Tonight was the launch of the latest HPA Horcrux which is the Bullying Horcrux. This will mainly focus on the aspect of bullying based on LGBTQ. So this blog post will mostly be me flailing about this horcrux, just so you know.
A great question that was asked during the livestream was why are we only focusing on LGBTQ bullying why not bullying in general. I absolutely loved Andrew's response which was something along the lines of:
Bullying is usually about us not falling into the categories of the gender roles. We sometimes do not fall into the lines of what people expect a girl or a boy to be. If you want to know what a girl looks like, look in the mirror. If you want to know what a boy looks like, looking in the mirror. If you don't identify with either gender, look in the mirror and see what a human being looks like.
Just wow. I mean this is so accurate and amazing and true and that's why I love these meetings.
So I'm not sure if you guys are aware but in Uganda this issue of LGBTQ rights is HUGE right now. It's a legal battle one where instead of fighting for the right to vote they are fighting for the right to live. The government in Uganda is working to pass a law which not only makes it illegal to be LGBTQ, but makes the punishment for that death. Even straight people allied to this cause are under threat from this law. Recently, a newspaper published the names of people who were gay under the headline (paraphrased) These People Must Be Hanged! Over one hundred people were murdered because of this. It is terrifying and horrible and really puts in perspective this fight, it's not just about letting people marry who they want, it's about making sure we do not come to the point Uganda's at. All of that started with basic bullying, people hating and hurting other people because they don't fit in our neat boxes of what another man or woman should be.
I personally have never been against gay marriage or being gay in general. I will admit though, the concept of homosexuality made me uncomfortable at first. I wasn't all that comfortable with the idea of heterosexual sexuality at that point, so throwing in another idea which wasn't in the way I grew up, I must admit I was uncomfortable. I never really admitted that, even to myself. However the amazing thing about the internet is that it has introduced me to so many people and given me access to communities where any sexuality goes and is entirely accepted and rejoiced. I find myself today completely comfortable with the idea of any sexuality. This even makes me comfortable with the idea that if I were to ever question my own sexuality that there would be a community out there who would accept me no matter what. I think that's truly amazing.
So this has actually turned into a very personal post and I want to thank you all for reading it. I want to end this by talking about my transformation over the last year. I am coming up on my one year anniversary of being a nerdfighter. Though for many people irl I think it is hard to understand how much the internet could mean but I think you all might get it. Discovering Nerdfighters is something that has changed me and changed me for the better. From Nerdfighters I found the Harry Potter fan community, and from there the Harry Potter Alliance. I've discovered YouTube in a whole other way than I dreamed possible. I've become a part of that community. I've met so many people, become a part of so many projects. From this one, to a vlog collab even to the Project for Awesome. I've met musicians who I feel like I can relate to even more than those on the radio because they are YouTubers and it has just been an amazing year. It has been tough and things will continue to be tough as I apply to colleges and try and figure who I am as an independent person, but I am happier now than I ever have been in my life and that is because of Nerdfighteria and everything and everyone I've connected to because of Nerdfighteria. I guess I just want to say thank you. Somehow. So here it is, thank you Nerdfighters and thank you internet for making me a better person, thank you for making me, me.
-Emily
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