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Ranger-led Activities

Ranger-led Activity: You exist

This week's ranger-led activity from the National Pride Service is called "You exist".

Ranger-led Activity: You exist
Source: Censored LGBTQ+ Heritage page on the National Park Service website

Our very first ranger-led activity from the National Pride Service is called "You exist". Each activity we post will contain a resilience exercise, a reflection, and an action opportunity. You are welcome to do any of the parts of the activity that resonate with you.

Resilience Exercise

This resilience exercise can be completed by any LBGTQ+ people or allies who are disturbed by the steps the federal government is taking to erase transgender, intersex, queer, and other marginalized Americans from history and public life. Here's how you complete the exercise:

1. Go to a mirror or look at your reflection in a window or some water or use the selfie camera on your phone to look at yourself in the eyes.

  1. Say out loud, "My name is __ and I exist!"
  2. Repeat as many times as you need to remind yourself that merely being yourself and who you are is a powerful force.
  3. Bonus step: Add an affirmative statement like "I am worthy of love and dignity" to the end of the statement.

This can be a really powerful exercise to do with friends and family as well, so consider doing it together in a group.

Reflection

When you're part of a marginalized group, it can be really easy to feel like no one who looks like you ever existed before. But the idea that LGBTQ+ people are a "modern" development is a myth! Transgender, intersex, and queer people have existed as long as humans have.

One great first step for reclaiming LGBTQ+ history is the Trans+ History Week workbook from QueerAF. Get your copy and learn about the gender-bending folks who existed throughout history: Trans+ History Week Workbook.

Action Opportunity

Reach out to one LGBTQ+ or marginalized person in your life today and remind them that you appreciate that they exist. Tell them you care about them or make time to catch up with them over coffee or a walk.

Bonus action: Get dressed up in an outfit that makes you feel fabulous and go to a protest!

There are ongoing protests at the Stonewall National Monument but if you're not near a big city, you can also find local protests through the 50501 movement or you can help support another movement you believe in like the upcoming Stand Up for Science protest on March 7th.

Thank you for participating in this activity. We'll be back next week with another ranger-led activity for you.

We are SO GLAD you exist!

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If you're wondering why we can just republish all this content, it's because nearly every document the United States federal government produces is in the public domain. The National Park Service website states: "Copyright law does not protect 'any work of the U.S. Government' where 'a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person's official duties' (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105). Thus, material created by the NPS and presented on this website, unless otherwise indicated, is generally considered in the public domain. It may be distributed or copied as permitted by applicable law."