Yellow
Not like a zero, but not like a one
Not like black, but not like white
Instead, everything that falls between
Instead, everything that is not binary

White
A bit of this, and a bit of that
A bit like ABC, a bit like XYZ
Maybe even a bit of everything
Maybe even a bit of discovery

Purple
A bit of male, a bit of female
A bit more, or a bit less
Sometimes mostly one, or the other
Sometimes as much the other as one

Black
Not like a zero, also not like a one
Not like black, also not like white
Rather fully disconnected from it
Rather fully outside the range

Welcome back to this month's installment of Lovely Luminaries. Amidst all of the bad news occurring across the globe, especially in the United States recently, we bring some more positive and light-hearted news! My hope for this issue is to focus on only good things so that we may all get a well-needed respite. Let's begin!

First up, we have some good news where New Jersey lawmakers are seeking to protect students from their schools outing them. A school board recently passed a policy which would require teachers and staff to inform parents of anything relating to a student's sexual or gender identity, among other things. Lawmakers have taken a stand to protect these students and are hoping to block this policy.

Taiwan has made a huge step this year towards equal rights for same-sex couples. In May, Taiwan began to officially allow same-sex couples the right to legally adopt! Previously they were only allowed to adopt those related to them, and if not, only one parent would be able to legally adopt. However, now these couples are able to adopt in the same way that heterosexual couples are. In 2019, Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage - and was the first country in Asia to do so - and although it has been a few years since then, we hope they continue on this path of creating more equal laws in their country. Hopefully it also takes less time to enact these new pieces of legislature, too! All in all, this is wonderful news!

A few months ago, the state of Michigan in the United States passed a law making it officially illegal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in terms of housing, public services, and employment. Previously, these criteria were not a part of the legislature, so it's wonderful to see this being added. Hopefully it continues to be a part of this law and is enforced thoroughly to ensure that there is more equality in these three major sectors of our lives.

That is all for this month, though that doesn't mean that's all the good news happening! We hope to see you back for the next installment of this article. I hope you enjoyed this small ray of sunshine for today and I wish you all a wonderful month full of good news and positive vibes!