I am 33yr old Male Born and raised here in Phoenix, AZ . My Name is Curtis Snider . I had a loving Mom and Dad . Three siblings, 2 sisters, and a brother . I always felt different, but more at school . I would go to school it was about 1st grade I am also ADHD so I tend to be a lil hyperactive especially at that age .
I was 6 yrs old, and I would be in class doing my work and boys would call me Faggot, and retard . The Girls would always make gross sounds at me when the boys would call me a faggot . This was continuous til 4th Grade when it got physical . We Would be out on the field playing sports which I did like at the time til one day I was walking across torn up asphalt and a boy came running at full speed knocked me on my face into the asphalt and I skidded across it cutting up my face . He then Proceeded to Spit on Me and Say, "Fag's Deserve that and worse !" The whole time this was going on my Mom thought Me faking being sick was cause I didn't want to go to school quite the contrary . I was and still am a Straight A student I have been on the Honor roll list and Principal List a Dozen times . I even had my Poem Published in a book the school came out with being chosen out of the whole 6th grade class . Irony of that was it was about Racism .
So when I got into 6th Grade I had enough I finally had to retaliate to get it to stop, or so I thought . When I got to High School and Came out . I was actually threatened by some Gang Members that went to the school that if I didn't quit and Leave they would kill me . So I quit, my mom and Dad were so Disappointed in me, but I never told them the truth . Instead I carry that burden and hurt with me .
Today I am a Grown Man, I have a Great Husband, 5 loving dogs, a dozen Nieces and Nephews . There is my point I DO NOT want them to have to go thru what I went thru and the countless others . So I would like to Take a STAND and Help in anyway I can .
I watched the movie and I cried all the way thru, to the boys who aren't with us May God Bless them . To the others hang in there guys we can all do this .
Like Mr. Smalley said, " All we gotta do is take a Stand Right Here, Right Now !"
Thanx,
Curtis Snider
By writing some words below, you are showing your support and letting everyone know they're not alone.