The internet and technology in general has empowered a lot of movements over the years, most notably human rights ones, and especially those fighting for the LGBTQ+ community.
And as the movement evolves, we’re seeing more and more people getting involved in the fight for equal rights and taking a stand, encouraging discussions and change for the better.
The current story is no different. A woman recently went to Twitter with a story of love and respect, urging change in society and culture, and even more so in the impending legislature that might prove to be more toxic than good.
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It seems the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is never-ending, but people persist, and this story explains just how crucial it is to endure
Image credits: Lorie Shaull
Meet Rhian Beutler, an entrepreneur from Southern California who recently shared a story about a very close friend of hers. Bored Panda contacted Rhian to talk about her story and the LGBTQ+ movement.
In short, back in high school, Rhian met a guy who had just transferred from a prestigious school to her public school. They became good friends, and in the long run, Rhian found out why he was transferred in the first place—he was gay, and his family didn’t approve of it. Aggressively.
While they couldn’t do anything about it at that point, they did do something when he turned 18—they took him in, gave him a safe home, and empowered him to do great things in life through love and support. He’s now an Ivy League graduate and immunologist who’s working on cancer.
Entrepreneur Rhian Beutler took to Twitter to share a story of how her family took in her gay high school friend, and why "we can't stop saying gay"
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
“Frankly, I was rage tweeting at the introduction of Ohio House Bill 616, which is Ohio's attempt at legislating homophobia, transphobia, and racism,” elaborated Rhian. “Further, this came at the heels of the passage of the Texas and Florida laws, alongside the introduction of 200 bills in the United States legislating hatred targeting the LGBTQIA+ community.”
For context, Bored Panda recently covered Florida’s legal attempts, i.e. the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, at prohibiting talks of sexual orientation in kindergartens and primary schools up to grade 3, which is also touched upon in Rhian’s thread.
She continued: “I needed people to understand the human cost of forcing kids to stay in the closet or live an inauthentic life. I wrote this hoping it would resonate with some of my followers, which is why I urged folks to vote and call as the only way to prevent further acts of legislated hatred is to pass federal legislation.”
“Further, as evidenced in my thread, I was brought up in a household that highly values social justice. My great-grandmother fled Nazi Germany with our family and imprinted two words into my memory ‘tu etwas,’ which means ‘do something.’ For me, writing the tweet was doing something and was a way to reach the most amount of people in the fastest way possible.”
"We can't stop saying gay" comes in reference and response to the numerous "Don't Say Gay" bills being enacted on state levels
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Rhian went on to say in her thread that there are many others in similar and even same situations, and what is worse, state-level authorities continue to pass legislation that empowers the anti-queer agenda.
Rhian urged people to take a stand, fight whatever anti-queer legislation is thrown the people’s way, and take action so LGBTQ+ people, especially kids, can feel safe, all the while fostering a culture of love and acceptance.
“When I was in high school, there was a de facto message of ‘don't say gay.’ To my knowledge (and I could be wrong), there weren't any gay kids ‘out’ at my school when I graduated in 2003,” elaborated Rhian about the current state and trajectory of LGBTQIA+ rights.
“This cultural gag made coming out very difficult and scary. While times have changed, and the Supreme Court passed marriage equality in the summer of 2015, hatred towards the LGBTQ+ community still exists. Enough so that the cultural homophobic gag of my youth is now being legislated against the most vulnerable in society.”
“Legislating homophobia and transphobia is scary and dangerous, and I would urge anyone reading this to reach out to your congressional representative.”
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
The response from people on Twitter varied, with some not really understanding how legislation affecting kindergarten through grade 3 kids has any significance here. But we have to remember that it all starts somewhere and it can slowly start seeping into other grades. This is besides the fact that it still adds to the overall formation of a culture and society that leans towards or away from equal rights.
But there were also those in support of Rhian’s message. Whether it was people merely thanking Rhian for the story, or those who joined the conversation with their own experiences and thoughts on the matter, the thread spoke to a lot of people as it got over 126,000 likes and 35,000 retweets.
In our interview with Rhian, she also noted that a lot of people reached out to her via direct messages with stories—folks sharing their own experiences from their families, parents sharing about their kids, teachers sharing about how to be better allies to kids in classrooms, and, needless to say, stories of many LGBTQ+ folks in crisis.
In her now viral thread, Rhian urges people to "do something" and to push away the legal tide of homophobia and hate
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Given the several updates and additions she made in the thread, we asked Rhian if there’s anything else she’d like to add or change at this point and she said this:
“First, I acknowledge I made a mistake in my Twitter thread; I identified my friend as a refugee, which is incorrect. He is an immigrant. This is important to note as the experience of immigrants and refugees vary greatly.”
“Moreover, 56% of trans kids have attempted [taking their own lives]. LGBTQIA+ kids are twice as likely to experience moderate to severe depression.”
“We need to protect LGBTQIA+ kids, and to quote a governor I rarely agree with, Utah's GOP governor Spencer Cox: 'I want them to live' - he said this while vetoing anti-trans in sports legislation in Utah. Unfortunately, his veto was overridden by Utah's state legislature.”
Rhian's story resonated with a lot of folks, garnering over 126,000 likes with 35,100 retweets
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Image credits: rhiankatie
Rhian also wanted to pass on her friend’s—the aforementioned man’s—words, who wished to stay anonymous in the matter:
"Like any group, we seek equal opportunity, mutual connection, and communal safety. From Frank Kameny to Marsha P Johnson and James Baldwin, we are patriots, scientists, scholars, & activists who have left an indelible mark on American History. No bill will take that Pride away."
She also concluded her interview with a plea directed at adults to be safe, to fight such bills, to be kind, to vote, and to “do something”. While for the LGBTQ+ kids possibly reading this, she says this:
“I'm sure you're feeling alone and scared right now. I'm sorry that there are adults who are actively harming you and your right to exist. There are many people like me who will fight for you and stand with you. Please don't forget that. I hope you can find a safe adult, but if you can't right now, remember you will grow up and turn 18 and you will be able to leave whatever state/situation you are in and move to a safe place. You will get to choose your family if yours isn't supportive of you. You will find brothers and sisters in the community. Hold tight. It gets better.”
You can check out the tweet in context here, as well as give Rhian a follow on Twitter here. But before you go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on Rhian’s story or the whole “Don’t Say Gay” issue in the comment section below!
Reading Rhian Beutler's story highlights the importance of standing by those you care about, regardless of societal expectations. Much like Lizz Adams' viral Twitter thread that challenges preconceptions about height in relationships, Rhian's story questions societal norms related to identity.
Discover how another group of women used social media to reshape perceptions in unconventional partnerships.