Love, Simon Contest Entry

Dear World....

Dear World,
Yes, I'm trans. And, y'know what? I'm proud of that. Just because I may be different from you, that doesn't mean I don't deserve to have as much as you. I'm here. I'm valid. I exist too. I'm going to tell you a story. One time, I was talking to one of my closest friends, who was very transphobic. He would always make hateful comments and talk about how 'people like that shouldn't exist'. I told him I was transgender in class one day, and he stood up, walked away, and didn't say a word the whole time. I followed him, and he went into the male bathroom. Had I followed him, I would have gotten a detention. So I sat outside of the door, waiting for him. I waited for the entirety of the period, missing lunch. I heard him inside, talking to himself and I heard him punch the wall a few times. He eventually came out, saw me sitting there, and sighed. His hands were bleeding, and he looked tired. I had a roll of bandages in my backpack at all times in case of emergency, and I wrapped his hands. As soon as his hands weren't bleeding anymore, he hugged me like I was going to die in an hour. I was confused of course, because I thought he hated me. He grew up in an environment where it was bad to be different, so I didn't blame him. He told me he thought about things, and thought about me. He confessed that he had no idea why he was so cruel to people who were different. We went to our next class together, and we've grown closer as friends since then. This story ended happily. Some stories, however, don't turn out as well. I know people who have been shunned, disowned, bullied, and abused. I want to spread awareness. Help those who are different. Just because you aren't the same as them, that's no reason for you to ignore any serious problems they have. They are human too. We are all equal. Nobody deserves to be forgotten or left out due to their differences. You're valid too. You matter. Remember that the next time you're afraid to show your true colours.
Love, @EmbraceTheGayness