I NEED TO GET SOMETHING OFF MY CHEST FUND

GRATITUDE,

1ST, FORGIVE THE CAPS. I’M NOT SHOUTING. I JUST SEE BETTER THIS WAY :)

ALSO HEADS UP! I CAN RAMBLE

MY NAME IS KING (aka DIANA KING / KING DIANA /KINGSINGA) I AM A KNOWN REGGAE-FUSION ARTIST (singer/songwriter) BORN AND RAISED IN SPANISH TOWN, JAMAICA. I AM ALSO AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. U MAY KNO A SONG OR 2 OF MINE FROM THE 90s. 

I ORIGINALLY CAME OUT IN 2012 AS LESBIAN. BECOMING THE FIRST KNOWN ARTIST FROM MY COUNTRY TO PUBLICLY DO SO, 2022 WILL B 10 YRS.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I CAME OUT AGAIN TO MYSELF, AS NON-BINARY “MULTI-SPIRIT”- FEMININE, MASCULINE, EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. SOMETIMES, JUST … SPIRIT. GENDERLESS.

LIFE NEVER CEASES TO SURPRISE & AMAZE ME IN THE MOST HUMBLED WAY

 

MY HEART IS RACING WRITING THIS…AGAIN. THIS IS LIKE COMING OUT AGAIN. I AM AN EXTREMELY PRIVATE PERSON BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN KEEPING IT REAL, AND HONESTY IS SOMETIMES THE CONTRARY TO PRIVACY. I HAVE DECIDED TO SWALLOW MY PRIDE AND DO 2 THINGS I ACTUALLY DISLIKE.

BEING VULNERABLE & ASKING FOR HELP.

SO THIS IS ME, BEING UNCOMFORTABLE BUT FORTHRIGHT AND ASKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. THIS IS ME CONTINUING TO IGNORE MY FEARS, HONOURING MYSELF & ADVOCATING FOR MY AUTONOMY TO B EXACTLY WHO I AM AT ANY GIVEN TIME … WITHOUT SHAME

 

I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR DECADES, BUT WHAT I WAS FEELING WAS UNHEARD OFF, ESPECIALLY IN MY TIME & CULTURE SO EVERY TIME IT CAME UP, I’D PUSH IT DOWN. SO FAR I ALMOST FORGOT. BUT IT NEVER STOPPED POKING ME. AFTER COMING OUT I FELT FREED & BECAME MORE OPEN TO KNOWING MYSELF ON A DEEPER LEVEL. I WANTED TO KNO WHY I WAS SO UNCOMFORTABLE IN MY BODY, WHY I DIDNT QUITE FIT WITH ‘LESBIAN’ ONLY & SLOWLY I STARTED TO REGAIN MEMORIES I HAD BLOCKED. I STARTED TO RESEARCH AND FOUND OTHERS WHO WERE LIKE ME. SO IN 2015 I DECIDED TO DO TOP SURGERY. ITS AN EXPENSIVE SURGERY BUT I WAS WORKING AND SAVING. I HAD IT ALL PLANNED. THATS UNTIL THE PANDEMIC HIT. I HAVE NOT PERFORMED SINCE AND SO, I HAD TO FOCUS ON KEEPING MY FAMILY AFLOAT WITH THE FUNDS I HAD. NOW, I AM UNABLE TO AFFORD TOP SURGERY ON MY OWN SO I NEED YOUR HELP. I DO MY BEST BUT THE STRUGGLE WITH DYSPHORIA IS ESPECIALLY DEBILITATING. IF U KNO U KNOW.

I AM ALSO HEAD OF MY HOUSEHOLD, CAREGIVER AND PARENT TO MY GRAND DAUGHTER OMAR, WHO WAS DIAGNOSED NON-VERBAL ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. HER MOM, MY BELOVED 1ST BORN PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY LAST AUGUST (2021). SHE WAS ONLY 33. I AM GRIEVING HER LOSS AND TAKING IT A DAY AT A TIME. SHE SUPPORTED ME AND WANTED ME TO LIVE MY TRUTH. THIS I KNOW BECAUSE SHE TOLD ME SO. MY DAUGHTER HAD HER OWN STRUGGLES AND DID NOT GET THE TIME TO LIVE HER BEST LIFE. HER DEATH HAS INSPIRE ANOTHER LEVEL OF COURAGE IN ME, SO I DO THIS FOR ME AND FOR HER.

 

THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR ME TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. I WILL B 52 YEARS OLD IN NOVEMBER AND THE FACT IS, ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO CHOOSE TO START LIVING YOUR BEST SELF AND AUTHENTIC LIFE. TIME IS NOT PROMISED. 

THIS IS SIMPLY WHO I AM. LIFE HAS NEW MEANING. IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT OTHERS WILL SAY ABOUT U, OR IF THEY ACCEPT U. ITS WHAT U SAY ABOUT YOURSELF THAT TRULY MATTERS, AND I ACCEPT & APPROVE ME…..ALWAYS

PLEASE SUPPORT MY TOP SURGERY FUND IF U CAN. DONATE AND/OR SHARE IT. IT WAS MY INTENTION TO DO THIS ON MY OWN AND I STILL HOPE TO, THE FUTURE IS UNPREDICTABLE. PLUS, I BELIEVE IN MAGIC :) BUT SINCE IT ISNT POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME TO DO IT ALONE, I WILL CONTRIBUTING WHAT I HAVE, WHEN I CAN TO MY OWN CAMPAIGN. AND AT THE SAME TIME, ACCEPTING THAT IT IS OK TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN U NEED IT WITHOUT SHAME.

MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO R FAMILY, R ALL IN SUPPORT OF MY DECISION. THEY KNO THIS IS NOT ABOUT THEM, AND THATS PRICELESS. PERSONS IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY R REJECTED DAILY BY SOCIETY & AND ALSO BY THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE AND CALL FAMILY.

ITS UNDOUBTEDLY A TOUGH FINANCIAL TIME FOR MANY OF US, SO CONTRIBUTE WHATEVER IS AFFORDABLE FOR U. NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL. ALSO KNO THAT U CAN CONTRIBUTE ANONYMOUSLY.

PERSONALLY, THIS IS LIFE SAVING AND LIFE CHANGING. THIS ALSO FEELS HISTORIC.

 

MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO U FOR YOUR TIME, UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT & SUPPORT. MUCHLUV ♥️ I WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS .

KING