We Will Not Be Erased: Living Openly When the World Refuses to See Us

There’s a chilling reality many in the LGBTQ+ community are facing right now: the quiet erasure of their visibility, humanity, and presence. A new regime, backed by fear and false righteousness, is censoring their stories, restricting their rights, and pretending they don’t exist.

But here’s the truth: queer people have always existed. And in the face of hatred, they have continued to live, love, resist, and rise.

We have just begun a season of political erasure, legal rollbacks, and cultural silencing, the question becomes painfully urgent:

How can LGBTQ+ people live openly, boldly, and freely—even now?

The answer lies in history, is rooted in Scripture, and echoes in the heart of God.

We’ve Been Here Before—And We’re Still Here

This isn’t new.

• In Nazi Germany, LGBTQ+ people were rounded up and forced to wear pink triangles in concentration camps. But they survived. That triangle is now a symbol of queer resilience.

• During America’s Lavender Scare, thousands of queer people lost their jobs and reputations. But they organized, built movements, and fought for change.

• At Stonewall, it was transgender women of color—like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera—who led the resistance against police brutality. That riot sparked the Pride movement.

Oppression didn’t erase queer people—it revealed strength and courage.

A Faith That Shames Is Not a Faith That Saves

If you’re a Christian who claims to follow Jesus, but your words or theology lead you to shame the LGBTQ+ community, I invite you to read this letter with an open heart:

Dear Fellow Christians,

Why do some of us believe it’s our calling to reprimand, criticize, shame, and belittle the LGBTQ+ community?

Is that really what Jesus would have done?

The Jesus I read about didn’t lead with condemnation. He led with compassion. He didn’t throw stones—He stood between the vulnerable and the people ready to throw them.

And yet today, LGBTQ+ people—many of whom grew up next to us in our pews—are being pushed away, labeled, and wounded by those who claim to love like Christ. This looks to be an attempt silence them through fear of violence or intimidation. 🤷‍♀️ 

Some say it’s “biblical.” But the Bible is far more complex than a few verses used as weapons. Others say it’s about “truth,” but truth without grace isn’t love. It’s judgment. And judgment without understanding becomes cruelty.

I’ve watched too many walk away from faith—not because they don’t believe in God, but because the church made it clear they weren’t welcome.

That should grieve us.

We are not called to be gatekeepers of grace. We are called to be its bearers.

Look at Yourself First—That’s the Call

Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own?” —Matthew 7:3

Where in Scripture are we told to decide who is truly right with God?

Who gave us the authority to declare who belongs and who doesn’t?

Jesus said:

• “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” —Matthew 7:1

• “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” —John 8:7

• “Love your neighbor as yourself.” —Mark 12:31

And yet, many act as though God needs help determining who He loves. He doesn’t.

God decided “free will” for all mankind.

He is the One who searches hearts, offers grace, brings truth, and leads His people in love.

“The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7

And He doesn’t need our judgment or mine to accomplish His will. He needs our humility. Our compassion. Our love.

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart.” —Isaiah 40:11

I Don’t Want to See…🙈

There’s something else we need to address, too. You hear it often:

“I don’t want to see two men kissing.”

“Why do they have to shove it in our faces?”

“It’s just not natural.”

But I ask you gently, Why does it bother you?

What is it about love between two people—when that love doesn’t mirror yours—that unsettles you so deeply?

We watch straight couples kiss in movies, post engagement photos, hold hands in the park—and no one flinches. But let two men do the same, or two women marry, and suddenly it’s “too much.”

Who decides what is “natural”?

Because for most of history, “natural” has been defined by the powerful. And used as an excuse to exclude:

• It was once unnatural for women to speak in church.

• It was once unnatural for Black and white people to marry.

• It was once unnatural to live openly as left-handed.

So maybe the question isn’t whether it’s natural.

Maybe the real question is: Why are you uncomfortable with love that isn’t like yours?

Discomfort is not danger.

And seeing someone else’s joy is not an attack on your values.

If love bothers you more than hate—it’s time to ask why.

No problem at all—this is a vital addition. Many straight allies (or potential allies) may not fully understand or agree with every aspect of LGBTQ+ identity, but they dobelieve in freedom, dignity, and privacy. And in times like these, their voices are crucial.

Here’s a new section you can add to your blog post—placed near the end to invite the broader community into the work of support and solidarity:

How the Straight Community Can Stand Up—Even If You’re Still Wrestling with Belief

You might be reading this and thinking:

“I’m not part of the LGBTQ+ community. I still have questions. I don’t fully understand it. But I also don’t believe the government has the right to control or erase people’s identities, relationships, or freedoms.”

If that’s you—thank you. You don’t have to have all the answers to show up for human dignity.

Here are some ways you can support LGBTQ+ individuals, even if you’re still figuring things out personally or spiritually:

1. Speak Up When Others Try to Silence

Whether it’s policy, church culture, or family dinner talk—when someone jokes, slanders, or dismisses LGBTQ+ people, don’t stay silent. Silence is often louder than hate. Your voice can be a bridge or a shield.

2. Say This Out Loud: “The Government Has No Right to Decide Who People Love.”

You don’t have to agree with every lifestyle or belief to believe in liberty. When lawmakers start deciding whose marriages count, whose pronouns are legal, or what kind of love gets erased from textbooks—it’s not just about LGBTQ+ rights. It’s about everyone’s freedom.

3. Focus on the Shared Ground

Most of us believe in fairness, freedom, privacy, and safety. Start there. Allyship doesn’t mean pretending to be someone you’re not—it means protecting the right of others to be who they are.

4. Center Their Voices

Support queer creators, authors, artists, and activists. Read their work. Share their stories. Let them speak for themselves—and be the microphone, not the mouthpiece.

5. Teach Your Children Kindness Over Fear

Even if you’re navigating your beliefs, you can still teach your kids that different isn’t bad. That people deserve kindness. That someone else’s love doesn’t threaten their own.

6. Remember: You Might Be the Safe Person Someone’s Waiting For

A co-worker. A niece. A friend at church. Someone near you is quietly wondering if you’re safe—if you’d reject them, mock them, or protect them. Be the person who lets them breathe.

This moment in history is asking all of us:

Will you love your neighbor—even when they’re different?

Will you protect others—even when it costs you comfort?

No one’s asking you to change your faith. 

Faith, when rooted in love, protects the vulnerable, not punishes them.

How to Live Openly When the World Refuses to See You

In a time when a regime, a church, or a culture is trying to erase you, living openly is a sacred act of resistance. It is not just about survival. It is about reclaiming your place in the story of humanity.

Here’s how to begin:

1. Refuse to be erased. You are here. You are real. You matter.

2.  Find your people. Community heals what shame tries to destroy.

3. Create. Document. Celebrate. Make art. Tell stories. Leave a trail.

4. Take up space. You don’t need permission to be whole.

5. Protect your peace. Visibility doesn’t require constant exposure.

6. Draw close to the God who made you in love and still calls you beloved.

“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.” —Psalm 27:10

To the LGBTQ+ community: You are not forgotten. You are not rejected. You are not alone.

You have always been here. You have always belonged. And no regime can change that.

Keep shining. Keep loving. Keep living.

You are not erasable. You are eternal.