Berney
EXPERIENCES MOMENTS ABOUT
EXPERIENCESMOMENTSABOUT
Berney
Max BerneyApril 18, 2019

Sacred Norms

Max BerneyApril 18, 2019
Sacred Norms
Max BerneyFebruary 28, 2019

THANAKA

Max BerneyFebruary 28, 2019
THANAKA
Max BerneyJanuary 15, 2019

CARGO

Max BerneyJanuary 15, 2019
CARGO
Max BerneySeptember 12, 2018

RABADI

Max BerneySeptember 12, 2018
RABADI
When we share our stories we create opportunities for compassion. Whether it’s a new tv show we watched on a stigmatized community or your mom’s first time at a cowboy themed Coyote Ugly, it’ll always be taboo if it’s kept hushed.
Far too often we search for acceptance of the stories we tell about our relationships with our families, friends, and ourselves from others. Seeking acceptance from others sets ourselves up to react. Let go of your attachment to other’s point of view on you. Happiness is an inside job to be shared with your community, not dictated by it.
I remember the first time I heard boyhood discussed from a similar perspective in the song “Same Love”. The lyrics prompted parents in our society to expand coming of age talks beyond “the birds & the bees”. Those lyrics meant so much to my dad and I. @macklemore gave us a dialogue for talking about sexuality for the first time together. Whether it was a moderate law-student in Ohio or a progressive charter school teacher in NYC, their first reaction upon my gloating on a 2nd date about my dad was more often than not “are you gay?” For most of my early life dating I felt I had to be intimate with a girl before I could even talk to her about how cool my dad’s boyfriend was or I’d risk having my masculinity and sexuality questioned or better yet doubted.
This was my first time celebrating P R I D E at 27 years old. At 11 years old my dad came out. He always wanted to be a dad, but two dads being dads wasn’t a thing in the 80s. My love for him never changed but my classmate’s view on me definitely did. When we’ve never been exposed to something in our community it’s tough to relate to it.
Both a 10K Wall Street donation for a float and 10,000 likes on an influencers taped nipple selfy, are still exposing people to lifestyles that may not exist inside their bubble.
In the grand scheme of things, this is progress. Increased investment in corporate and personal facetime (regardless of the number of months out of the year) is beneficial to our society.