Dear editor,

When I was a child in school, many years ago, there was a child in my grade named Judy.

Judy walked like a boy, talked like a boy acted like a boy and dressed like a boy. Judy had been 鈥済roomed鈥� by society to walk, talk and act like a girl, but it didn鈥檛 take. Every book presented showed girls in skirts doing quiet girly things. Every movie and television show presented a world where everything was black or white, girl or boy, wrong or right. In spite of this 鈥済rooming,鈥� Judy was different. We as children had no way to understand Judy and so Judy was bullied and ostracized.

In high school there was a boy who was clearly gay, although again, we had no language and no way to understand a boy who didn鈥檛 behave in the way we had all been groomed to behave. And again, he was bullied and ostracized. Ignorance always leads to fear and fear to aggression.

Yesterday (Sept. 20), I rode by a protest outside of the school board. Parents had brought their children to hold up signs protesting schools鈥� teaching acceptance and inclusion. It broke my heart to witness these children being raised to fear and loathe people who might be different from themselves. Or perhaps to fear and loathe their own selves.

Children cannot be taught to be gay or trans. It is simply who they are. Sadly, children can be taught to hate.

The world would be a sad and boring place if everyone was exactly like me or you. There is such beauty in diversity. And the beauty of a person who can truly and joyfully express themselves is a joy to behold. Let鈥檚 teach our children to recognize and celebrate all of our unique gifts and differences rather than judging and fearing.

Debby Howard,

Courtenay