No Love Like Christian Hate

In my book, My Life in Transition - Becoming a Phoenix, I share an interaction with a street preacher during Columbus Pride. The narrative begins on page 57 where I relay what the preacher said and how it made me feel. In my book I was alone and unsupported and felt like I was standing in front of one my father or of the many other bullies that I have had to endure during my life.

My response the following day was very similar to how I responded to bullying my whole life. My mind began to question why I continued to exist. Once again, it felt as though life was not worth living. If my purpose for being alive was to be a convenient target for bullies, I didn't want any more of it.

Yesterday at Space Coast Pride I had a similar interaction. A proud "Christian" preacher, Maurice Price, misgendered me multiple times, while calling me a hypocrite, and assuring me that I was destined for hell. One of the differences this time was that I was surrounded by love and support. Another difference was that I was not the person who stood before that street preacher two years ago.

Standing in front of this preacher was the Phoenix and I was intent on being heard. He was talking through an amplified microphone, and my paralyzed vocal cord voice was straining to be heard. He pushed me at one point and his wife; Brittany, shoved me with her elbow several times. Although my hands were folded behind my back and I was not a threat Brittany pepper sprayed me directly in my right eye, with the spray inches from my eye, and her phone in her other hand, recording the spray hitting my eye.

Needless to say, this was familiar territory for me. Not being pepper sprayed, but having bullying turn into a violent attack. To add insult to injury they pressed charges against me. It is unfortunate that I could not see the videos yesterday that I have seen today.

The police officer said that the videos showed that I had made advances toward the preacher and my advances had him pinned against a pole. That was not how I remembered it, nor how other people there remembered it. The videos clearly show that I was not a threat, Maurice was not pinned against a pole and had a clear route to remove himself from the situation.

The officer would not allow me to press charges and relayed that if I insisted on pressing charges he would lock me up. Knowing what I know today I would have forced his hand even if it ended in my going to jail. The days of my shrinking back from being bullied are behind me.

Something else behind me is my mind going down the rabbit trail of thinking that life isn't worth living. Those thoughts are not a part of the post Phoenix me. I look forward to writing about the rise of the Phoenix me.

What Brittany Price did was wrong on so many levels. Imagine traveling from Orlando, Florida to Melbourne, Florida bringing pepper spray with the intent of hurting someone. I am not sure what kind of a person does that, and then proudly posts videos like a hunter sharing pictures of their fresh kill.

It is a given that they are not Christians. They are performance artists making a show of their "good" works. They did not travel to Melbourne to save souls. They drove to Melbourne to be praised for fighting evil and yet they are evil personified.

What they did accomplish, besides making my eye burn painfully for several hours, is they showed me who I have become. I am proud of the strong woman that came from my Phoenix rebirth. I am so proud that I was born a transgender woman. How sad for Maurice and Brittany Price that they choose to be hate filled bigots so that they can feel a little better about themselves.

In a world of Maurice and Brittany "Christians" be a Dolly Christian.