(About Allyson, part 3)
Positionality is important.
This is who I am, the experience, genetics, and frame from which I write:
Currently I live on the traditional lands of the Arapaho, Ute and Cheyenne, now called Denver, Colorado, United States, North America. Also the lands of the lynx, coyote, deer, and bobcat.
I am a cis female, straight, pronouns she/her/hers. I am short, have brown hair and brown eyes, light skin.
I am white, European descent, upper middle class, graduate degrees, ordained clergywoman in a progressive Protestant denomination.
I am a relatively healthy and currently able-bodied retired senior citizen.
I come from and exist within a lot of privilege, both examined and yet to be confronted.
I am pretty aware. And I have blind spots.
I am, in other words, a work in progress, writing from a particular experience and context.
Some truths, some experiences, some images can be universally shared and identified with. It is my hope that there are some of those truths and images within the works you will see here.
I spent a large portion of my early years changing words to hymns and prayers as I sang them or spoke the words, to make them more gender-inclusive. I know that’s hard, tiring, and a pain in the butt to have to keep adapting to your own reality. In that spirit, I confess that in all likelihood, some of my words may very well not fit in your reality, or exclude you in some way. It is not at all intentional, and I deeply apologize. Take what you can from them.
Positionality is important. So is grace, honesty, and courage. And community. In all our imperfections, we keep moving forward. Together.