Yeah... What she said.

 

As soon as Natia got up to speak this is what happened.

 

People left.

In disgust,

Apparently.

 

As soon as Natia had finished speaking this is what happened.

 

There was a mass exodus.

From 73 - 36

 

37 people felt tricked,

And were revolted,

Apparently.

 

37 people felt betrayed,

And utterly hoodwinked,

Apparently.

 

Now, apparently,

(And they mean this as the highest form of insult)

I am a lesbian,

Have always been a lesbian

And the whole event was designed

 

To humiliate them.

 

 

Natia said nothing that was controversial.  I wish she had.

She said nothing that would be out of place in a Citizenship lesson in any school in the UK.

What she said was thoughtful, informative, non-aggressive and honest.

 

What she said.

 

I was there May 17^th 2012

When 10,000 priests tried to kill me and 49 of my friends.

 

She said,

 

I was there May 17^th 2012

When the mini-bus I was bundled into by police officers

Who  had, before this point, stood by and watched until it was clear we would be trampled underfoot,

was rocked, side to side by a priest

With broken teeth

And wild eyes who beat at the glass until it shattered

And I thought,

I am only 24 years old.

 

She said,

 

Please look at me.

Please see me as a person.

See me for me, not for my sexuality.

 

She said,

 

See, my tears are real,

Hear, my sobs they chime to the same bells

That call you to church each day.

 

Here, take my hand,

Link arms with me,

I am warm, I am real,

I am me.

 

She said,

 

My mother loves me,

My father too, my brother loves me

My sister, my sister’s children, all love me.

 

I don’t want you to love me, or even like me

I just want you to stop beating me up

Slamming me down

Killing me.

 

What have I done to you?

 

Is it my mere existence you hate so much?

 

Is it because I am a lesbian?

Is it because I am a woman?

Is it because I am not you?

 

She said,

 

I am Georgian and I am proud.

Please see me.

Please hear me.

I am a proud to be a Georgian woman

I am

Proud.

 

37 left

36 stood up to applaud.

Oh Yeah… What she said.

 

I was proud of her, and of the choir members who stayed and sang, unifying all our remaining voices together in traditional folk song. To them I will always be truly grateful.