In2015,thestateofIndianapassedIndianaSenateBill101,abillwhichhighlightsthefineline

betweenreligiousfreedom,andlegalizeddiscrimination.SenateBill101(SB101)allowspeopleoffaith
todiscriminateagainstmembersoftheLGBTQ+community,thoughaccordingtothethenGovernorof
IndianaMikePence,SB101IsnotaboutdiscriminationandifIfeltthatitwasaboutdiscrimination,
Iwouldvetoit.However,sincethepassageofSB101,businesses,healthcareproviders,andlandlords
canalllegallydenytheirservicestomembersoftheLGBTQ+communitylegally.
OnJanuary21st,2016,MikePencebecametheVicePresidentoftheUnitedStates.President
DonaldTrumphassinceproposedthefirstamendmentdefenseact(FADA),thisactwouldcreatethe
sameloopholeforlegalizeddiscriminationonanationallevel.
Whileitisimportanttocondemnactionswhichmaybeunconstitutionalinourgovernment,itis
alsoimportanttorememberwhatwearefightingfor.Nomatterthesexualorientation,peoplefightfor
theirrightsbecausetheywantlives.Peoplefighttogetmarried,peoplefightnotforheightenedrights,but
forequalrights.
Itistime,asAmericans,torecognizetherightsofotherhumanbeings,andtonotdehumanize
gayrightsasaliberalideology.
InresponsetotheactionsofMikePence,Ihavewrittenhimanopenletter,toreminditsreaders
thatgaypeoplearejustpeople.

DEARMIKEPENCE:

Iamanamerican,livingunderyourjurisdiction.Ourfirstamendmentguaranteesmetherighttofree
speech,andIintendtousemyconstitutionalrightsthroughoutthisletter.LastyearIwasanexchange
studentinThailand,andIwentthroughaprogramthatisrecommendedbythestatedepartment.In
Thailand,Imetaridiculousamountofpeoplethatchangedmylife.Iwouldlikeyoutomeetsomeof
them.

MeetJean:

JeanisoneofthenicestpeoplethatIhaveevermet.
Hisfavoritecolorisyellow,andhewantstobeamusician.WhenI
wasinThailand,Ispentmostofmyyeararoundhim,sometimes
wewouldgotocoffeeshopsandtalkuntilweliterallycouldnt
findanymorewordstosayJeanisoneofmybestfriends,andI
willalwaysbeabletostaywithhim.JeanisfromFrance,helives
inMontbrisonandheisstudyingMozartsworkcurrently.Next
yearhewillgotocollegeinLyon,orMarseille.OnedayIhope
thatJeanisfamous,andIcangoseehimatoneofhisshows.


DearMr.Pence,Jeanisahumanbeing.ButthereisonethingthatI
didnttellyouJeanisgay.YouareoneofthemostantiLGBTQ+legislatorsinhistory.Jeanwantedtogo
totheUniversityofIndiana,butbecauseofthelawsthatyouimposedinIndiana,Jeandidnotfeelsafe
applying.

MeetGuglielmo:

ImethiminFebruary,andhehelpedmelearnhowtobehappy.Every
night,Guglielmowentoutanddanced,hewouldbringme,andwe
woulddancetogether.GuglielmolivesinRome,Italy,andhewantsto
becomeaballerina.RightnowheisastudentattheLiceoClassico
Aristofanestudyingmusicaltheoryanddance.Guglielmodoesnotlive
withhisparents,heispayingforhisschoolandhislivingexpenseson
hisown.

DearMr.Pence,Guglielmoisahumanbeing.Butthereisonethingthat
IdidnttellyouGuglielmoisgay.Hedoesnotlivewithhisparents
becausetheydonotaccepthomosexuality.Youstatedthatyouwouldsupportpubliclyfunded
conversiontherapy.IfGuglielmowaslivingintheUSA,hisparentswouldlikelyputhimthrougha
gayconversionprogram,whichcausesaridiculousamountofpsychologicalharm.

MeetLois:

Loisismybestfriendintheentireplanet.Itookthispicture,whichshe
usesasherfacebookprofilepicture.Loisisobsessedwithhercat,and
herdog.ShelivesinPortland,Oregon,andIvisitedheracoupleof
weeksago.Loiswantstogointoglobalstudies,andsheloveslearning
aboutothercultures.InThailand,shelearnedaridiculousamountabout
Thaicultureandlanguage.Loishasseeneverysideofme,Iremember
bawlingonhershouldernexttoapoolinthenorthofThailandwhenI
feltlikeeverythingwasgoingwrong,Irememberlaughingsohardwith
herthatwephysicallycouldntbreathe.Sheisalwaysthereforme,and
Iloveherlikeasister.
DearMr.Pence,Loisisahumanbeing.ButthereisonethingthatI
didnttellyou,sheisbisexual.Sheisafraideverydayofwhatbeinganamericanimplies,sheisscared,
andangryatyouractions.WhenIwasinPortland,weattended,andmarchedinanantiTrumprally.

MeetAntoine:

Antoineisoneofmybestfriends,hespentamonthinBangkokjustso
wecouldbetogether.Hewantstobeanaccountant,andhelivesinTain
LhermitageandattendsschoolinLyon,France.Iplantoseehimthis
May,andIamecstatic.AntoinesfavoritemovieisBrotherBear,andhe
lovesthecolorgreen.Ifhecantbeanaccountant,Antoinewantstotake
careofdogs,helovesdogssomuch,andIhaveseenhimplaywiththe
samedogformorethan8hours.Antoineisoneofthesweetestpeople
thatIknow,andIcantthinkofsomethingthatIwouldntdoforhim.I
rememberthefirsttimeImetAntoine,wespenthoursandhoursatamarket,tryingondifferent
ridiculousclothesandlaughing.Heloveshisfamilyalot,andhisexchangeallowedhimtomeetfriends
fromallovertheworld

DearMr.Pence,Antoineisahumanbeing.ButthereisonethingthatIdidnttellyou,heisbisexual.He
cantcomeouttohisfamilybecausepoliticianslikeyoumakethemafraidoftheLGBTQ+community.
Antoinecannotbehimselfaroundhisownfamily,andthatisdisgusting.ThisistheresultofbillslikeSB
101,youarebuildingcommunitiesonanantiLGBTQ+platform.

MeetAnalee:
Analeeisoneofmyfavoritepeople,shewantsto
workatapiercingshop,orrunafarmforhorses.
AnaleeandIwerealwaystogetheronexchange,and
Iwillneverforgetsomanyoftheamazingthings
thatAnaleeandIexperiencedtogether.Sheloved
herhostfamilies,andshespentalotoftimegetting
tounderstandThaiculture,whenAnaleeleft
Thailand,shesaidthatapartofherwouldalways
staythere.IhaveonlyseenAnaleecrytwice,once
whenshesawElephantsinNorthernThailand,and
oncewhensheleft.
DearMr.Pence,Analeeisahumanbeing.Butthere
issomethingthatIdidnttellyou,sheispansexual.SheaskedmeifIcouldcomelivewithherinCanada
whenyou,andDonaldTrumpwereelected.

MeetAdam:

Adamisanotheroneofmybestfriends.Heisanincredible
singer,andheisobsessedwithlanguage.Soonhewillbe
attendingBeloitCollegeinBeloit,Wisconsin.Heisgoing
intointernationalstudiesandhehopestoonedaylivein
Japan.Adamhadahardexchange,buteventuallyin
Thailand,hefoundalittlefamilythathecouldshare
everythingwith.Adamhasbestfriendsfromalloverthe
world,andheisdedicatedtolearningallabouttheircultures.
Onhisexchange,hedyedhishairmorethan15times,and
hefoundmatchingoutfitsforeachhaircolor.Helivesin
Olympia,Washington,andIwenttoseehimalittlewhile
ago.

DearMr.Pence,Adamisahumanbeing.Butthereis
somethingthatIdidnttellyou,heisgay.HewantedtopursuehissingingattheUniversityofOklahoma,
buthewasafraidtobecauseOklahomahaslawssimilartothatinIndiana.Adamishappy,butheisafraid
ofpartsofhisowncountrybecauseofpoliticianslikeyou.

DearMikePence,hopefullyatthispoint,youcanseethatbyimposinglawslikeSenateBill101,youare
affectingcountless,goodpeople.Iamsurethatyouaretiredofseeingandhearingaboutmyfriendsat
thispoint,butIhaveonemorepersonforyoutomeet.

MeetMe:

MynameisQuinn,andIwanttogointojournalism,andpolitical
science.Idotheatreandmyexchangewasthebestyearofmyentire
life.IlovelanguagesandIloveothercultures,Igottotravelallover
Thailand,andseeacompletelydifferentwayoflife.Myexchange
familymeanseverythingtome,andnowIhavefriendsinover25
countriesthatIcanvisit,anytime.InThailand,Ibecamebuddhistafter
livinginatempleforaweekwithsomeofmyfriends.Igottoride
elephants,andholdmonkeys,butmostimportantly,Ifoundmysenseof
adventure.Manypeoplesaythattravelinghelpsyouunderstandwho
youare,butIwouldsaythattravelinghelpsyouunderstandwhatyou
couldbeObviouslyThailandchangedmylife,andIwouldgobackin
aheartbeat.

DearMr.Pence,Iamahumanbeing.ButthereissomethingthatIdidnttellyou,Iamgay.Icountdown
thedaysuntilthenextelection,whenallthedamagethatyoudointhenextfouryearscanbeundone.
ThereisnothingthatIwantmorethantoleavethiscountry,butIamstuckhereatleastuntilIcanfinish
highschool.

DearMikePence,y ouareoneoftheworstpoliticianstoeverbeelectedtooffice.Iwouldliketopoint
somethingouttoyouNobodyonthislistisChristian,andyourChristianidealscannotbeenforced
uponus.NoneofthepeopleonthislistchosetobepartoftheLGBTQ+community,noneofuschoseto
begay,bi,orpansexual,andifwecouldchoosetobestraight,wewould.TheAmericansonthislist
STILLcannotdonateblood,becauseofthewaythatbeinggayisseeninthissociety.Weareallscaredof
whatyouwilldotogaypeopleoverthenextfouryearsIhopetothemoonandbackthatyoucan
understandthatweareallhuman,andwealldeserveequalrights.DONOTimposealawlikeSB101
nationwide.Ibegyou.Bydoingso,youwillbringamericansbacktoatimewheregaypeoplehad
nothing,andthatisterrifying.Iunderstandthatchristianity,andgodmaymeanalottoyou,buttheydo
notmeananythingtome.Andchristiansidealsshouldnotbepresentinlawsthataffectme.

Weallhopeforthefutureofthiscountry,andhopefullyyoucanfindyourhumanityanddousalla
servicebysimplydoingnothingtoreversesocialchange.

Goodluck
QuinnLuthy