By Rev. Lindasusan V. Ulrich
For those who choose “and” in a world that insists on “or”
For those who struggle against invisibility
Even when it means sprinkling your own head with ashes
For those who will not accept dismissal and diminishment of your pain
Instead naming it with precision as callous disregard
For those who bring your whole self to the work of liberation
Whether or not it fits conveniently into checkboxes
Or someone else’s definition
For those who relentlessly widen the circle for others
Including those who would shut you out
This is a prayer praising your beautiful spirit and your courage
This is a prayer honoring your fierceness and your heartache
You’ve carried the trauma for generations
Still too frequently on your own
But we’re building something new—
Something that can only be shaped in the liminal spaces
Where imagination cannot be fenced in
This is a prayer giving thanks for language broken open
Because the only duality you still hold on to
Is to love and to love some more
There’s a reason the collective noun for bisexuals is blessing
May this day of celebration seep joy into your bones
May this day of acknowledgment reflect back to you your worth
May this day of action illuminate your gifts
May this day, and every day, remind you that you are loved beyond all bounds
Simply because you exist.
Rev. Lindasusan V. Ulrich (they/them) is a minister, writer, musician, and activist dedicated to radical inclusion, deep collaboration, and courageous kindness. Lindasusan has served congregations in Connecticut, Michigan, and Minnesota; is a certified spiritual director; and identifies as a genderdynamic bisexual person of color. Lindasusan was the primary author on the groundbreaking report “Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations” released by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission in 2011.