Like a Love Story

by Abdi Nazemian

The cathedral is majestic and so imposing, like the church wants to remind you of its power through its architecture. Near the entrance is a gift shop. Candles are for sale, and Bibles, and postcards, and pens, all there to raise funds for the church, the money going toward reaching more people with their message of intolerance. It feels completely absurd to me. I know that ACT UP meetings have a merchandise table too, but that’s because we have no money and no funding. The church has countless cathedrals just like this one, real estate everywhere, and they still want people to give them more.