A Spirit of Hope
Today is Spirit Day, GLAAD’s annual event to show support for LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying—both personal bullying and the sweeping bullying of anti-LGBTQ laws and rhetoric.
bullying
Lesbian Mom and Mom of Gay Son Awarded Presidential Medals of Freedom
Judy Shepard, who has dedicated her life to spreading acceptance after her son Matthew was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime, and Jane Rigby, senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope and a lesbian mom, on Friday received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Make Some Noise Today for LGBTQ Youth
It’s a day to say gay—and lesbian, bi, transgender, and queer! GLSEN’s annual Day of Silence has been rebranded this year as the Day of (No) Silence, a time for LGBTQ students and their allies to take action against anti-LGBTQ harassment and discrimination in schools.
New Study Looks at How Children of LGBTQ Parents Experience Stigma at School
A new study of LGBTQ parents found that two-thirds of the participants—and especially trans parents—said their children experienced structural and/or interpersonal stigma at school. The parents, however, shared a variety of proactive and reactive ways they worked to prevent or offset such stigma.
Moving Forward After a Week of Tragedy and Loss
Anti-LGBTQ actions and rhetoric have been on the rise for several years now, but this week seems to have been particularly awful. How can we support ourselves, our children, and the LGBTQ community through these tough times?
Nex Benedict and the Need for Change
Like many of us, I have been saddened and angered by the death of 16-year-old nonbinary transgender student Nex Benedict after an assault at school. Nex’s death is a tragedy—and Nex is not the only trans young person to have died too soon.
That’s the Spirit!
Things are always pretty purple here at Mombian, but I’m feeling extra purple today for Spirit Day, GLAAD’s annual event to show support for LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying—which to my mind includes both personal bullying and the sweeping bullying of anti-LGBTQ laws and rhetoric.
Listen to the Silence
Listen to the silence. As part of a national student-led demonstration, youth from middle grades to college are choosing to remain silent today, the GLSEN Day of Silence, to protest the harm caused by harassment and discrimination towards LGBTQ people in schools.
Reclaiming the Narrative: Think of the Children
Like many in the LGBTQ community, I am still grieving over those murdered at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month. I am also thinking about how much anti-LGBTQ rhetoric has created a climate in which such violence can germinate, and how much a purported concern over children’s well-being has played into that rhetoric. We need to reclaim the narrative of what it means to think of the children.
Showing Our Spirit
I’m wearing my best purple flannel and hoodie today in honor of Spirit Day, GLAAD’s annual event to speak out against anti-LGBTQ bullying and stand with LGBTQ youth. Bullying can come from peers, teachers, coaches, or even, awfully, parents—but the virulent anti-LGBTQ legislation, book bans, and curriculum restrictions around the country are also a form of bullying. That means this Spirit Day is more important than ever.
