Dear Jerry Ludke of Port Angeles,

We students of the GSA club in Sequim, Washington, have read your article “Learn Your Biology” in the Sequim Gazette (Letters to the Editor, March 8, page A-10). It is rather upsetting for us to see that you have such thoughts of us but of course we know that we can’t change the minds of every single person that doesn’t agree with our beliefs or way of living.

We are not asking that of everyone, although it would be nice, but we would like to inform you of the actuality of our lives and not what you make us out to be.

When you said, “‘Gay’ and ‘straight’ are made-up words and signify nothing,” you are not only disrespecting us and thousands of other people in this country, much less the world, you are finding happiness and enjoyment in putting down teenage kids in a place where some find it hard just to make it to school each day because of the harmful hate we get from others as well. Those words are not made up and they mean a good deal amount to a lot of people here in Sequim, and most definitely a lot more in the rest of the world.

Life is very hard already for everyone but when we are put under the force of hatred and judgment of just trying to be ourselves, it makes it that much harder for us.

“Humans are created male and female and are meant for each other. Sexual relations between the two are normal and only perversion lies outside that union.” Is the body of humans really connected to who you’re supposed to love and who you’re attracted to? Why would you choose the gender of a person over the feelings you may have for another? Humans are indeed gendered male and female and that’s about as normal as may get in these days.

If only perversion lies outside of the original male and female partner, then a good fourth of the world lies in that connection. A fourth of the world’s population belongs in the LGBTQ category.

Finally, you say none of us must have passed out a biology course because of the way we feel and identify? Scientists have actually done studies on this, are continuing some even, and some have come to the finding that there are actual genetic codes in our brains, making us think, act, feel and identify a certain way that go so deep, that its nearly connected to our DNA codes almost.

Also, why would passing or failing a single class dictate who we are? It’s not very logical or polite to say something like that to people have done you no harm as far as we know and if we have done something to anger you, please do not take it out on an entire group of kids.

We are just a group of kids trying to make it in the world in our own ways. Yes, we are a bit different for you, but that is not a bad thing. Difference can lead to something great if you let it grow and help it succeed. This confused and debased society that we live in will one day be something bigger and greater than any of us can even think of, not just in the LGBTQ community.

We are the future of the world and if you want to see the world rise up triumphantly, then please accept that we are who we are and will stay that way, no matter who we come across that thinks we should change.

Thank you for your time,

GSA Club of Sequim, Washington

Editor’s note: Based at Sequim High School, the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Club is “a group focused on creating a safe space for LGBT youth and its allies.”