https://www.upworthy.com/small-town-young-lgbtq-person-left-a-heartwarming-note-for-a-woman-who-flew-the-pride-flag

This is why it is important to keep LGBTQ+ symbols, books, information, and our presence in all communities.    This is why the right / republicans want to destroy these same things.    Somehow they think if kids don’t see it they won’t be LGBTQ+, but what they really want is LGBTQ+ kids to be afraid and unhappy.   Someone once asked me why I thought it was OK for teachers to have rainbow flag stickers in their classrooms or on their classroom doors.     This is why.     Hugs

A beautiful story out of Paris, Arkansas (population 3,413) shows the power of representation and how it can have an incredible effect on a child’s life.

Stephanie Robertson, 52, received a Progress Pride flag last year from her son, Levi, 30, and she’s had it up throughout the month of June. Stephanie is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve who currently works part-time as a support specialist for the Forest Service at Ozark St Francis National Forest.

“She was excited to hang it up for the first time this year and kept it hanging up outside her home all throughout June,” Levi told PinkNews.

 

 

 

For some perspective, Paris is located in Logan, County Arkansas which is very conservative.

In the last presidential election, 18.8% of residents voted Democrat while 78.3% voted Republican. It’s safe to say a pride flag isn’t something you see every day in that community. That’s why when a self-described “young LGBTQ+ person” saw the flag hanging from Stepanie’s house, it had a huge impact.

The child felt so welcomed by the flag that they put a letter in Stephanie’s mailbox. “She texted me yesterday and was like, ‘You’re not gonna believe the letter I found in our mailbox,’ and sent me a photo of the letter,” Levi told Pink News.

“Hello, this is probably kinda weird,” the letter began, “but I walk past your house every day and I’ve noticed your flag and I’m glad to know there is at least one ally in this little town – from a young LGBTQ+ person.”

 

 

 

The letter was written on a small legal pad and had several words crossed out.

The child’s words provide a small glimpse into what it’s like to live in a small town where people aren’t openly accepting of the LGBTQ community. For the child to learn that there is “at least one” ally in town has to mean the world to them. By hanging that flag, Stepanie showed the child that there was one safe place in their town where they are welcome to be their true self.

“I immediately called her and told her how profound and awesome it was that her hanging it made a child feel seen,” Levi said. “She agreed and kept saying how she couldn’t get over how sweet it was.”

Levi tweeted out a photo of the letter and it has received over 750,000 likes. The viral tweet is a great reminder of the impact that allies can have when they make themselves known through simple gestures such as flying a Pride flag.

 

 

It’s also a reminder that there’s still a lot of work to be done to make sure that LGBTQ children feel safe no matter where they live.

The child’s note has encouraged Stephanie to do even more for the LGBTQ community in Paris, Arkansas. “She’s going to find a Progress Pride flag window sticker for the front of her house to keep up all year,” Levi said.

 

 

https://www.upworthy.com/young-boy-response-lgbtq?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

Many thanks to Ali for sending me the link to this.   I keep reading of adults asking how they explain gays and lesbians to their kids.    It really is not hard, kids understand love and kindness unless they have been taught by adults it is wrong.   Hugs.

Kids understand love so well.

Heather Wake

08.16.22

Photo by Anna Kolosyuk on Unsplash

Love is love.

 

Kids say the darnedest things, sure. But often they say the wisest things too.

Case in point—this viral video.

Hannah Lewis, a 32-year-old mom and LGBTQ advocate who goes by the name “Lesbimum” on TikTok and Instagram, shared a sweet exchange between her and a young boy after he asked if she had a boyfriend.

Their heartwarming conversation received nearly 2 million likes, and it really offers us all a glimpse into what the world can look like through the eyes of pure acceptance.

When approached with the question, Lewis chose to answer him plainly, rather than “hide who I am.”

 

 

No, she didn’t have a “boyfriend” and wasn’t interested in dating boys.

“Oh so you want to have a girlfriend,” the boy quipped.

When Lewis responded that, “yeah,” she wanted to have a girlfriend, the boy shared with her that he didn’t “know any girls who have girlfriends.”

Lewis then asked her young friend what he thought about girls being with each other. “And he was like, ‘well does that also mean that boys can have boyfriends?’” she recalled.

@lesbimum

I can’t believe it was a whole year ago that this video blew up 🥰 Sometimes kids really do deserve more credit ❤️🏳️‍🌈 #lgbtq #positivity #lgbtqia #gaytiktok #lesbimum

♬ original sound – Lesbimum 🏳️‍🌈

Lewis then answered, “Yes, of course it does.”

His response?

“Wow. Think how many more people can be in love now.”

 

What a simple, pure and profound thing to say.

“Honestly my heart melted,” Lewis said through tears, adding that “I swear kids are living proof that homophobia is a taught behavior.”

Many folks in the comments echoed Lewis’ sentiment:

“All prejudices are taught. Kids are blank canvases influenced by society, their family, friends, school etc.”

“I’m so glad I’m able to teach my brother and sister so much about different sexualities, races etc. as I have never been taught from my parents.”

 

“My heart EXPLODED.”

“’Think of how many people can be in love now’ ….. AMAZING VIEW POINT!!!! 🥰”

Whether hate, particularly homophobia, is socially learned or biologically inherited is a long-standing scientific debate. But it’s hard to hear this young boy’s point of view and not think that unconditional love must be the most natural thing there is. It certainly seems like the world would be a happier place if we did.