Dear Julia, Thank you for your letter, and for your kind words. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been going through a rough time. It’s fine to say that time in your life is difficult. You should know that although you feel alone, and different + scared sometimes, the world is as much yours as it is anybody else’s. The way you feel is as valid as the way anyone else feels. People, some people, find certain things difficult to take and they are cruel, because they are afraid. The biggest thing is to try not to be afraid, and then you will find that some other people can be warm, and kind and really surprising. Try and find these people. Try to forgive, and not to be angry, and to laugh a lot. It’s okay to live a life less ordinary. Use your time here wisely. The world can be, and will be a great place. Good luck Julia, big love, Andrew Scott x Explanation below: Early on last summer I was going through a very not awesome situation, and I found myself feeling hopeless. Being a queer teen is oftentimes really fucking horrible, especially when family is unsupportive, and I was having trouble reminding myself that it’s all temporary. It’s easy to get stuck in a vicious cycle of shame, anger, and self-hatred when in this sort of situation, and very difficult to break out. I had been a fan and great admirer of Andrew Scott since seeing his performance as Moriarty, but only recently (at that time) had I learned of his sexuality. He became very important to me very quickly, and I sent him a one-page letter explaining why and expressing my gratitude. I gave him a very brief synopsis of what was happening with me and told him how much it meant to me (and queer kids all over) to have someone to look up to. He was proof for me that it is possible to be happy and successful and gay. That being this way doesn’t mean I’m doomed to be ashamed, angry, and self-hating forever. He was proof that someday, it’s going to be okay. And I suppose that’s something I already knew, but sometimes I just need a reminder. So I sent him a letter thanking him for what he (unintentionally) represented to me, but I was unable to get any international stamps so I did not anticipate a reply. When I got home from school today, an envelope from the UK was on the table with no return address. I had entirely forgotten about the letter I sent until I opened it and saw who it was from. Andrew Scott is definitely the sweetest man on the planet. There’s absolutely no reason he had to do this, he obviously took the time to make it well thought out and meaningful, AND he used his own stamps. That doesn’t seem like a big deal, but normally celebrities won’t respond unless international stamps have been included. Someday, I’m going to shake his hand and thank him in person for responding to a sad seventeen year old, and reminding her that the world is as much hers as anyone else’s.
