LOVE MICHIGAN Designs Inspired by Pride Month

I've come up with a few designs and have begun to put them up for sale on sites like Zazzle and ArtsAdd. I'm selling under the name JavaTee.

JavaTee, originally was supposed to be a tee-shirt shop all about the coffee and nothing but the coffee, so help me god. But as with so many other things in life, it just isn't that simple. As much as I love coffee, there are other things about me and in my life that I consider equally important.

Gay Pride Love Michigan Watch w/Purple Face
(Model 203) by javatee

Recently I can came across and article about the Pride Flag and it's creator, ​Gilbert Baker, and I was inspired by his story. He and so many others of His generation who have come before me were on the front lines of the Gay Rights movement. I was overcome with emotion as I read about him and how the flag came to be. 

“Until we had a flag, the symbol for our movement was the pink triangle, which was put on us by Hitler and the Nazis.”
​- Gilbert Baker

I have been fortunate to have benefited from the blood, sweat and tears, folks like Gilbert Baker and Harvey Milk and countless others that have laid down their lives so generations following could enjoy Equal Rights promised to every person in the Unites States Constitution.

Making these designs probably won't change the world, and hell, I probably won't make much money from selling them, but for now I feel like I'm contributing to my community in a small way.

"We needed something that expressed our beauty, our soul, our love — that came from us and wasn’t put on us."
​​- Gilbert Baker

Quote by Harvey Milk

For me, being open about my sexuality is hard because I like my privacy. I don't think it's anyone's business what my sexuality is or who I love or choose to be in a relationship with. I'm not particularly "Proud" to be gay. Honestly, I've never understood those who are proud of being gay. So your gay, so what! So I'm gay, so what! It shouldn't be an issue for anyone! Sadly, that's not reality. In light of reality, and I consider myself a realist, I am therefore obligated to honor the memory of my elders who, as I stated before, risked and gave their lives so I could live free of discrimination, harassment, hate and violence, simply because I'm gay.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end. If you came this far, would you go a little further and share this post or click any of the links on this page to purchase an item?

JavaTee on Zazzle

LOVE MICHIGAN High-top sneakers by javatee on ArtsAdd