Author and advocate Alex Myers visited during the week of March 5, where faculty and students alike were able to learn about his book, Revolutionary. They also had the opportunity to learn what his life was like growing up not knowing who he was and his struggles of coming out during his senior year.
He presented to the middle schoolers at an assembly before visiting individual English classes. During his classroom visits, he got students to participate in activities where they got to formulate and discuss their own personal stories based off of life experience.
Myers was inspired to write from teaching writing. “When I was teaching English, I was trying to figure out how to get my students to write better… While I was doing this, I was writing the curriculum and making a series of lesson plans and I thought, this is fun. I wonder what it would be like to try this? I did that and I just fell into it.”
Since then, he has published one book called Revolutionary and has two books in the works. One, a historical fiction book, completely contrasts with the second, a contemporary coming-of-age novel. However, all three books have a common theme; they all include a transgender protagonist like Myers himself.
Growing up in an environment being confused about who you are is scary and is something that many students face every day. “I grew up in a small town where there wasn’t quite anyone like me. I had both boy and girl friends and I wasn’t lonely or bullied but it wasn’t until high school that I met people that were really like me and it made such a huge difference,” Myers said.
“It’s about encouraging people to share their opinions honestly, directly and politely. You can have your own opinion and voice it completely politely. You have to learn how to respect other people… the school can’t force people to believe certain things. However, we can make it an environment that treats others, no matter what as respectfully and politely as possible.”
Alex Myers is also a transgender rights advocate. He spent time when he was younger going to rallies and meeting lawmakers for transgender rights. Now he uses his writing as a tool to reach out to people and educate people on what it means to be transgender.
“If you are ever feeling like you don’t know who you are, there will always be support groups filled with people feeling similar things. Getting to talk to someone makes all the difference,” Myers said.
The GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) lunch club helps to encourage talking about these topics such as being transgender. To find out more, fill out the form attached to the morning announcement emails sent out for March 21.
