The coveted Spotty (tm) - graphic by Tild
by Steve Timmer
Jun 17, 2022, 4:00 PM

The youngest Spotty ™ winner ever!

This letter in the Star Tribune today, June 17th, wins the coveted Spotty™.

LGBTQ people have suffered much harassment and bullying. We should not join in. Instead, we should stand up.

When one person stands up, a community stands up. When a community stands up, a state stands up. When a state stands up, a country stands up. When a country stands up, a continent stands up. When a continent stands up, the world stands up. And when the whole world stands up, the world changes.

The change we want to happen is that LGBTQ people don’t have to face threats just because of who they are.

You may not know what it feels like to be bullied just because you’re LGBTQ, but if you do, make sure that you and others don’t have to feel it again by standing up for LGBTQ people. When I was 7 years old, I was still figuring out if I was a lesbian or not. In my class there was this thing when people would flip an eraser and one side said yes, and the other said no, and the middle said maybe. Someone in my class said, “Am I a lesbian: yes or no?” It landed on yes. Everyone who heard it looked surprised, but I didn’t know if I was lesbian or not. Later on in the school year, someone brought up the word “lesbian” and said I was lesbian. I said, “So you got a problem with that?” He said, “Only weird people are lesbian.” I started crying with sadness and rage. I ran to the peace corner to get peace. After that he called me “weird lesbian” for the rest of the day. I wanted to never forgive him, but I eventually forgave him. Forgiveness is the key to friendship.

Being LGBTQ is one of the things that makes you, you. If someone makes fun of that, shame on them. Being LGBTQ is a part of your own body. If someone is making you feel bad for being LGBTQ, just remember that you are only yourself if you’re LGBTQ. Being LGBTQ leads you to your true gender and love.

S.K.H.I., age 8

Remember, a Spotty™ is awarded for a letter to the editor, an op-ed, or blog post or comment that I wish I had written myself.

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