You can get rid of people by erasing them from photos and changing history.
This is just another form we use to lie to ourselves today. I’m a female human and for now, this can’t be disputed or dismissed. My ancestors were descendants of enslaved people forced to come here to this country against their will and there are records. Since life spans are still relatively short, I will experience sexism and racism for my entire existence on this planet, period.
There’s no magic wipe to clear any of this away for me and to be honest, I am not sure that I would if I could.
You see, I can wallow in self-pity, I can return violence with violence but none of that changes the reality. You can delete them from the photo but they were still there. No point in denying it or trying to take any revenge because it won’t make me happier, stronger, better, more fulfilled, or anything worth the time and effort it might take to plot, plan and execute.
I will die eventually. I don’t know when. Could be a few minutes from this one or 1000 days away. Without any effort, everything I have known and loved will be gone. So instead of being bitter or fake, I choose to live every moment I can as happily as I can. The whole world makes it very clear that it hates my genitals and my skin tone but I’m here anyway not by any choice of my own and all that I can control is very small parts of me. Before it is too late I’m going to do nice things for myself and not worry about the folks who have betrayed me, hurt me, lied to me, stole from me, assaulted me, or left me behind. I’m not going to worry about the people erasing me from their photos either.
They too will die soon. And for a little while longer, I am still free and for now, this cannot be disputed or dismissed. I refuse to lie to me.
Amor Fati.