Proud in Front of the President
We have another viral sensation for you all today.
Today, the thing that's making its way around the LGBTQ internet community is this photo of a Rhode Island teacher next to President Trump and First Lady Melania.
Nikos Giannopoulos, a 29-year-old special education Rhode Island teacher, was invited to the white house as this year's Teacher of the Year from the state.
Of course, the event called for a photo opportunity with the heads of the house. And, OF COURSE, Giannopoulos took the opportunity for all that its worth (which is apparently thousands of social media shares).
In the photo Giannopoulos wears a rainbow pin, whips out a lace fan, and puts on an all too familiar face full of LGBTQ pride. And the Trumps couldn't do anything about it.
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Giannopoulos later wrote in a separate post about the experience:
“For my trip to the White House, I wore a rainbow pin to represent my gratitude for the LGBTQ community that has taught me to be proud, bold, and empowered by my identity – even when circumstances make that difficult.”
“I wore a blue jacket with a bold print and carried a black lace fan to celebrate the joy and freedom of gender nonconformity.”
“Had I been given the opportunity, I would have told him that the pride I feel as an American comes from my freedom to be open and honest about who I am and who I love.
“I would have told him that queer lives matter and anti-LGBTQ policies have a body count. Taking pride in queer identity means rejecting the shame imposed upon us by a harsh society.
“It means opening yourself up to a lifetime of criticism and misunderstanding, but knowing that it’s worth it to be able to live authentically.
“As LGBTQ people, our identities are complex, but our needs are universal – to be loved, to be respected for who we are, and to be fully equal citizens of the United States of America.”
h/t: Attitude
