York City, where they demanded drinks after announcing that they were gay, in violation of local laws against serving alcohol to gays and lesbians. Despite some progress in the postwar era, basic civil rights were largely denied to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people—until one night in June, 1969, when the gay rights movement took a furious step forward with a series of violent riots in New York City. How the Stonewall Riots Sparked a Movement As was common practice in many cities, the New York Police Department would occasionally raid bars and restaurants where gays and lesbians were known to gather. This occurred on June 28, 1969, when the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn, a bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. When the police aggressively dragged patrons and employees out of the bar, several people fought back against the NYPD, and a growing crowd of angry locals gathered in the streets. The confrontations quickly escalated and sparked six days of protests and violent clashes with the NYPD outside the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street and throughout the neighborhood. By the time the Stonewall Riots ended on July 2, 1969, the gay rights movement went from being a fringe issue largely ignored by politicians and the media, to front-page news worldwide.” ****************************************************************************************************** I always feel like a One of a Kind, Individual, who also sees Everyone else in this way as well. This is why I always look right inside of each Individual I meet, as much as I can, to find out all about the True Quality, and Qualities of this Humin (my spelling) Being, and all about Who They Really Are. This is how I decide who I want to Passionately, and Completely Love, and also who I want to have as Friends, and/or Work Colleagues. It has nothing to do with their own gender, or their own identity, Diversities, labels, or dissections. I also do NOT let my exterior appearing gender(s), decide Who I Will, or Who I Can Love, or with whom I can develop any kind of a Meaningful Friendship, or any other kind of a Meaningful Relationship. I have also asked myself, in Honour of Pride, who do I think, out of all of the Artists, in all of the art forms, is someone who I especially Admire, and think is Beautiful Inside, (by using their art as a way of getting a sense of who they are, since I have never had the Privilege of knowing them personally) and on the outside as well, (meaning physical beauty, sexiness, hotness, choose your own words). To me, if there is no Internal Beauty of the Self, that I can see Streaming Right Out Of Their Eyes, then the external package is NEVER going to be beautiful to me, no matter what they look like, aesthetically speaking. I am posting descriptions and photos of the two people who I have chosen to Celebrate here. Cyd Charisse: Cyd Charisse gets my vote for The Most Timeless, and Beautiful Womin, (my spelling) in the World. Not just Beautiful, but a Highly Unique Beauty and look, that is unlike any of the other Actors and Dancers! In my Fantasy, we are in Love, we are each other’s “The Ones,” and she is my life partner, and we are in our 20’s, in the 1950’s, when she was at the peak of her Talents. We are the “It” couple, and THE movers and shakers for film, choreography, dance, and all arts project Creations, and for private soirees, and parties, Replacing the Power of all of the men at that time! She is The Greatest, Womin, Dancer Ever to Appear on Film, and she was Lucky to work with Fred Astaire, who I would have also given anything to work with!!! Fred was Equally Lucky to have worked with Cyd!!! In fact, Fred was so Impressed with Her Talent, that he called her, “Beautiful Dynamite!” Check out some of My Favourite Films that she Made Magic in . . .       The Band Wagon, with Fred       Silk Stockings, also with Fred       Singin’ in the Rain, in the long, dance, fantasy, sequence at the end of the film, with Gene Kelly And a ton more! She Created right up until the end of her life, just like I want to! I am posting some stunning photos of her, and by the way. . . you are Welcome for these photos!!! *******************************************************************************

Lenny Kravitz: Lenny Kravitz is an Internationally, Famous, Singer, Songwriter, and he has been so for Decades, as well as being a countless number of awards winner, for his Creations. “His style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop and folk.” Check out his Plethora of songs that he Created and Performs!!! My favourites are, “Dancing ‘Til Dawn,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” In my Fantasy, we are in Love, we are each other’s “The Ones,” and he is my life partner right now. We dance and sing together, because I Love both of these art forms too, amongst many others, and I write lyrics with him, and he helps with all of my Creations. We also pump iron together, on the fallen tree on his island, that he uses for a weight lifting bench. We are the “It” couple, and THE movers and shakers for film, music, dance, and all arts project Creations, and for private soirees, and parties, Replacing the Power of all of the men at this current time! In addition, Lenny should bow down before his parents every day, for the Tremendous Gift, of the Mind Blowing, Genetic Beauty that he inherited, from the combination of the two of them!!! Look at these photos of him!!! He is about to turn 59 in a few days!!! Nothing more needs to be said on that one! I am posting some stunning photos of him, and by the way. . . you are Welcome for these photos also!!!