Happy October Revolutionaries!!! As I write this there are less than two weeks left until Spirit Day and my heart is so full with all of the good that has happened over the last six weeks. To start, thank you very much to the nearly 200 people who have bought a purple shirt to show your support for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. In doing so, you have actively taken a stand for 2SLGBTQ+ kids and are putting money into services that will support them.
I am also SO thankful for the leadership and support that the adult members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have provided throughout our launch. Firstly, I would like to offer my deepest thanks to Canada’s First Out Olympian and Gold medalist, Mark Tewksbury for his enthusiastic and immediate support of Revolution Now! Mark and his partner, Rob Mabee, were the first to believe in what we are doing. They are heroes in Canada’s human rights efforts not only for what they do when the spotlight is shining on them but for how they share their light with others who are rising stars, like our shirt designer, 18 year old Forrest Woods. We are beyond thankful for Mark and Rob and we are inspired by their example of leadership within our community.
The leadership, guidance and mentorship that has been offered to Revolution Now! by many of Canada’s 2SLGBTQ+ heroes has simply been outstanding and humbling. Specifically, I am thankful for Katie Dudtschak who is the executive vice president of the Royal Bank of Canada. As an out transgender woman, Katie has provided an amazingly brave example for 2SLGBTQ+ youth of how brilliant their lives can be. She has been an incredible supporter and someone who helped me change our business model to ensure that the styles created by Revolution Now! afford everyone access to clothes that comfortably align with their gender expression.
I am also deeply thankful for the passionate and strong support of Tee Garnett who is one of Canada’s great equity leaders. Tee is an absolute powerhouse and someone whose willingness to share ideas and resources has been invaluable. Tee is a proud Black Queer, non-binary, Grandma and sixth generation Canadian. What stands out to me about Tee is that even in their exceptionally busy and successful life, they emphasized to me the importance of helping the kids who are coming up next. Tee is a disrupter and someone for whom we are so grateful for the leadership and visibility that they provide for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
Lastly, I would like to extend our gratitude to best selling author Mx. Amanda Jetté Knox. Mx.Knox learned about Revolution Now! through a social media post made by the Mother of our shirt designer, Forrest Woods. She was so genuinely touched by our grassroots movement that she volunteered to not only wear but help promote and bring visibility to our cause. In the brief time that I’ve known Mx.Knox, I’ve been blown away by their generosity and sincere dedication to making the world a better place for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
In all of these wonderful interactions, what stood out to me is the strength of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. There is an understanding between the adults in our community that the struggle is real. That despite many laws changing, that our lives are still often politicized and that self-acceptance along with social acceptance is sometimes still hard to attain. All of these adults were immediate in their desire and response to alleviate some of that struggle for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. They were quick to volunteer their lives as examples of how whole and fulfilled our lives can be. They were also eager to share the news of this initiative and to generate funds to provide services to 2SLGBTQ+ youth. In doing so, they have shown our kids a little bit about how FABULOUS Canada’s 2SLGBTQ+ community is and how much we are there for each other. It is my hope that on Spirit Day and beyond that kids are inspired by their example and are emboldened to live the life of their dreams!
I am so grateful for all of these people and for all of you who have launched Revolution Now! in a way that is better than what I could have ever imagined. A special thank you to all of the allies who have stepped up, including local business leaders, politicians, religious leaders and celebrities. Your visible support is so powerful as are your efforts to let 2SLGBTQ+ culture shine. I look forward to blogging soon about the power of allies and featuring some of these amazing people. Thank you for all that you are doing. You inspire me!! I can’t wait for Spirit Day!!
Let’s Go Change The World, Megan