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Especially this part:
“In fact, when I visit schools I do everything a straight author does, except for three things:So much of my experience in visiting schools feels like my presence as an out gay man, invited by the school to speak to the students, is 90% of the impact of my being there. (Though I work hard on the 10% of what I'm speaking about!)
1. I’m a lady and I say “my wife” when asked about my spouse.
2, I give every LGBTQ+ kid in the audience a flesh and blood example of an LGBTQ+ person who isn’t on TV, who isn’t a stereotype, who is proud and confident, who is a human just like everyone else.
3. I give every non-LGBTQ+ kid in the audience a flesh and blood example of an LGBTQ+ person who isn’t on TV, who isn’t a stereotype, who is proud and confident, who is a human just like everyone else.
It might not seem like much, but I can tell you, for some kids this is everything. We don’t always know which kids these are, but they are there. Trust me.”
And Kari Anne's experience with only getting to speak to a handful of students at that one middle school is so upsetting, because we know those students heard that message from the school's administration and teachers loud and clear - that Kari Anne, because she is a lesbian, wasn't worthy of being honored with speaking to the whole school. Wasn't approved to speak to all the students. That message to the LGBTQ kids at that school is chilling. And the message to the non-LGBTQ kids at that school contributes to a society where homophobia and prejudice in general is on the rise.
We need to stand together against this kind of “soft censorship.” Calling these moments out when they happen is a key part of that. It's very brave of Kari Anne to speak up about her experience, and I hope the light on this helps make things better moving forward!
Go read the full article here.
and learn more about Kari Anne Holt, and her books, at her website here.
The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee
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