I went to a small town high school. We had a handful of black students. We had a handful, maybe

[Atticus]

more, of gay students. ( In those days they were,just called "queers" ). We had straight white people who weren't "cool".

I owe many of those good people an apology for not being brave enough to stand up for them.

I am ashamed of myself.

[Blue_true]

1. Don't be too hard on yourself.

When I was in high school idiots could pick fights with LGBTQ student. Fortunately most students shielded the LGBTQ people that they knew. It was a different time then, I am glad that we are in a more progressive time now, but don’t judge yourself as a young person fraught with your own identity struggles for not coming up to a standard that today would call for.

I know that I went through my sexual identity period at around 11-12 years old. I had an older brother that was bisexual, I was a momma’s child and was attractive. I was shy and didn’t approach girls easily and had occasions where older boys were hitting on me, so it was a tough period. I ultimately found that I was straight and even though I would not lose my virginity (to a female) until years later, I was comfortable in my sexuality.

[Skittles]

2. I was a GI brat and moved around a lot

the high school I eventually graduated from.....I remember telling my mum, there's something weird about that place but I couldn't quite put my finger on it....a few days later I realized what it was - an extreme lack of diversity, which I was NOT used to. And me, I kicked ass everywhere I went, always defending the underdog.....that's a lot easier to do as an outsider.

You know what Atticus - get cracking and contact those folk and talk to them....it might make them - and you - feel better

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

3. When I was in high school I was the only one I tried to help.

Except for a very very few EVERYBODY including staff were mean to me.

My thought back when I was in high school was why should I stand up for anyone when they will not stand up for me. I was in a small town high school also.

Right now in my life I would stand up for someone who was being attacked verbally or physically.

It is amazing that I like people from what happened to me back then.

[Redleg]

4. I hear you

I got picked on a good deal because I was always the new kid at school (I was an army brat and moved around a lot) and because I was quiet, tall, and thin and wore glasses. My soldier father taught me how to defend myself, and so I did, usually with success. I also began to defend other kids who were being bullied. To this day, though, 40 years or more later, I still find it tremendously difficult to speak out when I see something like this going on. It takes a lot of courage to intervene and we are not always ready for the moment.