LETTERS

Brandi Bradley spawns hatred

State Rep. Brandi Bradley chose to post a meme depicting the American flag stating, “This is my pride flag.” In her Facebook post she states, “Our veterans and our military DESERVE a month of celebration, not naked grown men grooming our children.” Also, accompanied is a link to IG video of Matthewdarkshow. Posted on the 3rd. She states that she treats all with respect.

I take opposition to the post by a state representative for a day of celebration when the country should be coming together and not be further divided. I also do not find this to be respectful to anyone. I am a married father of five who formerly served in the Naval branch of our military and I happen to be gay. Why can’t I be proud of all aspects of my life without being labeled a “groomer” let alone visualized by others as a “naked grown man”?

Am I not a welcomed member in her society? Am I not welcomed because of the branch I served in, the family I am raising, or the man that I love and have spent the last 22 years with and have married?

I can’t look at her “pride flag” without feeling hated. Should our government officials not be held to a higher standard of conduct and trying to build our community as opposed to dividing it?

What is the goal of Republican Rep. Brandi Bradley? She states in addressing as comment, that she was elected to protect and fight for her religious beliefs and that being gay is sin.

Response to column

Chad Cox Castle Rock

I am an avid reader of your editorial pieces and this one caused me pause. I can imagine if you have a safe, loving home in which your child is free to be who they are and discover themselves without judgment, I can understand the “keeping parents in the loop”. For many of our youth, home isn’t a safe space. We know the data on suicide amongst our LGBTQ+ youth and how they are some of the most at risk of ending their lives. Is this forced “outing”; 1. Necessary and 2. Best for our youth? Sometimes we look at policies through our own lens and forget that there are other lenses out there and protecting our most marginalized students is the best way forward.

What I believe would be a better approach is for our school mental health professionals to be working with these youth in telling their parents if it’s safe to do so. We have professionals in the building that could help facilitate these conversations between parents and students so that the best outcomes for our students are put first. There are experts in this field to lean on, best practices for safe adults to be helpful without “outing”.

Especially in middle and high school, our children are working on being independent and handling the consequences of their decisions, and as adults, it sure would be nice if we could embrace their choices and help facilitate positive adult and family interactions versus creating a power struggle between everyone. With two kids through high school and one in high school, nothing matters to me more than their safety, so if I don’t know something until a later date, but my not knowing kept my child safe, I welcome it. Mental health struggles in our youth are real and I think most parents underestimate its toll. I do trust the adults in my child’s school, but I also work my tail off to stay involved in their school so that I can then extend my trust.

Julie Gooden Douglas County School District

Overlooking students without a supportive environment

I wanted to reach out regarding your “From the Editor; Staying in the Loop.” Although I believe your words come from a place of love and concern, I also believe that you are overlooking those students who do not have a supportive and loving environment at home.

For those students, school may be their only safe space as they try to navigate what must be confusing, especially when there is so much negative noise directed at the LGBTQ+ community. Imagine if you were a child in a very conservative family, or a family whose religion doesn’t acknowledge same-sex relationships, let alone the fact that there are some people who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin and yearn to physically become a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. You’re told it’s unnatural, a sin, or that there is something wrong with you.

With this new policy, those kids will not be able to find refuge or support while at school. That is heartbreaking to me.

Juli Watkins Castle Rock resident and parent

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