Where Do We Go From Here?
The children may (or may not) all be grown up, but the question remains as relevant in 2021 as it has every year.
The struggle for equality, equal protection under the law, the right to love who we want, the ability to live as the gender we know we are inside… these are all fundamental human rights and should be obvious—but to many, they not only aren’t, but they are a source of irrational fear and hatred. It doesn’t take much effort to search through the daily news to find stories of discrimination and abuse, sometimes even from those who we might otherwise think are our “allies,” here in the United States—and the situation in much of the rest of the world is far, far more dire. Suicide, violent attacks, and murder are still common.
The answer? Perseverance. Speak up and speak the truth to the politicians at all levels, no matter how local or national. Confront the liars. Spread the truth, the science, and the love. If you are afraid or unable to be openly activist—the fear islegitimate and the repercussions can be devastating—support those who can. Donations to nonprofits, to shelters, to food banks, to those religious institutions with open hearts and those companies with open minds, all carry weight and influence thoughts and actions. Together, step by step, we persevere. There may be setbacks, but we persevere… and, some day, the world will be a safer place for us all because of it.