I Made My Own Flag

The superficial, patriotic noise & nationalist pride of today’s America do not bring me joy on this Independence Day, and give me no cause to celebrate.

They can have Old Glory. I made my own flag.

As a DV survivor, ally, and advocate, I choose and fight for personal freedom & autonomy every day.

As such, my flag features the color of domestic violence awareness: purple,

seven stripes to signify the average number of tries it takes a victim to leave their abuser,

raised fists, empowered, in diverse shades, representing all genders & orientations, and

its own declaration, which is to say we will not turn away, back down, or let the superficial, patriotic noise & nationalist pride shake our survival—or our will to fight for what’s right.