The IMPs

In 2023, an unprecendented string of anti-LGBTQ legislation and policies that rolled back 40+ years of human rights progression swept across the United States. These cooridnated attacks on American freedoms were part of a larger campaign developed by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative, anti-progressive non-profit organization dedicated to turning back time and bringing the United States back to the 1950s, pre-feminist/civil rights/LGBTQ+ culture.

During the onslaught of our rights, elected representatives discouraged and even villified individuals that were different from the mass, main stream accepted culture. One such incident included FL Rep. Webster Barnaby, a supporter of the Heritage Foundation, compared LGBTQ people to the "X-Men", then further commented that we are "demons" and "imps". 

Rep. Barnaby is a great example of someone that has an idea of what something is, but missed the point. X-Men characters were developed in response to bigotry and misguided hatred of people that are different, mirroring the parallels of human understanding, relationships, and biases. 

More interesting, and to my own point, he called us imps, which are not inherently bad. In fact, mythically, imps are creatures that cause mischievous chaos that sometimes helps or hinders a hero, but never with malevolent intent. 

His choice of insults inspired me. It's like we are all operating as independent agents in our local communities across the nation and online, causing mischief and chaos for the anti-progressive machine that is the Heritage Foundation.

FL Rep. Barnaby characterized us as an imp, and I think that makes an excellent mascot for the LGBTQ activists. We are the IMPs, and we are coming.