Our next generation. I love them all, just on principle, and feel fiercely, almost irrationally protective of them. I want everything to be so much different for them than it was for us. I want them to be able to be unapologetically out and safe in their schools, and I want them to feel nothing but memories of joy and triumph should they ever return to a high school for any reason twenty years from now. I know, what a dreamer, right? But why not? Why not imagine building a safe, respectful environment for all kids to be educated in right now? Why expect anything less, and why settle? Because we had to? That is simply not good enough. The fact that so many of us, fat or queer or nerdy or smart or slow or brown or from somewhere that is not here, still can’t imagine school without the accompanying torment or hassle or trauma is a sign to me of just how much we still need to do in our schools for all kids, not just the queer ones.
