Letter To The Editor: Los Alamos LGBTQ+ Students, We Support You!

By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

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 :

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
  • 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
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