The rainbow Pride flag means so much to so many people, regardless of their age.
On June 19, Sal Stow was outside her partner Meghan Stabler's home in Williamson County, Texas, when she noticed a note left on the doorstep. When she opened it, she discovered a heartwarming message written in a youthful scrawl.
“Hello, you don’t know me but my name is [redacted],” the note reads. “We’re moving away today but I wanted to thank you. Seeing a Pride flag waving so proudly outside your home every day has given me the courage to come out to my family and be more comfortable with who I am.”
"Initially I thought it was a note from a local vendor, so when I opened it, I was speechless and tears started to flow," Stow told Mashable over email. "To find a note expressing thanks to us for the simple act of flying the Pride flag was very humbling. My next thought was, I hope they are OK, that their family is being supportive, and that they have the support that they need. Coming out takes a lot of courage, as you don't know how your family will respond. Meghan and I have had our own experiences, and that is why we both live out and proud all year round."
Williamson County, Texas, where Stow and Stabler live, recently voted against flying Pride flags outside county buildings. That's why Stow so strongly believes in flying Pride flags outside of people's private homes to demonstrate visibility.
"Williamson County, Texas, is a very conservative area with very strong views on many things," Stow says. "It's not an easy county for the LGBTQIA+ community to live in, but one thing that we have found to help is by making personal connections with neighbors ... Our hope from sharing this story is that more people begin to understand that the importance of visibility in and for the LGBTQIA+ [community] is not just during Pride month, but needs to be all year round, especially given the current climate."
If only this note could be turned into a flag itself.
