"Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color."
Purple is a color that is all around us. In Sunrises, sunsets, clothes, flowers, food, songs and many other things. But day, I wear purple in honor of all those in the LGBT community who have lost their lives to being harassed and bullied. And the only way out was to take their own life.
I have been bullied before and know what it is like to feel that way. Having some of your closest friends shout "Faggot, queer, homo" and other words of hurt. People not understanding that I too am a person like them with feelings. I didn't understand at first why people in my hometown were so closed minded about my sexuality.
There were many times I would come home from school and attempted to harm myself. I still have the scars from them. It wasn't until I met a man from California, his name Chris Barker. He was from my hometown. Openly gay, took many trips to home and was my mentor. He was older. I was 16 and coming out than. He played a huge part in my life. I met him in secret at first, until I came out and told my mother I was hanging out with a 40+ year old man from California.
Chris taught me it was wonderful to be gay. There are other like me, who have came out and been fighting for gay rights. He taught me many of my queer life lessons like don't put out on the first date, how to sound smart at my young age, what is in fashion/ how to dress, and my top favorite how to throw a dinner party.
Without Chris I think my life would have ended early, but I thank him everyday of my life and am glad I am still going strong.
I encourage you all to wear some purple today. Not only for me, but the others that can see hope and the light!
Princessa
