In the wake of anti-Trans legislation in Arkansas, a mom in the small town of Paris is making a big impact in her community just by flying the LGBTQ+ Pride flag.
Neighborhood mom Stephanie Robertson hoisted the Pride flag in front of her house. Her 30-year-old son, Levi, had given it to her just last year.
Levi spoke with PinkNews on what happened:
"She was excited to hang it up for the first time this year and kept it hanging up outside her home all throughout June."
"She texted me yesterday and was like, 'You're not gonna believe the letter I found in our mailbox,' and sent me a photo of the letter."
The letter, scrawled on a small piece of notepad paper, was from an anonymous "young LGBTQ+ person."
It read:
"Hello this is probably kinda weird but I walk past your house everyday and I've noticed your flag and I'm glad to know there is at least one ally in this little town."
this was a letter left in my mothers mailbox in paris, arkansas after she had her pride flag up all monthpic.twitter.com/O5a7Rh80BJ— \ud83d\udde3hats on wigs!!!!!\ud83d\udde3 (@\ud83d\udde3hats on wigs!!!!!\ud83d\udde3) 1625267983
Levi also told PinkNews about their conversation after his mother saw the letter.
"I immediately called her and told her how profound and awesome it was that her hanging [the flag] made a child feel seen."
"She agreed and kept saying how she couldn't get over how sweet it was."
Levi tweeted out the letter.
He followed up saying they would get a window sticker of the Pride flag to have on their house year round.
@levisaidchange is my moms twitter (YES, she is trolling me in her profile handle name!) and YES we are gonna get her a small pride flag window sticker to have up the entire year!— \ud83d\udde3hats on wigs!!!!!\ud83d\udde3 (@\ud83d\udde3hats on wigs!!!!!\ud83d\udde3) 1625314431
The tweet has garnered nearly 755 thousand likes so far, with thousands of heartwarming comments.
My young son came out to me yesterday as part of the lgbtq+ we have a big long wood fence around our property....... my plan is to paint it in the lgbtq+ colours perminatly. This little note warms my heart . When safe my husband said he will wear a 'dad hugs ' t-shirt on pride— Finding Myself (@Finding Myself) 1625312801
Had mine up all month. I'm not LGBTQ, just don't see the point of discriminating against those that are.pic.twitter.com/ZoKbIBksxS— cb jackson #blacklivesmatter \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd1e (@cb jackson #blacklivesmatter \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd1e) 1625344815
Even if this is a gimmick- the message is real.\nI\u2019m a therapist who works with LGBTQIA teens specifically- and let me tell you, they DO notice and it DOES matter-\nit really really really matters\n\nso idgaf about analyzing the validity of a note— TurduckenWrath (@TurduckenWrath) 1625327040
Beautiful. My gay friends come from mostly supportive families but some experienced painful rejection. Imagine how great it felt for that person to feel \u201cseen.\u201d Big hugs for mom! Maybe keep a little pride sticker in the corner of her front window just for her friend— Mimi *Live a Great Story* \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffb\ud83d\udcff\ud83d\ude37 (@Mimi *Live a Great Story* \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffb\ud83d\udcff\ud83d\ude37) 1625291063
I provided nature walks several groups of kids, ages 5-11, last week at summer camps. I wore my rainbow watchband and put the rainbow face on. Several times during the week, children asked me if I support pride. I told them,\u201dYES!\u201d So sweet! pic.twitter.com/17h9R5JaLx— Lynda with a \u201cWhy\u201d (@Lynda with a \u201cWhy\u201d) 1625325533
I have a pride flag in my work office. A young teen saw it and was so excited, saying \u201cIs that a pride flag? Are you an ally?\u201d I said, \u201cBe who you are, and love who you love.\u201d Huge sigh followed by huge smile!— Ji Smalley (@Ji Smalley) 1625294468
some neighbors mailed this to us with a coffee card. honestly we were waiting for our house to be vandalized since putting it up, this was so heartwarmingpic.twitter.com/XtDnTsDrxe— kitty kat (@kitty kat) 1625337060
I love this. I have a neighbor (in suburban Indiana) who had a Pride flag out most of last year and recently changed over to a Trans Pride flag. I keep thinking about mailing them a card and need to just do it already.— mapsandkeys\ud83d\udc9b (@mapsandkeys\ud83d\udc9b) 1625317779
I was totally expecting some hate filled BS. Now my eyes have some water coming out of them. Must fix leak.— Ishan Chauhan (@Ishan Chauhan) 1625286262
Not me either, at 11:58 pm.pic.twitter.com/jsBKPIbcFC— Jennie \u26a2 Trott \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Jennie \u26a2 Trott \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1625284798
Stephanie Robertson has lived in small Logan County, Arkansas town of less than 3,500 people since 2014 and now works as a part-time support specialist for the Forest Service at Ozark St. Francis National Forest.
Levi said:
"[She is] completely deserving of all the attention cause she's such an incredible person."
Hopefully this inspires others to make this small gesture to show their allyship and make an impact in their own communities.
