In the last and 6th issue of Amethyst, Amethyst had to fight Lord Dark Opal to save her parents and her people who were imprisoned and relocated at the Amethyst Island on the top of Mount Ruby.
During the pivotal battle, Amethyst saw a certain group rushing in and climbing up the mountain in their attempts to assist Amethyst. It was The Banned.
Back in #3, a new loyal friend of Amethyst named Phoss who is a peasant lesbian, she introduced Amethyst to The Banned, an ancient nomadic community of rejected people by 12 ruling realms of Gemworld.
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I should mention that in the first 3 issues, Amethyst realized that her royal allies (Emerald, Diamond, Topaz, Sapphire, Turquoise, Garnet to name few) has turned their backs on her in times of need.
Historically, Amethyst was told by her royal servants that even with the fact that they are not her enemy, Aquamarine is never to be trusted but this time, Aquamarine is the only ruling realm that stepped in to assist Amethyst.
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But let's get back to what I'm trying to say about The Banned, as a royal member of Amethyst Kingdom, Amethyst told Phoss that she refused to mingle with them because her royal servants told her that The Banned is forbidden in the laws of Gemworld.
Phoss blasted Amethyst in telling her to get off from her high horse and meet different people outside of her snobby royal circles. Amethyst was outvoted as Prince Aquamarine sided with Phoss. Amethyst was surprised with how The Banned welcomed her to visit and mingle with the others.
Amethyst happened to be in the area when the folks from Topaz Keep suddenly attacked the Banned - Amethyst stopped them and granted The Banned to settle and wait in her kingdom out of compassion.
But who is The Banned?
The Banned is filled with a wide diverse of clans from the ancient past conforming to non-traditional ideals of Gemworld, preferring to put their beliefs in hundreds, if not thousands, of gems beyond the official 12 gemstones such as Bloodstone, Black Tormaline, Clear Quartz, Pearl to name few.
For eons, The Banned was actively persecuted by the 12 realms of Gemworld because they refused to assimilate. And they are different from the rest of population across the planet. You'd regard them as misfits in their own right preferring to preserve their true identities and their ancient beliefs.
Sounds familiar, right?
You bet it is.
Gemworld's The Banned reminded me of our LGBTIQA+ communities on Earth who refused to assimilate, conform to the society in order to be accepted as straight people. They preferred to live and create their places on Earth by being truth to their own identities.
On Earth, millions of LGBTIQA+ people, for centuries, were rejected, banished, ostracized, murdered, injured, discriminated and persecuted by their parents, families, relatives, politicians, leaders, communities all across the world.
What did they do next?
Out of their sheer desperation, they congregated amongst its rejected people and subsequently created their own communities out of necessity across the world. And not only that, they created their own means to fight back against the oppression imposed on them by heterosexuals which was fueled from their religious beliefs.
So yeah, The Banned on Gemworld *is* the LGBTIQA+ people on Earth.
Needless to say, right after the defeat of Lord Dark Opal and freeing her parents and loyal subjects of her kingdom, Amethyst finally met her royal parents, Lord and Lady Amethyst, only to be rejected by them. Because of what she did with her birthright gemstone which was used to free her royal family and her subjects, they immediately rejected her and proclaimed to disown her in front of many.
And guess who immediately stepped in and embraced her as the new queen?
Of course, it is The Banned. Who else do you think is going to embrace Amethyst after she was rejected by her own royal parents?
Boy, this is what gave me the goosebumps.
