I see you.

Dearly Beloved,

I see you. I see you walking down the hall, walking alongside peers who don’t understand you. I see you navigating social relationships, trying to figure out how much you can safely share with the people around you. I see you sitting in classrooms full of stories of traditional gender roles and heterosexual romance, ears begging to hear a story that reflects you.

I see you because I am a high school teacher. I have heard many LGBTQ+ stories, and I greatly wish I could hear yours. What power your story has! No one has walked in your body, seen with your eyes, or loved with your heart. You being you greatly enriches this world every day.

If this letter finds you discouraged, alone, isolated, or in fear, take heart. God, your father, sees you too. He doesn’t see you just as your sexual or gender identity- he sees all of you. And you know what, he loves what he sees. He delights in you, just as you are. He created your mind, body, and heart and called it GOOD! Do you know why? Because you are good, amazing, and altogether perfectly created and loved.

When you walk down those halls alone, lift your eyes and look around. We see you. You are not alone. You have immeasurable value. You have a story that is crucial to this world. You truly are beloved.

Love,

Megan Troutman