Jeffrey Marsh: Finding your focus in activism

From Vine to TED talks, Jeffrey Marsh acts as a voice for those unspoken.

At 40-years-old, Jeffrey Marsh is a gender-fluid American author, actor, activist, artist, and most well known for their inspirational social media presence on Twitter and Vine. Marsh defies social norm by having a beard, wearing makeup, and dressing in traditionally feminine clothing. They (Marsh prefers to use a gender-neutral pronoun) are an advocate for LGBTQ+ youth and speaks powerful dialogue at the intersection of gender identity, gender non-conformity, and digital activism.

In June of 2017, Marsh presented a TED Talk at Connecticut College on living your life without shame. The talk is entitled, “How to be you: Finding your focus in activism.” It begins with Marsh explaining a phone call with their father saying that he was sorry how he treated Marsh when they were younger. Their father’s excuse was “I was worried about what other parents would think of me,  because of who you are. I was worried that other parents would judge me because you are who you are.” This was the perfect segue into their talk.

Marsh receives letters and messages on social media from primarily teens, saying that said they were going to take their own life but decided to see another day because of what Marsh posted on social media. 

Marsh’s lesson to share is whatever you were taught was the “most wrong” with you, is your greatest asset as an activist. Being an LGBTQ+ spokesperson, their audience often consists of liberal activists. There is a participation portion of their talk where audience members reminisce about a time when they were “too much” of something. “Too needy” came to someone’s mind. Jeffery taught this individual that they can empathize with being “too needy” to care for the needs of others. If you are “too loud,” you need to be one on the front lines screaming for what needs saving.

Jeffery Marsh mentions a novel worth reading, entitled “Top Five Regrets of the Dying.” Broonie Ware is the author who was once a palliative care nurse. The number one regret that she got from her patients was, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”

Marsh ends the talk with letting the audience members know that this is no time to sleep when what is currently happening, is happening. To overcome self-righteous morals and to pour into the lives of others with love as the sole intention. Whatever has been done to you, is nobody’s business. What you do with what has been done to you is the world’s business.

This is your time. This is your moment of destiny.