Editor,
In light of a recent unfortunate letter to the editor, we want to make it clear to the LGBTQ+ students of Los Alamos that you are respected, supported, loved, and that your lives matter. To the LAPS staff members who are feeling unsafe, we offer you our support as well. The person who wrote that hateful letter, and the follow-up to it, does not represent this community. You don’t need us to tell you that LGBTQ+ kids face disproportionate discrimination, bullying, and subsequent mental-health problems—that letter is just one example of the sort of intolerance that causes queer students to feel marginalized and alienated. We unequivocally condemn it.
School can be hard enough. For many LGBTQ+ people, it is where they are in their lives when they first explore who they are and how they identify. In the face of harassment and discrimination, the challenge of sorting all this out in that already-confusing environment can seem overwhelming. LAPS has an obligation to protect each and every one of its students, regardless of sexual or gender identity, and the district has made its commitment to this goal clear.
For any students who feel discouraged and hurt by the anti-LGBTQ+ vitriol represented in that letter, know that it is just one person and probably a few of her bigoted friends. You’ve also got support, and there are more of us than there are of them. We’re here for you.
National resources include:
Local resources include :
- The Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico supports transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, and gender variant people and their families
- Los Alamos Middle School Genders and Sexualities Alliance Sponsors: Hanako Brown (h.brown@laschools.net) and Cara Michel (c.michel@laschools.net)
- Los Alamos High School GSA Sponsors: Brian Easton and Melissa Goldman (m.goldman@laschools.net)
- Los Alamos Teen Center GSA Contact: Luke Eigelbach, teencentergsa@laymca.org
- Friends of Los Alamos Pride Facebook Group
- Self-Help: Techo – housing assistance for LGBTQ youth – https://selfhelpla.org/techo/
Los Alamos also features two support groups:
The Trans/NB/GNC+ group meets one evening a month. From the group:
“The group is open to anyone identifying as trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and related identities or anyone questioning their gender. Attendees under 18 are welcome to bring a parent. If you would like to attend and need/would like to bring a support person who is not trans that is OK too.”
If you are a parent or loved one of a trans/gender-nonconforming person and are seeking support for yourself, there is a separate group that meets one evening a month to find connections and build community. Email losalamosfamilygroup@gmail.com for more information.
Sincerely,
Stephanie and Charlie Nakhleh
Sara Ann Mason
Cristina Olds
Elizabeth Stelle
George Stelle
Laura Lilley
Laura E. Cañuelas Torres
Elisa and Alex Enriquez
Jamie Allbach
Kelly Dolejsi
Michael Dolejsi
April-Dawn Pease
George Marsden
Madhavi and Rao Garimella
Sarena Gray
Tina DeYoe
Scott Engeman
Lisabeth Lueninghoener
Nora Berninger
Christina Hanson
Evelyn (Rey) Berninger
Brandi Engeman
Antonio Maggiore
Aaron Walker
Rachel Adler
Katie Belobrajdic
Julie Walker
Karyl Ann Armbruster
Elena E. Giorgi
Geoff Womeldorff
Elisa Baker
Jeremy Smith
Jess Cullinan
Reid Priedhorsky
Erin Tatge
Paolo Pizzol
Alison Bailey
JoAnna O’Neill
Maire O’Neill
Steffi Davison
Marco Cerezo
Lauren Coupland
Daniel Coupland
Alejandra Celada-Spillari
Joanne Kozuchowski
Michael Adams
Cait Bain
Kristy Mack
Jonah Miller
Cathleen Fry
Eduardo Santiago
Sarah DeMay
Jonathan Regele
Laura Regele
Anna Dillane
Amanda Barry
Matt Hoffman
Linda Taylor
Monica Hernandez-Lara
Katie Bruell
David & Andie Manzanares
Fran Gelfand
Ashlynn Daughton
Rev. John Cullinan
Alec Harrison-Little
Christa Tyson and Family
Jessie Dixon
Ashley Pryor
Kris Nadler
Melissa Goldman
April Wheeler
Ellen Specter
Kimberly Walker
Rebecca Foley
Camille Wescott
Maura Taylor
Jennifer Sievers
Suzy Kroesche
Aimee Price
Rev. Deacon Lynn Finnegan
Andrea Cunningham
Stephanie Krantz
Beth Brown
Christy Patterson
Cat Ozment
Grant Harding
Jacquelyn Connolly & Family
Larry and Carol Brown
Alicia Justus
Beth Cortright
Ashleigh Lusher
Amy Storey
Samantha Rendon
Dawn Jalbert
Karen Anslinger Holmes
Eli Argo
Kristine Coblentz
Dennis Little
Terry Beery
Erik Hanschen
Jonas and Cait Bain
Anagha Dandekar
Amy Zimmerman
Joanna Casson
The Rev. Nicole’ Raddu Ferry
Stephanie Webb
Brittany Dowd
Ali Renner
Patricia Masterson
Brad Westergren
Melissa Mackey
Maggie Moore
Leni Moore
Rachel and John Pearson
Secilli Keeler
Heidi & David Rogers
Moira Hough
Katelyn Johnson
Aubrey Lanham-Bucher
Brian Tyson
Megan Green
Margie Stockton
Tom Stockton
Renae L. Mitchell
Nora Cullinan
Ashley Naughton
JeeYeon Plohr
Lauren Marcus
Denise Knaebel Matthews
Alex L’Esperance
Judah Curtis
Shannon Cde Baca
Heather McCulloch
Anne Marsh
Lissie Ham
Jennifer Payne
Michael Ham
Margo Batha
Rebecca and Frank Cocina
Kim Schultz
Sabio Thompson
Josephine Caffrey
Sarah Gustafson
John Gustafson
Stephanie Hailey
Carrie Manore
Laura Mullane and David Lyons
Sarah Hayes
Tara Gordon Adams
Ali Semanision
Zac Thompson
Wendy Marcus
Ruth and Malcolm Burns
Michelle Mittrach
Galen Gisler
Sandy Tobin
Chelly Young
Amy and Ben Lucker
Patrick and Tina Moore
Anna Llobet
Tracy Forward
Gloria Galassi
Cecile Hemez
Theresa Cull
Kelleyann Devlin Weber
Patrick Weber
Aidan Nakhleh
Wyatt Watson
Sal Zapien
Maxine And TJ McReynolds
Julie Wiens
Gianna Delorey
Misa Cowee
Jae Chang
Jacob Stinnett
Elizabeth Portillos and family
Kate and Matt Cleveland
Curtis Pogue and Lauren Smith Pogue