I am a member of the LGBTQ Social Justice Team of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango. Our faith and values call us to love our neighbors and affirm the worth and dignity of all people. It was with heartbreak that we read of the controversy in Bayfield over the display of a rainbow flag in Bayfield Middle School (“
Through our justice work we continually become more aware of how devastating it is to LGBTQ youth to be isolated, rejected or made invisible.
Displaying a rainbow flag does not force anyone to believe anything, but it communicates to LGBTQ youth they are seen and welcomed. All youth need to know this, but it is particularly important for LGBTQ youth, who are often bullied, shamed or victimized. They need to know that adults can be counted on to provide a place of acceptance and safety, and the flag is a powerful symbol of that.
We strongly support the message of the rainbow flag and encourage the welcoming and affirmation of LGBTQ youth at Bayfield Middle School and throughout all of our communities and schools.
Bonnie J. MillerDurango
