Wednesday 28 June 2017

Queer prayer beads (update)


Back in 2013 I started making a queer prayer bead bracelet, but I still had some queer icons of mine, that I wanted to represent. My bracelet is now complete! I'll always be happy to add more if needed :) 


A pyramid, to represent Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum 
A pierced heart to represent Saint Sebastian
A deer, a boar, and a wolf, to represent the three sons of Gwydion and Gilfaethwy 



A faceted blue glass bead to represent the early queer writers from the 1800s to the early 1900s. E.M Forster and his beautiful novel Maurice; the Bloomsbury Set; A.E. Housman; Oscar Wilde
A silver star, to represent early queer cinema, 
the first queer actors, the first films to ignore the Hay's Code, and the first queer filmakers who worked hard to show us on screen 
An apple, to represent Alan Turing (with whom I share a birthday)


The high heel is to represent the Stonewall Riots which happened on this very day, back in 1969
The rainbow bead is to represent the beginning of the gay rights movement, I do love that we use the rainbow to celebrate it!
The blue bead (I searched far and wide for this particular shade of blue) represents Derek Jarman's seminal film Blue



The last three are more recent. The crown is RuPaul's crown - a club kid tuned drag queen supermodel of the world! I adore RuPaul
The wizard's hat is Dumbledore. I knew he was gay when I read the books, I honestly did. Wonderful writing from JK Rowling
The rugby ball is for Gareth "Alfie" Thomas. I'm Welsh, so I love rugby, and Gareth Thomas was the first openly gay rugby union player, and a bloody good one too! I'm very proud that the first one was a Welshman. Da iawn, ti!


So there you have it. My updated queer prayer beads. Every time I wear them, I offer a prayer to the universe to keep my queer brothers and sisters safe and well, in countries where it is dangerous to be openly queer. 

Can I get an amen?



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