Dear Members of the Garden Spot GSA Club: Hello. My name is Alexandra Kurtz.

Some of you may remember me as a senior last year; I am a member of Garden Spots 2013 graduating class. This year, I began my studies at Washington College, in Chestertown, Maryland. It has been a wonderful experience for many reasons, which I will go into more detail about shortly. I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to each of you for being involved in a club such as the GSA club. It demonstrates that progress is being made and that people are becoming more open about the things that make them unique as individuals. As a student at Garden Spot, I always wished that there were an organization that I could participate in to provide support to others while showing my support for change. I mainly refer to a change in the mentality of the community as a whole. I always hoped for a time when GS would become more accepting. Being a member of a numerical minority is tough. For me personally, I knew that I existed within the small group of liberal-minded students at Garden Spot. In- class debates showed me that time after time, and it only served to strengthen my beliefs. Instead of feeling defeated by the lack of support from fellow classmates, I was caused to question my own opinions over and over. I personally believe that this is the best way to ensure that ones morals and values are deeply-held sentiments, rather than simply short-lived opinion statements. These experiences led me toward the path of becoming a political science major. So, good things can (and will) come from adversity. And, as it would appear, adversity has been causing some problems at Garden Spot recently. Problems that should never have to occur. I have heard stories of the GSA clubs posters being ripped down because they made some people feel uncomfortable. Im fairly certain this issue must have been addressed by now, but if by chance it hasnt, I would love to write a strongly worded letter (Suite Life of Zack and Cody reference, anyone?) to the administration. On a serious note, though, it is difficult to understand why anybody would view those actions as acceptable. I want each and every one of you to know that you have every right to express yourself in any way that you see fit, as long as it is not harmful to others or to yourself. And no, putting up posters is clearly not harmful to others. The absolute cruelty and disregard for the feelings of others with which those posters were taken down is in fact an outrage. Do not let other people

affect the way that you think of yourselves, you are all beautiful people, inside and out. Those who feel uncomfortable due to the nature of others are the ones who have deeply rooted issues. Treating others as less than yourself due to their innate personal characteristics is the best way to express your own insecurities, if you ask me. And furthermore, to demonstrate your denial and complete naivety of the surrounding world. Because the truth is, once you are out in the real world, things such as your sexual orientation. . . They dont matter. They shouldnt matter, ever. Not in any negative sense, anyway. These things are an aspect of who you are. Race, religion, sexual orientation, political or ideological views, nobody has any right to criticize you for those things, or to try to take them away from you. And I am so sorry to anybody reading this who feels that their rights have been impeded upon as a result of the actions of others. It is a severe injustice. But please, do find comfort in the fact that this is only a temporary struggle. Back to what I mentioned earlier, about college being a wonderful experience for me? Everybody here is so open- minded. Even in a small town, still probably mostly conservative, and located in rural Maryland, people can manage to respect others for who they are. And that is the way that it should be. Do not let yourself fear that the backwards-thinking people with whom you are surrounded will have the power to negatively affect your daily life for long. You should not feel uncomfortable going to school, a place meant for learning, simply because of another persons ignorance. Rather, rejoice in the knowledge that after high school, everything is going to change for the better. The people who complain that they feel uncomfortable by the idea of homosexuality, or anybody who does not identify as straight, are in for a rude awakening. They may think that it is okay to tear people down, physically and verbally, because among their circle of acquaintances, that is acceptable. But theyll learn. For now, all I have to say is, you just keep being you. I have so much respect for all of you. Nobody should have to hide who they are. And the people who cant accept it? They are the ones with the problem.

Sincerely, Alex