Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes! Reminds me of the quote by John Lennon, "Being honest won't get you many friends, but it will get you the right ones".

Only you know what you can tolerate from those around you.
Only you know what you're willing to risk to be yourself.

As others have tried to make me be quiet, I've gotten louder.
I will speak about against everything I think is wrong, no matter how
insistent others may be to try to stop me.

The reason they've all been allowed to gain as much power as they
currently have is because most of the people who haven't agreed with
them kept silent.
I say "fuck that".
I WILL force you to deal with me.
I am NOT afraid of you.

You don't owe anyone an explanation for anything.
When people ask you questions about your personal life, you get to tell
them that it's none of their business.
Or ask them why they need to know?

I don't allow anyone to turn me into anything.
You're only a "pariah" if you allow yourself to be.
Turn the tables on them. Make them feel bad for being an asshole.
Ask them why they're so hateful, and hypocritical?
Learn their "holy" book better than they'll ever know it.
Use it against them.

No one can silence you if you refuse to be silent.
Be fucking BOLD.
Teach your kids to be bold, too.
They'll try to silence you through your kids.
Make sure they know it's not okay for people to do that.
Be ready to fight.

Or, if you don't want to do any of that, don't want to risk your comfort zone, conform and do what they want you to do.

You have options. It's your choice to exercise them.

Get the fuck out of South Carolina. It ain't gonna change anytime soon.

Stop hiding. Be a proud atheist.

If you can, leave. Vote with your feet. Become part of the brain drain. You can't fix stupid.

Maybe it's easier to say from where I stand here in Connecticut "But Imma be me!" - and "Screw the haters".

I know there are haters - I'm not without awareness - but I can't live my life being someone else. I'm too damn stubborn.

Hopefully society is going to swing in the next election because this has been crazy hard - knowing precisely who the haters are - hasn't it? I don't think I realized how many "Isms" were alive and well until these past few years and it's oppressive.
Hang in there. Know there are others who would stand beside you and for you.

There are over 8 billion people in the world, there will always be people who won't like your choices and harrass you about it. They are called jerks, and ignore them. Do. Not . Engage. They are not worth your time.

You are feeling what it's like to be a Minority. It's cruel, often lonely, and one learns to be silent in the face of "opposition" - in order to survive.
But you must persist. Persistance means you find friends of similar values. They ARE out there. Find them.

You just go on being you. Don't hide who you are. If someone has a problem with you, remember, it's their problem not yours.

well I know the feeling. I have been hiding who I am for A while. I think I am where you are at. Religion doesn't make any sense lol. there is no reason or logic behind it. Im afraid I would be walking on egg shells if there was a heaven and I made it. So what would they do for all eternity? playing the harp would get pretty old.

You don’t have to hide—just be yourself. No need to stay and argue—just walk away. Your life is nobody else’s business. At least you have a support group.

You are with a lot of people who feel exactly the same way you do right here . There are a lot of us in the same boat . If you don't show yourself for who you really are , then you will never know how many others are exactly like you but are also afraid to show themselves , and are hiding behind false personalities . If your society turns you into a pariah , then they are not your society . We are . Hugs, Hon !

Wish I knew. I have been trying to figure that one out for a while. Just do you?

Yeah rough where you are in bible belt

To hell with all your critics.....do whatever you want ...as long as it's legal.

I think you need to starting hanging with a different set of people.

So I’m a queer left wing Jew atheist who found myself living in a neon red state, surrounded by guns, churches, white faces, etc. I’ve been here 20 years, and I’ve survived (well, better than that, made it my home) by doing one thing: always being myself. I don’t apologize or lay low, nor do I angrily get in people’s face about our differences. But if you act ashamed, you give them the power of righteousness. When they realized that ultimately we wanted the same things in life, had similar problems, etc, they accepted me as I did them. And when it got difficult, yes, I sought out groups like this to let me know I am not alone. The key for me though has always been in life KNOWING you are not less than because of your differences, and that totally takes the power out of anyone who tells you differently, even if you are surrounded.

I look at things pretty much as you describe from your life. Very few discuss issues with me and people are fast becoming more divided for the most ignorant reasons. I think of myself as an activist and if I had more money I would be giving visible support to certain causes. If I was financially able I would be at rallies to lend support for many of these causes. Invisible beings do not control my life. Neither does Trump but his nonsense and distractions should be addressed.

You might say I'm a pariah of society but I would rather be me and live my life than be like the puppets and robots that surround me. They appear not to care and for your life to have meaning you have to care about something.

Don't hide. Don't fear. This is what the opposition want. Be proud of who you are and revel in it.

It is a good community here. Many of us are in much the same boat. We have to do what can to change things but the haters and JEEEEEEEESUS people are going to be there. They are strong especially in the Bible Belt but we have to be who we are and so what we can. It is depressing the power that white evangelicals have now.

Ignore them. Be yourself. Don't care so much about what other people think. The most important people should be family and nobody else. Who will be there for you when the shit hits the fan? Not those people! Concentrate on your life - what you like, what you're good at, your children, your family. Get off the internet for a few hours a day - spend the weekends outdoors, unplugged (I turn off my smartphone and leave it in the bedroom for 2 days a week. My family/friends know this and don't try to contact me that way. I'm getting more written letters from family and friends now than I have ever gotten before!).

Laura, you are safe here. We support you and the vast majority of us agree with you. Much love

Not to give a shit?

Keep #resisting and never let anyone tell you what to believe.

You do not need to hide it, but neither do you have to wear it on your sleeve or advertise it.