My Experience of
The Open Door Fund Dinner

The Open Door Fund was held on Sunday April 10th, [2011] and I have to admit, not only was the St. Julien intimidating but the amount of people was also daunting. I was the first to arrive of four others, and as I wandered around I became increasingly more scared. Soon though, I realized these people were very friendly and happy to see me. When our party of five had gathered together, us kids stayed in a clump, forcing anyone who wanted to talk to us to come to us. We talked to many amazing people, and we all felt at ease.

The guest speaker, Megan Kennedy, was inspirational and insightful. Her movie, Re-teaching Gender and Sexuality, is certainly something that should go on everyone’s To Watch list. Her time spent with LGBTQ youth has given her a window into the minds of bullied teenagers, and this is not something to be sniffed at. There should be more attention given to these children. The It Gets Better videos, while inspiring and helpful, are just the tip of the iceberg. LGBTQ youth should not have to wait until they are older to have a harassment-free life. Hopefully, we can achieve that.

After dinner there was an auction, and so much money was raised we couldn't even count it. The people, the food, the discussions, all were wonderful. I would love the chance to go again, and my friends also want to, but just this was enough to convince me there is hope. There are people fighting for LGBTQ youth, and I guarantee there will be change.