I left the house yesterday afternoon wearing my deep purple sweatshirt and Desert Plum lipstick. Three purple Spirit Day posters were tucked in a file folder under my arm. I figured the hygienist at my dentist’s office would do a better job than I of getting one of my signs and me in a shot to share on Instagram. When she gave me a purple toothbrush after my cleaning, I had the perfect opportunity to ask for a quick photo. Then, as I walked out onto Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights, I wondered who else I’d see wearing their spirit.
Halfway down the block, I ran into a young teen in a purple tee on his way home from school. I introduced myself and learned that Matthew didn’t know about Spirit Day.
When I told him it was started five years ago by a high school girl who wanted people to stand up against bullying of LGBTQ youth and speed up acceptance of those kids, he totally got it.
And when I asked him if he’d pose for a photo, he readily agreed. Then I met John, who was talking to a friend in front of the bank on Montague Street. He hadn’t heard of Spirit Day either. When I explained it as a way to show support for LGBTQ youth and take a stand against bullying, he nodded and eagerly took my sign.
Carol, wearing a lavender dress in front of the Atlantic Terminal, had chosen her lavender dress by coincidence. She didn’t have time for a photo, but said, “Bless you, honey,” as she hurried off. On my way to Brooklyn Larder for some roasted eggplant, I felt good that I’d been able to remind people I didn’t know about one of the many issues facing LGBTQ youth. I usually think of myself as a proud mom and an ally of LGBTQ people, but yesterday I saw myself as an educator, too.
Building awareness around issues affecting LGBTQ people is what will lead eventually to understanding and respect.
I felt the same sense of satisfaction of furthering awareness that I’d had a few weeks ago at my neighbor’s garden party. A man there had been horrified when I said “queer” in conversation.
He thought the word was unacceptable and that I was being insensitive and rude. And while it was a good things that he spoke up about presumably offensive language, I’m not sure he believed me when I said queer represented the Q in LGBTQ and was no longer considered derogatory.
Building awareness around issues affecting LGBTQ people is what will lead eventually to understanding and respect.
I’m hopeful his doubts about queer being used in everyday language inspire him to Google the word and learn more.
I want to give a special shoutout thank you to GLAAD for keeping the visibility of Spirit Day so high!
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Dearest Julie – Nice work and a truly brilliant idea. I totally get the man’s reaction to the word queer. For those of us who grew up some time ago, that was always a derogatory comment ……and painful. Even though the younger more PC crowd makes the rules, it doesn’t change how it sounds to some. In fact many of today’s standards and actions seen as progress have not made their way to much of the older gay and lesbian community. And seriously, to some it’s not “their thing”. Many are pleased to live a more private and closeted life. Over half of the community is not out at work and many don’t want to be. In talking with many of my contemporaries (old farts), they don’t want to be known as gay or queer or lesbian or bi. They prefer to be known and judged as who they are and their personal life is just that….personal. It’s a vastly different world now and lovely angels like you weren’t around in the old days. Much of this progress is a difficult thing for some to deal with and that’s hard for many of the younger people to understand. If somebody called me queer, they should make a dental appointment beforehand. Yes, I’m that old. Love your work. It will help generations. Peace.
I so appreciate your comment, Larry. Thank you. It’s a good reminder of the pervasive ignorance and cruelty of the past, as well as the pain nuances in language can bring. I’m imagining the day where we can all just be who we are whoever we are. Love & peace to you. Jxo
I love Larry’s comments. Queer, shmear! That’s what that used to be, but because of right-thinking and sensitive people like you, dear cousin, the shmear is going out of queer.
In old mother Russia and in new non-maternal Russia, Queer is a word reserved for confused Yaks who wander endlessly into Moscow and are immediately mistaken for the exiled drag queens of earlier days.
Talk about queer!
You can always make me laugh, Rickshala, as just the mere thought of yaks in Old Mother Russia does. As for shmears, I’ll take mine on a bagel. xox
Julie, you rock!! Wish I’d known about spirit day, I totally would have rocked it too. It takes a village to end bullying and discrimination, and I’m glad we’re neighbors. (wish we were!) Rock on, fabulous mama!
Thanks, Dawn. I wish we were neighbors, too! But either way, we’ve got one strong village going. xo
I like Larry’s comments as well because he speaks to an important idea that not everyone wants to flash their sash so to speak. In the meantime – I love your role as an educator so keep up the good fight. Love you.
Thank you, Johnny! It’s kind of found following in your footsteps. xo