Dear Reader,
I am overwhelmed with gratitude to the writing community, as we launch our 2nd issue: June 2019 - PRIDE.
One of our main goals at Cleaning up Glitter is to raise the voices and experiences of people who have experienced prejudice, bigotry, traumatic experiences, and those who are marginalized. This issue was conceived out of our mission, to help raise voices that represented the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community. However, as the submissions rolled in (more than 130!), our goal in publishing this issue changed.
Many of the submissions shared a common theme - adults reflecting on a childhood or adolescence in which the writer struggled to understand their gender identity, expression, and/or sexual orientation and/or didn’t feel like they had a safe person to talk to. We read a number of submissions from young people who are currently coming out to their friends and family. It was very hard to choose the final pieces, and we did our best to choose a variety of pieces that will make you laugh, cry, ponder, and take action.
All this said, we have decided to dedicate the publishing of this issue to all the kids, teenagers and young adults who have experienced, or are experiencing loneliness, isolation, or crisis as it relates to their gender identity, expression, and/or sexual orientation. And in doing so, we ask that you consider supporting the Trevor Project in honor of the publishing of this issue. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
The 24/7/365 TrevorLifeline is 1-866-488-7386.
We see you. We hear you. We love you.
Amy Walsh, @AmyWalshWrites
President and Founder
Cleaning up Glitter, Inc.
www.cleaningupglitter.com
PS - We are not affiliated with the Trevor Project. They are an amazing organization doing really important work to support young LGBTQIA+ people. By clicking my links to their website, you will be directed to a donation page where you can make a gift directly to them: Click here