West Hollywood, California (Monday, October 13, 2008) - "It is extraordinary that when you are acquainted with a whole family you can forget about them." Gertrude Stein
Jason Mannino, MA (2009) specializes in helping people live the life they were born for through Wholeness Coaching. Wholeness Coaching supports people in realizing full potential. |
October is a very sacred time of year for many reasons.
From the perspective of nature it is the time of year to acknowledge many endings as animals hibernate and vegetation in many places becomes dormant until the spring.
Perhaps, this is why October has become a time of year in which numerous cultures and faiths honor ancestors.
It is particularly relevant for me as a time to honor ancestors, because it is the month that marks the anniversary of my mother's death.
It is also the month that Gay and Lesbian History is celebrated across the globe.
How we honor our ancestors is particularly relevant as Gay and Lesbian History month is well under way.
I recently read an article by leading gay pioneer, and Jungian analyst, Dr. Don Kilhefner.
Gay pioneer, and Jungian analyst, Dr. Don Kilhefner. Photo by WeHo News - West Hollywood’s ONLY Newspaper, ONLY ONLINE! |
I learned in the article that Gay and Lesbian studies departments have been disappearing from our University's. Dr. Kilhefner informs us that here in LA there is not one introductory Gay and Lesbian History class being taught.
I finished the article feeling simultaneously discouraged and inspired.
I was nostalgically brought back to days when I was more directly involved in radical activism through organizations such as A.C.T. UP and Grassroots Queers.
At that time I was a senior at Rutgers University. It was the early 90's and Rutgers did not have a Gay and Lesbian Studies department.
However, I did take a course in Gay and Lesbian History offered through the Women's Studies Department. My experience in the course was profound. I found that studying gay and lesbian history is empowering.
The stories about gays and lesbians who have gone before us (some of those being Del Martin, Morris Kight, Harry Hay, Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, and many more including straight allies like Alfred Kinsey) inform us that we are not alone in our path to equality and desire for full self-expression.
Ivy Bottini, another pioneer who sits on WeHo’s Lesbian & Gay Advisory Board. Photo by WeHo News - West Hollywood’s ONLY Newspaper, ONLY ONLINE! |
It is life affirming to know and honor those before us who dedicated their lives to freedom throughout humanity and in doing so made it easier for us to live openly.
In addition, realizing that the echoes of our ancestor's calls for freedom still ring in our own voices inspire us to incessantly heed that call and keep working for the realization of our full, collective potential.
It is also critical to be reminded that we can only move in the direction we now move as a community because of difficult paths that others have paved before us.
Ancestors serve us in so many ways. Through examining our cultural (by cultural I mean ancestors with whom we do not share blood) and familial bloodline we tap into the wisdom of the ages that lives in the cells of our bodies.
This wisdom is a source of strength and inspiration to keep going even in the weeks when support of Proposition 8 is leading in the polls.
This photo depicts men in the gay bars of the 1950, dark, furtive places hidden away from the police. WeHo News - West Hollywood’s ONLY Newspaper, ONLY ONLINE! |
When we access this wisdom, we find through our ancestors that within us lays the fiber to keep moving forward through heinous and dire circumstances.
The question I leave you with: How will you honor your ancestors?
Here are some initial, simple suggestions:
If you have a space that you consider sacred perhaps where you go to pray or meditate where you also keep items that have meaning to you I encourage you to place photos or images of cultural and familial ancestors that are important to you.
I encourage you to read history and biographies about familial and cultural ancestors that are meaningful for you.
Simply take the time to make a list of ancestors who have inspired you throughout your life.
Our gay ancestors’ struggles and trials resulted in the Mr. Gay USA competition, among many other wide open gay activities. 2007’s contestants are pictured here, along with Council members John Duran and Jeff Prang. Photo by WeHo News - West Hollywood’s ONLY Newspaper, ONLY ONLINE! |
During Gay and Lesbian History month visit the One National Gay and Lesbian Archives, which will be presenting different events and exhibitions honoring Gay and Lesbian History throughout October. Dr. Don Kilhefner will be speaking there on October 19, 2008.
The archives are located at 909 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 - (213) 741-0094 - www.onearchives.org
Jason Mannino, MA; Life Coach, Career Coach, Speaker, and Author, empowers people to take courageous action that propels them into living an inspired, balanced, and authentic life. Jason brings a decade of experience in Corporate and Executive Recruiting to Career Coaching.
He leads various seminars and this November he will be offering The Call to Self Discovery in Los Angeles. In addition, this November, he will be offering a new seminar entitled, The Mating Call through the WehoLife program at LAGLC.
He is also very excited to be offering his first global seminar, The Call to Self Discovery – Soul, Mind, Body, on the island of Malta in December, 2008. To register for a seminar or schedule your free 30 minute coaching consultation @ www.jmannino.com.
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