#ProtectThisKid from GLAAD

I attended the GLAAD Media Awards in New York this past weekend, and I was completely blown away. I’ve been before and have always enjoyed it, but for some reason this year it was all so much more meaningful. Well I do know the reason … we are all under attack from hate. So award after award and speech after speech was all about banding together to fight hate of any kind. I felt seen, I felt at home, I felt belonging, and I felt motivated to help.

During the awards, GLAAD launched a new campaign called #ProtectThisKid aimed at the hate and misinformation out in the world about needing to protect children from the LGBTQ+ community. Pure hate.

Well this campaign flips that hate around and talks about protecting THIS kid … the kid who is working on self-acceptance, working on finding their place in the world, and working on being themselves.

This is SO true … these are the kids we need to protect from the world of hate that will bring them down and not allow them to feel comfortable in their own being. The campaign continues with more personal messages from members of the LGBTQ+, specifically adults who perhaps struggled as a kid themselves yet found their way. From comedian and actress Margaret Cho …

And here’s one from Broadway star Beanie Feldstein …

I can SO relate.

I did not understand or know myself until far into my adulthood after being married to a woman and having two children. When that life started to fall apart, I then gave myself some space to figure out what I wanted and who I am. Up until then I merely followed the societal norms that we were all taught, thinking that they would bring me happiness.

My true self eventually prevailed and I feel like I too am on the other side of it as well. I wrote a book about my journey called “Out and About Dad,” because I feel strongly that we should all share our story to help that kid coming up behind us who is having struggles of their own. We need to #ProtectThisKid with love, acceptance, mentoring, and sharing.

Thank you GLAAD for all you do … for every kid who needs to be protected. Including all of us.

What’s your experience? JIM