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As I stay in step on my left, right, left and I journey in proper step, walking up and down these prison steps and stairs, being nonbinary like I am, I receive peculiar looks and stares, sometimes it feels unfair, but I am — they, them, their.

I watch myself often, feeling by myself, ostracized, characterized by world wide lies, but still I rise, each and every day, able to look myself in the eyes.

I am outside of society’s so-called binary system because I refuse to listen to their business, which is none of my business. I am a nonbinary business representative to the fullest, even from behind these prison walls, I stand tall, strong as a great wall and they can’t touch me with a ten foot pole.

The great Suten Blackgold is who I am. I know that all I am is everything that I am.

Being a voice for the LGBTQIP community, I have a duty to contribute to our very important cause. I will teach, preach and reach, even if I’m trapped in the belly of the beast, I need you to feel me deep down in your soul, all the way to the tip of your toe.

“Pain, joy, glory…” Nonbinary, fluid trans, pansexual, non-conforming people, are not performing for the crowd, however, we just wanna live our complicated live out loud.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Suten Blackgold is a Black writer, singer/songwriter and social justice activist from Panama City Beach, Florida. They are the author of four books, and currently incarcerated in California.