Okay, let me clarify. I’m BLOG hopping. The only time you’ll find me PHYSICALLY hopping is if there’s a spider within touching distance.
Today I am supremely honored to be a participant in the Hop Against Homophobia… And Transphobia. I’m in excellent company – almost 200 of us are joining the party this year. I hope you’ll check out their blog posts.
A year ago I posted on this very topic. HERE’s the link. In last year’s post, I talked about my experience in public education – how I’ve seen attitudes slooooowly shift. I also talked about how freaking PROUD I was of my amazing student who used the day as a vehicle to educate her peers. I’m even prouder of this young woman today, as she begins her grown-up life as an out and proud lesbian in the US Army. I’m also terrified for her, because I know the out and proud part is going to make her life more difficult – painfully more difficult – on many levels. But I know, deep in my gut know, that hiding it – or even just not being open about it – would be even more painful for her.
My baby, my beautiful, brave baby, has an irresistible need to celebrate all the wonder and joy in her life. She inspires me.
So, today I’m celebrating her, and all the students who came into my classroom out and proud. The kids who faced their peers with grace and courage. The kids who stood up to the bullies, who took it and used it and didn’t let the fear and ignorance they faced make them bitter and filled with hate. Those kids? Deserve more than a day or a week every year. Those kids deserve to be celebrated every minute of every day. They are heroes.
Today I’m also mourning for those kids who came into my classroom afraid. Those kids – the ones who were out, but beaten down (sometimes literally) by the hate and intolerance surrounding them – they broke my heart then, and they break my heart now. Those kids are living, breathing evidence that we’ve got a long way to go. The only way to make things better for these kids is to shine a bright light on the ignorance and fear (because doesn’t all hate stem from ignorance and fear?) so the world can see how foolish it is – can see how beautiful our children are and can learn to celebrate the wonder and joy that they are.
I hope you’ll join me, and millions of others HERE, at the webpage for the Day Against Homophobia. You’ll learn a lot – including how you can make a difference in our society at large, and in the lives of individual people.
And now, the gift!
As part of the Hop, each and every one of the 180 or so blogs participating are offering a prize. Mine is a care package – sort of like one I’d send to my baby in the army. (I didn’t forget, sweetie. I *do* have stuff to send you!) It includes yummy treats, fabulous reading material, and some really cool swag – like this pen, which is hand made by moi.
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog with your email included. You don’t have to leave more than your email, but I’d love to hear what you have to say about your experiences with PRIDE and with the Day Against Homophobia!
May 17, 2013
Categories: Life in General & Smut in Particular, Uncategorized . Tags: bullying, erotic, Erotic Romance, fiction, gender education, gender equality, gender identity, genderqueer, happiness, LGBT, Life, m/m, No H8, Pride, rainbows, tolerance, trans*, trans*man, VJ Summers . Author: vjsummersandsmut . Comments: 25 Comments