Sharing together for a better understanding of Pride.

This post is written by GMTC team member, Jollean Smith.

June is Pride month, an incredibly important month in the LGBTQ+ community. However, it is often very misunderstood by those outside of it. When Jason and Timmy came to me and said “what are we doing for Pride?” it was something for me as a marketer and ally, that I had to really consider. And after much consideration, what I really wanted to accomplish is sharing together. To share together a better understanding of Pride, there seemed to me no better way to do this than through Jason and Timmy.

Our goal here is share together, for the purpose of a better understanding of Pride.

I feel some passion around storytelling. Sharing stories that connect the people to the business. This is happening less and less in the world, as we hide behind keyboards. Jason and Timmy's story is special. It can provide understanding and encouragement for those who need it.

As a business The Great Mississippi Tea Company's goal has been about bringing tea closer to home, closer to Americans. We think that is important about Pride too. In order for us to come together in America, we have to get closer to the ones around us. The only way to get closer to those who may be different than us, is to connect to them. This is when we will realize we are not all that different. 

Jason and Timmy are a great example of this. If you do not already know, they are married. In fact, they were the first to get a marriage license when it became allowed in their county. When they got married the documents were not even set up for Mr. and Mr. They had to white out the S in Mrs. 

"When we got married, the paperwork wasn't event set up for gay marriages. They had to white out the S."

Jason and Timmy have a family of dogs who are incredibly spoiled. They buy groceries on a certain day of the week. They take vacations. Cook meals for friends. Jason shops and does the cooking and Timmy is the clean up crew. They have shows they watch together and family they see on the weekends. Support fundraisers and charities. They even go through rough times like any married couple would. They work hard and pay bills. 

"I just see them as Timmy and Jason, the tea guys."

Friends and family who see them everyday don’t see them in any way but as a couple. As Jason and Timmy.  The tea guys. But the reality is, it wasn’t always this way and they still today have hurdles thrown at them because of who they love. 

So I ask Jason and Timmy. What hurdles have you seen?  They both have experienced bullying, being asked to leave a restaurant, being called names. They know of LGBTQ+ teachers who are fired for working with kids. Note: LGBTQ+ are consenting adult relationships, nothing more. It is surprising, I have to say this, but sadly, necessary.

Suicide rates amongst LGBTQ+ are higher than that of the general population.* Bullying, closed opportunities, parents who stop loving you, friends who stop talking to you because of who you are, just a small number of things they might face.

A major hurdle was that Jason and Timmy were not allowed to marry initially. They also live with the fear that at some point the law that gave them the right to marry, may be overturned. Imagine, your government telling you, you are not allowed to marry the person you love.

Sometimes, the discrimination is discreet. It is when your child doesn’t get asked to play with the other kid at school anymore, once their parents learn you have an LGBTQ+ family. Sometimes it is loud, like you are not allowed to give your perfectly healthy blood to a blood drive.

There is still a lot of discrimination in the world. Read the comments on a public post that is talking about LGBTQ+. The comments are so incredibly hurtful. Imagine being an LGBTQ+ youth who is trying to figure out where they belong in the world then reading those comments.

This is where Pride comes in. 

"Pride is about being visible."

Pride is about being visible. It is being recognized as a community and letting others know, you are not alone. It is about dignity and equality.  

The Pride marches have opened doorways to new acceptance. To more equal rights and to new ally’s. 

I asked Jason and Timmy about the Pride flag and they shared its importance.

“The Pride flag really matters. It is a symbol of safety. You are a safe place to do business with if you are an LGBTQ+ member. It is a symbol to those who are coming out that there is a place for you, a community that exists that cares that you exist and welcomes you."

So we will place the flag in the corner of our banners. To let all those who shop with us know that we are a safe place to do business with. It is a quiet and simple gesture that we hope others who are still working to understand the LGBTQ+ will support.

And to further our actions for Pride month. We have launched a very special tea. Visibili-Tea is a beautiful and colorful blended tea. It has our Mississippi Queen Green tea, dried mango, freeze dried strawberries, mango flavoring, strawberry flavoring, butterfly pea flower. 

Visibili-TEA changes color -- Just add lime/lemon juice to make it change!

$1 from every one ounce of this tea will go to a charity that provides crisis support and  suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth in need. 

"There are still people who don't know that it is ok to be gay.  Someone has to be the beacon.”

As we close up here, Jason shares some important thoughts.

“There is always one gay representative in a community. We all knew that one gay hairdresser or that one flamboyant insurance salesman. We are just being visible and being that person to let others in the community know that you can live and be gay. That you can exist. We have had people introduce themselves through leaving a note in our mailbox that they were gay and needed to meet someone else gay. It is nothing major, but there are still people who don't know that it is ok to be gay.  Someone has to be the beacon.”

At The Great Mississippi Tea Company we want all our customers to know that you belong with us. There will be no discrimination based on race, religion, or who you love. We choose acceptance and hope you leave this write up with just a small understanding of what Pride is and its value to us and the community.

I give thanks to Jason and Timmy for the opportunity to share their story for the purpose of understanding. They are a great example to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community that there is a future for you and you most certainly belong. 

Sincere thanks,

Jollean Smith

Great Mississippi Tea Company Marketing Manager and proud LGBTQ+ ally.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_among_LGBT_youth

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