Tolerated

This poem was inspired by Calum Robertson as we chatted at Bogha Frois on the last night of Celtic Connections. During our chat Calum who was introduced to me by the brilliant upcoming fiddle player Laura Wilkie said that it was lovely to be at a traditional music event where everyone could be themselves and be accepted for who they are rather than just tolerated at and excluded from events. Not surprisingly I agreed with him and said that though I had always felt accepted in the traditional music community I was genuinely shocked at the amount of people who said that wasn’t the case for them. It is with this conversation very much in mind I have decided to title it Tolerated I hope you enjoy the read

Tolerated

Tolerated

but never fully accepted

or included in conversations

with family and friends

let alone colleges and neighbours

well your just not sure where to start

for fear of embarrassment

I was told by well meaning friends of my mother

who claimed people would be ashamed

if they had one of them in the family

clueless about gender identity

she no doubt guessed my sexuality

and got it gloriously wrong

but it wouldn’t stop her and others like her

believing the myths and stereotyping

which lead to prejudice

each to their own they say

praying that their son is not gay

or even worse transgender

these defenders of the faith

who never set foot in a church

but skirt round equality

like it’s something best avoided

make judgements on the unemployed

with others they claim don’t fit in

we are accused of stealing rainbows and unicorns

tolerated but never respected

never accepted

just tolerated with lip service paid

to the right to be treated like everyone else

it was ever thus and shall remain that way

a community locked out of society

tolerated in the Lavender ghettos

which are marked unsafe for their sons and daughters

by the guardians of public morality

© Gayle Smith 2019