I'm a very private person and I've struggle for years to find the proper balance of how much of myself to put on the internet.
I have lived most of my life in places I do not feel comfortable being "out" as a queer person, and early on in my business I was rather tormented by feeling the need to downplay or cover up my queerness depending on where I was or who I was surrounded by. I had separate sets of merchandise I would bring to "safe" craft shows (like pride festivals and anime conventions,) and a sanitized, non-queer, non-political set I would bring to small town or other "normie" craft shows. I would hesitate to say anything about being queer or queer rights in spaces associated with my business where I knew my local small town audience would see it. I was petrified of being confronted, or worse, harmed.
As 2025 rolls in, and we are about to face some of the most unabashed, vitriolic, bold and open challenges to the rights of queer folks, women, people of color, immigrants, disabled folks, the working class, the homeless, among others, and I don't think I can be quiet anymore. I don't want to keep placating an audience that isn't going to stand with me and defend my rights and my personhood and the rights and personhood of the people I love when the time comes. I don't want to sell candles or cute accessories to folks who would turn a blind eye to discrimination and hate crimes, or worse, voice their approval. Y'all are not worth my time and I don't want your money.
In my business but especially outside of my business I'm going to do what I should have always done, and fight for my right to be myself wherever I am, and make cute shit for the people I love who love me back. I still need to keep myself safe, and I will still need to mask who I am in certain company, but its time I made space for myself and sought out the communities that I need and who need me. We will keep each other safe, and we will get through this.
I do not want to be motivated by fear and hate. I want to be motivated by love and joy and curiosity and creativity and I want other people to have the opportunity to do the same.