Letter from the Editor: For LGBTQ+ youth across America

This is a scary time for LGBTQ+ youth in America. 

There is no need to sugarcoat it, what we are witnessing daily in the news is heartbreaking, to say the least. 

From LGBTQ+ history erasure in the classroom, the reporting of those who have come out and the subsequent outing of those who are not, to the attempt to ban queer words to unify our community, this is a blatant attempt to suppress our mere existence.

It shouldn’t be this way. 

When I was a kid, I felt so alone. I did not have the support I needed to be proud of who I was. If I was a teenager dealing with all of this backlash from politicians, who knows if I would have had the strength to continue on with being authentically me?

Or worse, if I would even be here today?

Seeing Ron DeSantis, the person at the head of this hateful agenda, appear in Elmhurst made me scared. Never would I have thought that this community would host someone who spreads such a vile message. 

When you are young in your sexuality, seeing an event like this can be very damaging to your mental well-being. It may make you wonder if this road is worth it. Seeing all this hate can be overwhelming, it makes you feel so small, it makes you feel worthless. 

There are so many people out there who are going through the exact same thing that you are right now. And for all those struggling, there is an outpour of love from the people surrounding you.

And we saw that in Elmhurst. 

What amazed me was the outpour of love that Elmhurst exhibited. Seeing photos and videos from the rally, and seeing the messages at Brewpoint made me feel as if this community had my back, and I felt the love. 

And it is important that LGBTQ+ youth continue to feel this love every day. 

To everyone out there struggling, it is important to keep pushing on. It is a hard journey, but it is worth it. Your life, your existence, your everything is needed in this country right now; you are the change that we need.

Know that all of this bigotry is temporary. This will not be something you will have to face for the rest of your life. There are people in your corner, you have people who support you, even if what you see constantly feels as if you don’t. 

This is your time to be the change that this world desperately needs. Do not be fearful, be courageous, and fight back. It may feel as if you are alone in this struggle, but you are not. There is a whole community willing to fight with you.

Make sure to take time for yourself. Sometimes, we are constantly online to fill the void, but nowadays, it can be toxic and threatening to our mental well-being. Know when to stop, know when to give this fight your energy, and most importantly, know when to rest.

No matter how difficult it may seem, I promise you’ll get through this. 

They have tried to take away everything from us. No matter how many times they try to stomp us out, we never stay down, we come back with a vengeance and fight to make our existence known.

And if it feels as if the world is caving in, and the pressure gets to be too much, just know that you matter, you belong, and you deserve to be here. 

Read it one more time, or read as many as you need until you feel that affirmation deeply rooted in your core: You matter, you belong, and you deserve to be here. 

The world is a much better place with you in it.