Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Time Magazine reports:
When Rhode Island’s teacher of the year posted a photo of his April meeting with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania at the White House Oval Office Thursday, it quickly went viral.
The striking picture shows Nikos Giannopoulos holding a lacy fan and wearing a rainbow pin among other meaningful accessories. Giannopoulos says he picked strategic accessories in order to pay tribute to the LGBTQ community during the photo opportunity with Trump.
Giannopoulos posted the photo on Facebook where it scored 1,300 likes and 519 shares as of Friday afternoon. According to Giannopoulos, he did not have the opportunity to speak with POTUS about policies affecting LGBTQ Americans during his visit as he’d hoped.
From his Facebook page:
In previous years, state teachers of the year were given the opportunity to speak to the president for a few minutes each. 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. Each and every queer person has been confronted with cruelty in ways many cannot imagine – verbal and physical abuse from strangers, friends, & even family; politicians callously attacking on our right to love or merely exist in public spaces; legalized discrimination for daring to be who we are. Brutality is a universal part of the queer experience.
I am one of the fortunate ones. I have been able to share the last ten years of my life with my partner who understands me better than anyone in the world. I have a mother who always allowed me to be myself, highlighting my best qualities, and building up my confidence as a shield to any bigotry I may encounter. I have a sister, brother, father, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law who have accepted, celebrated, and loved me unconditionally for my whole life. I have a chosen family of queer friends and loved ones with whom I have formed deep and supportive relationships that will last a lifetime.
Each day, I get the privilege of working with students who have found a safe haven in the halls of Beacon Charter High School for the Arts – a school where I have been fully embraced, loved, and respected by my entire Beacon Family. I have students whose families are true partners with me on their child’s educational journey. I have colleagues who inspire me and I have a principal who took a chance on someone with a small resume but a big heart.
Truth be told: Beacon’s warm and loving environment has done as much for me as it does for our students every day. I have a Department of Education and former Rhode Island Teachers of the Year who believed in me more than I believed in myself. They gifted me a platform to elevate the voices of those LGBTQ youth who must still fight against brutality inside and outside the classroom.
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. When I think back to my time in the White House, I will not remember the person seated at the desk. I will remember the bravery of AB Wright who led our cohort in singing the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.
I will remember the gorgeous singing of Kelisa Wing who commanded the attention of everyone in the Oval Office. I will remember the quiet dignity of Valerie Gates who presented the president with handwritten letters from her refugee students, pleading with him to hear their voices. I will remember when the gravity of our situation hit Michelle Bugh Doherty all at once, and she burst into tears, representing what we were all feeling in that moment.
In this role, you represent so much more than yourself. Many of our 2017 Teachers of the Year have had to overcome structural barriers of race, gender, socioeconomic status, home language, immigration status, sexual orientation, and much more. Most of us could never have imagined being in this position, representing not only the talented and hardworking teachers of our states, but also the students and families we fight for every single day.