We Exist
To the guy on the bus, ranting about how he’d like to beat up “all those fags”;
I was frozen in the seat in front of you, listening to you tell your friend about how people like me deserve to be physically attacked.
To the girls in the hallway, worrying about lesbians in the locker rooms;
The girl near you had a lesbian pin on her backpack. Her face was tight and her knuckles white as she ran past you, up the stairs.
To the “friend” who told me I’ll meet my fairytale prince;
You still don’t get it. You say you just “don’t understand it,” but you don’t want to either. You want me to be like you.
To the guy who told my (gay) friend he’d fix them;
They only talked to you because you were harassing another obviously uncomfortable girl. Two out of the three girls you hit on were gay. You insisted they just hadn’t had you.
To the tumblr user who insisted a-specs are not parts of the LGBT+ community;
Immediately your post was reblogged with a thousand people talking about how proud they were to include us. You just said they were delusional. It still hurt.
To the straight girls who want a gay best friend but are terrified of lesbians;
You don’t seem to understand what you’re saying. You don’t seem to notice the faces of the closeted people around you. Why are you so afraid?
To the LGBT+ people who don’t believe in non-gay/lesbians;
We exist. We are here. And just because you are too doesn’t mean you get to decide what is and isn’t.
To the people who insist on calling others by their “real” names and pronouns;
“Birth” does not mean “real.” “Legal” does not mean “real.” Identity means real.
To the “friend” who told me I shouldn’t “make such a big deal” about being gay;
I am here, and I am proud. I am not sorry if my identity and expression of it offends you. I will not hide who I am because you don’t want to see.
To the adults saying I’m too young to be political;
My existence is political. The majority of people believe that I don’t exist, or that I shouldn’t. When politics affect the very basic human rights of me and people like and unlike me, it’s not my choice to be political anymore. You get to choose because you aren’t affected.
For everyone who knows exactly what I’m talking about;
You are valid. You exist. You can be proud. You are not wrong. You are not sinful. Do not let your voice be drowned.
It’s been a few years since I wrote this post. I’ve grown, and so has the world. But not enough. This is still a daily experience for too many, and is still relevant. Most importantly, we are still fighting.
I’m still here, and so are you. We exist, we are important, and we are proud. I love you.
