A letter of hope

A letter of hope has been set up for people in the LGBTQ+ community. We are here to collect letters and emails from you about your own experiences hoping they may inspire someone who is confused, questioning, or scared to come out. Also The letters are queued, so it may take a while for you to see your post for a while.

[aletterofhope]

Did you delete some of the letters? I can find my letter on my blog but when I click on the post, it's not on your's.

No, nothing has been deleted. I haven't been on for a very long time. Maybe if you tag the page in I can share it from your page :)

[aletterofhope]

Letter to me

Hey buddy,

i know you are seriously confused at the age of 8 and its only going to get worse and everything in you’re life is spiraling out of control, but I am here to tell you, its going to get much much worse. Those feelings you felt for that boy in you’re class, you are going to have to bury them deep down for a very long time, and you’re mom is going to disappear for a long time and so is you’re dad. You’re dad will betray you’re trust when you tell him that you like wearing girl clothes at 11 and never trust him again to tell him a single thing about you, and when he essentially gets a new family and leaves you behind, its going to hurt. You will cry yourself to sleep ALOT. Its just going to be you against the world, friends will help lighten the burden, but you are going to have to do the heavy lifting. It will be scary at times, and you are going to hate yourself for a long time, and try to fill a void with any girl who will give you the time of day. You are going to become so angry and void of all emotion that you are going to be on the edge of sociopathic. You will think you are a monster, and you’re one point in life is to destroy other peoples lives! However there is a light at the end of this INCREDIBLY dark tunnel, you are going to meet a girl who loves you more than life itself, and give you a beautiful daughter, and at the age of 25 you are going to finally accept that you like boys and girls, and that you don’t feel like a boy and have been shoving it down for so long, that when you finally admit, you are going to cry and weep and question everything, but then you are going to tell you’re wife and she’s going to be there for you and support you and be there for you. Keep pushing on, I wish I could tell you not to break the law, and not do drugs and not destroy yourself but unfortunately that is what leads you to the present, where life is amazing. You can do it Fritz, I believe in you.

PS: when you meet a girl named Jenna THROAT PUNCH THAT BITCH she destroys you’re very soul and brings you into her family, then drops you faster than a hot potato.

[aletterofhope]

Dear Lil' Emma

Hey girl. You may be confused why I’m calling you Emma instead of deadname. Well, you know how you always wished for a mirror that would let you see yourself in the future? I bet you didn’t expect that image of you to be a girl. Yeah that whole wanting to be a girl thing? That wasn’t a fetish or something. You wanted to be a girl, because you were a girl. Boys aren’t jealous of girls. Boys don’t want to be like girls. Boys don’t feel uncomfortable with their masculinity and more comfortable with their femininity and just generally hating the idea of being a boy. All that depression that you went through in middle and high school that you could never explain? That was gender dysphoria. That was your brain screaming that something was wrong with your body. You didn’t hate yourself. You hated your body. So please tell mom and dad. Don’t wait until you’re 17. You’ll become the prettiest girl ever. Everything will be fine once you’re a girl. Everything is so much better as a girl. People actually like you better as a girl than a boy. All your social awkwardness is because you’re uncomfortable with presenting as male. You’ll gain so much more confidence when you start embracing your inner girl.

Love,

17 year old you. 

<3

[aletterofhope]

If anyone is interested in having an LGBT+ penpal then let me know and I'll try to pair you up!

[aletterofhope]

A letter to the kid

Hey kid, I want to give you something I know you never got, i want to let you know that no matter what anyone tells you it’s OK to be yourself. it’s OK to be different and it’s OK not to fit in. you don’t have to make everyone else around you happy because you will be OK. even at a young age you are resourceful creative and resilient; I love you because of your differences, because there’s no one else like you.. not anyone I’ve met anyways. without your stubbornness and your refusal to deny who you truly are i wouldnt be the person i am today. Your young innocent fighting spirit pushes me to this day to be who I am proudly without shame, because there’s nothing to be ashamed of. there’s nothing wrong with you. you’re outgoing, smart, active, compassionate, curious and naturally optimistic. anyone who has any kind of discontent with an awesome person such as yourself has much more going on inside themselves, but it has nothing to do with you. you don’t have to change to make them happy because you’re happiness is more important. I’m sorry I’ve put you through so much. I’m sorry I didn’t stand up for you more and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you any of this sooner, but I love you. so wear what you want to, go play with the boys, go kiss the girls and be yourself always because you are lovable and you are enough.

[aletterofhope]

Dear me 4 years ago....

You are twelve and in your first year of ‘big school’ you’ll think yourself invincible and truly believe it with every step you take. Yet not 4 months later you’ve made a group of friends in this place and all of them are girls. You’ll think nothing of it until you’re at a sleepover and the prettiest girl will ask you to share a bed. You do. And the soft skin of against your stomach as she curls into your side is poisonous. It’ll drown you and start a series of thoughts- questions, hate, a sprinkle of love and a dusting of lust. This is only the start butterfly, you’ll crawl back into your shell and 12 year old me, don’t pick up that knife. Don’t google how to kill yourself and don’t cry until you’ve seen darkness.12 year old me you live in a world of revolutions and you’re part of it. 4 years later, 12 year old me, you’ll find a girl who won’t call you names and disown your friendship, she won’t want to 'try things out’ on you and she will love every inch. 12 year old listen, you’re a flower she says and she says you’ll survive.

[aletterofhope]

Dear past myself

I know those 5 years were painfull… That never ending nightmare you had is going to stop soon… Just 3 more years and you’re free.. You’ll be crying each night to erase the pain but the time will come when it ends… Dont try to end it all, just keep going even if you’re alone. One day I swear you’ll find the right guy, maybe he has the same experience so you could sit together holding each other.. I know you’re looking forward to same sex marriage yet you’re afraid to find someone… Just say each day to yourself that the right guy will come and accept who you are, even if you’re trying to hide the pain by smiling the whole day… Maybe moving to another country will do good. Learn to love yourself even if you sont want to see the man in the mirror.. It will take time.. I hope you wont end your life…

Xoxo You

[aletterofhope]

Dear Littler Me, 

I would tell you to STOP trying to grow up so quick, but everything you do while being unaware of the future results have lead you to a suitable, beneficial and content mental and emotional state of mind as well as a satisfying living arrangement in your own apartment. 

I know you are most normally seen as the girl who was in Juvi for a couple years, but the way you are acting out and subconsciously trying to fill a void that you aren't even aware of yet. Get ready to hear the answer to your behavior problems and your inability to stay in those normal teenage relationships. 

                                   YOU ARE A LESBIAN!

Because of stereotyping and peer judgment though, you hadn't even considered that there was a logical reason that you didn't feel content in heterosexual relationships.

You have struggles and challenges that will make you believe you're losing your optimistic attitude toward life; You will learn though, that these hurdles are the stepping stones that shape you into the strong, confident and independent woman that will end up helping and inspiring so many other women. 

You are going to love everything ahead of you in this life. First, I'll start with the memorable day that you find the female that, without any prior contact, could so easily and abruptly send overwhelming and indescribable vibes through you, while at the same moment receive equally indescribable vibes. That combination of vibes had lead to the moment that these two individuals would initiate in eye contact that would confirm everything for her, that I was already so sure about and planning to wife her up. It was what I could only describe as fate - knowing that you are on the right path and right where you need to be in life is a feeling you can only get from meeting your other half for the first time.

But wait, there's more..! 

I am going to leave the slightest bit of mystery to the letter that is ruining the surprise of your future. I will tell you this only -  You will have a wonderful and brilliant child that motivates you just as much if not more than anything you ever thought possible. 

It may sound overwhelming, but it is a better life path than I could have ever imagined or planned. We've made it this far, and will continue to prosper in life with the the Gold Star lesbian that made it all possible.

P.s. - Grow your eyebrows out and make sure that it matches your face shape. You'll thank me for this blessing when you realize the importance of this. 

You're doing great,  just keep doing what you'redoing. (:

H.k.-23

tealtazergunz.tumblr.com

[aletterofhope]

Dear past self,

You’re going to be your usual closed off self and come to the realisation of the whole gay thing later than those around you. You’re going to become frustrated and you’re going to struggle. While you’re at uni you’re going to sleep with guys and be confused and sad and eventually turn to addiction, but it’s okay. You’re not alone. One day while you’re drunk you’re going to make a big, dangerous mistake and realise you need someone else to talk to. But guess what? You have a great support system, even if you don’t know it yet. You’re going to open up to your friends about everything and cry A LOT, it’s going to be a difficult few months. They’re going to be super supportive and help you stop all of your self hatred and impulsive actions. You’ll never turn to alcohol and self harm again. You’ll learn to love who you are.

2 years later you are with an amazing, beautiful girl. You’ve talked to your family and friends and everyone knows you’re gay. You are the happiest you have ever been and every out of place feeling you’ve ever felt makes complete sense. Everything’s fine. You’re fine. Being gay is fine and you know that now. Go and talk about your feelings, don’t suppress feelings or hide anything from yourself and you’ll do perfectly.

Love,

Mollie

[aletterofhope]

Dear Past Me

Ok, this is going to be a lot to take in, and it’s going to take a while, just know you’ll be perfectly okay. I’m not sure how old you are right now, or when you’ll get this, but the world as you know it is one big lie; there may be only a couple of things you believed that will end up being real, and the biggest beliefs you have will be shattered before your eyes.

Tangerine.

There, now you hopefully know this is serious, so here it is….

You know how there are boys and girls, you being a boy? And you know how boys like girls, and how you’ve heard some boys like boys, but your pastors say to just not think about that fact. And of course you know that your religion is solid and your church friends will always be there for you.

Not one thing in that statement is true.

I’m going to put it as simply as possible, because it will save you so much confusion during puberty. Boys are hot. No, you aren’t gay, you just find a bunch of people attractive, regardless of their gender.

And Speaking of Which.

There aren’t just boys and girls, there are intersex, agender, bigender, genderfluid, and neutrois people. There’s a reason you never feel a connection to your name, or the male gender; while boys can like playing with barbies and hanging out with girls, you are not a boy. Do me a favor, look in the mirror, look at your body, look deep into your own eyes, can you tell me why it’s like you can’t see yourself? Why when you were little you would put your legs through the head of your shirt and wear it like a skirt when no one was watching?

You can’t count on your church, or your friends, when s*** hits the fan they will ostracize you and abandon you, they will turn on you and hurt you. It will hurt-more than you thought possible.

However, you will one day find some unlikely friends that you didn’t even intend to make, and they will go to the ends of the earth for you, if you find yourself in moments when you can’t keep going for you, do it for them, because they would for you.

Honestly, I just wish you could’ve learned all this when you were a kid, but, as many episodes of Doctor Who has taught us, a bad event in our timeline can eventually lead to a happening greater than any misery previously endured.

So your frame is bigger than most girls, you’re hairy at times, and you don’t have much going on in the chest department. Look at the positive side, people are leas likely to threaten someone that looks strong. Once you start transitioning in presentation, you’ll learn you have kick-ass legs, gorgeous eyes, and can really rock black lipstick.

I know this all sounds like a bit of a downer, it kind of is, but at the same time it’s very important to understand deeply the hells you’ve trudged through; they show you just how far you’ve come, that in the face of unspeakable troubles and excruciating pain, you will make it through to the other side because you’re strong as f*** and you always get back up.

We’ve got a long, hard road to take, you and I, but we’ve made it this far, and in the end, it’ll all be worth it. Trust me.

With more sincerity than you can understand- Zach. I mean… Katie

[aletterofhope]

Dear fifteen year old me,

I’m the future you. I’m currently nineteen and I’ll be turning twenty this year.

Don’t worry about how much taller you are than the other girls and how much wider you seem than the very few other tall girls. Don’t worry about your braces, it’s worth the pain and irritation trust me, and how you think you can’t take a good picture. You’re being you and that’s perfect. You’re going to regret saying something to a friend, and you end up losing them, but they forgive you, remember them but leave them alone. By now, you should have lost a lot of friends in school, but you still have a lot of them and meet new ones. People change and drift apart, that’s okay. Cherish your dog, you’ll spend a long night and few days mourning over him. You hate being dressed up, you hate pink, you hate being dragged to church. Don’t worry, it works out.

Dear sixteen year old me,

You’re going to lose one of your best friends but that’s okay, you still have your rock, and you meet a new bff who now is your roommate in college. Crazy, right? You’re going to try to be a singer and that isn’t going to work out well, but you’re a good artist and you need to keep drawing and writing! Keep your passions alive. Love your new dog and your older one. You’re going to start sewing and start a new hobby that will make you a lot of friends, keep it up, you’re a natural! You’re going to meet three people online that are still your friends today. They love you and you all have incredible memories. You end up falling head over heels for one of them and….it’s new because it’s a girl. But you learn it’s alright, even if she rejects you, it’s for the better. You’re still close to all three of them.

Dear seventeen year old me,

You start realizing for a long time you’ve felt sad and you don’t know why. You sleep a lot and you’re grumpy. You won’t want to get up and you “sass” your parents (more like you stop tolerating their abusive bs). You have depression and you don’t get help until another year. You’re under a lot of stress but you do great things and have great loves. You realize you’re an atheist. you gain courage to tell your parents you’re pansexual and you happily date your girlfriend. You continue dating girls and you love it. This year you have a seizure for no reason and it’s going to change you. It’s scary, but hang in there.

Dear eighteen year old me,

You still can’t drive and you don’t get a tattoo yet, but a lot of good things happen. You start EAST, you go on trips with your best friend, you cut your hair the way you like and wear likes you like, you paint and you sew a lot. You identify as gendervoid and as a Wiccan. You practice witchcraft and you love it. You fall in love hard and get devastated, everything seems like too much and you’re scared and you cry a lot. You lose your great grandmother and your dog this year. Lean on your friends, they care about you. You graduate and you enter college. You fall in love again and now you can see yourself marrying this person. You’re still struggling with depression but know that you’re strong and surrounded by people who love you. The world is changing for the better and you’re gaining yourself.

Xoxo, Ashlie

[aletterofhope]

Dear past self:

When you finally realise you like women, please don’t be scared. Don’t force yourself to have conversations with family and friends about boys you find “cute” just because you think that’s what you should do

Don’t feel ashamed and don’t worry about nobody from your closed minded town not having the same feelings you do. In your late teens you’ll find plenty of members of the LGBT+ community who will welcome you, be your friends, and that one special girl who’ll love you, and you’ll love more than anything 💕

Also, don’t spend so much time focused on your “flaws”, don’t obsess (unhealthyly) over your weight, don’t spend all your time worrying about saying or doing the wrong things.

Just be you.

And that includes the you that you manage to find when you discover your true gender identity. Don’t compare yourself to others, focus on how you feel on the inside. Don’t let Her tell you you need to buy dresses and frilly tops, if you want boxers buy them. Know that you’re lucky, you have people who love and accept you for you and that won’t change.

- M, 19 🐾

@all-too-gay19

[aletterofhope]

Dear past me,

I know you have feeling to both boys and girls, it’s okay. Mom and dad won’t hate you, you won’t get kicked out, they will love and support you. You may not have someone to talk to about all these weird feelings, but one day you are going to meet two amazing people who will love you and encourage you to step out of your shell. They aren’t straight either. They will become your best friends and they will help you tell your parents. They already knew, and they just want you to be happy with yourself. Don’t try to harm yourself in anyway, the scars aren’t worth it.

One day you will meet a boy who is absolutely amazing, and he will understand that you will never be 100% straight, and he will be supportive and love you for you. Don’t forget to look forward to tomorrow and not to dwell on the past.

- love 18 year old me

@little-freak-little-geek

[aletterofhope]

Dear 11 year old self,

Don't be afraid to be yourself. Don't try so hard to hide who you are. I know it's been a shit storm for the last five years after losing both our mom and our brother, but Dad will be there for you no matter what. Dad will make you happy. He's gonna be your rock, and your best friend. Don't be afraid to tell him. He'll be more disappointed in the fact that you didn't trust him enough to tell him. But believe me, he's gonna love you just as much. Your brothers, well, they'll still be dicks, but they'll still love you the same. You'll be much happier. I promise you. As for girls, always remember --- straight girls are friends, not food.

@imaginaryfriend1992

[aletterofhope]

Dear Past Self,

Don’t waste your time trying to convince yourself, and the people around you, that you’re straight. It doesn’t work, trust me.

All those nights spent hating yourself for feeling this way, all those missed opportunities, all of the worrying, its not worth it. Accept yourself. The sooner you do this the happier you will be. So very happy. People will notice. They do notice. The way you walk and talk, how you carry yourself, you have a glow to you.

Don’t worry about people hating you for this, those people don’t matter anyway. You have to do what is best for you and this is the first step.

Also, you are beautiful no matter what, even if you like girls… Everything will be okay.

@soeasyintoyourembrace

[mel23rose]

Hi! I'd like to ask you to contribute to this blog. You may not have done this before, but could you write a letter to your past self. It would be a great inspiration to people in the LGBT+ community. If you have questions check out the blog. Thanks!

Dear past self, Right now I am 16 and I am still kind of struggling with myself and my family but I am hopeful for the future. Right now you might have just finished soccer practice since you would have soccer constantly. Soccer will help you get through things. Also when you start playing the trumpet in fourth grade, you will keep playing it and you will become awesome at it. Trust me on that. You might feel as if you are a boy but also a girl and that is fine. Be glad your mom is so accepting that she let’s you wear what you want (unless when it comes to formal events and you have no clue what to wear). You might sometimes wear guy clothes and sometimes girl clothes but you will never really like the color pink. When you get to middle school, you will meet the most awesomiest (this is a word in my language :D ) best friend ever. Her name will be Megan and when both of you are in high school, she’ll tell you that she is a lesbian which you gladly accept her as your best friend still. She will also come out as an atheist which is actually kind of funny because you are also an atheist. When it comes to your ex-dad, he will be jailed in 2013 for child pornography but you also find out that same year that you are not related to him! You are a sperm donor baby! So you are not related to that monster in any way. You won’t have to worry about him until it is 2023. But by then you will be able to kick his ass and he won’t come near you nor your family and friends. I am sure of it since in the very near future I am taking martial arts classes ;) Also when you start to get depressed, you must keep pushing on no matter what. You are an intelligent, beautiful, and happy person. Always be yourself and do not forget that better times are coming! I am looking forward to college where I can major in music, psychology, or even something else that I might like! Think positive and remember to be true to yourself and others.

[aletterofhope]

you are so much stronger than you allow yourself to be. you are constantly thinking that you’re too much or not enough. you’re scared that you won’t be accepted, you’re scared you won’t be loved, you’re scared you won’t find love. but you will find all of it, yourself first and foremost. I’m so proud of you for not giving up. I’m proud of you for winning the battles you had in your head, because you’re still battling them today. I promise, it gets easier. in the future, you are finally happy to wake up in the morning.

a letter to my past self