Spring 2019, Wild Readers 5 discussion

This was the first LBGTQ book that I have read. At first, I thought the book was not that interesting to be honest but as Liza the narrator started describing herself more and her thoughts, my interest grew. I read the book by Nancy Garden, “Annie on my Mind”. At the beginning we just read about her rich private school and her classmates and teachers. But as the chapters go on, we get to know her as a person. As her feelings towards Annie grow, we get to observe her transformation. She was still Liza, but she discovered new things about herself. I can say she was my favorite character. Fear and love were the most felt emotions in this novel. It is very interesting how this book takes place before cell phones and internet. Then I figured it had to take place around the 70’s. I like how Annie and Liza’s relationship starts as friendship and then they become very scared of the new feeling they discover. Liza’s school is very unfair with their policies, they make her feel guilty and accuse her of having an illness when they discover she is a Lesbian. I can not believe this is how some people think. I enjoyed the fact that two of her teachers supported them and encouraged them to keep their love alive not minding what others thought. It reminds of how even when life separates two people, when love and friendship is real a relationship can be kept for a lifetime. Coming out is very difficult and even more back in the day, people would get expelled, fired from their jobs, accused of being evil or ill and in some places till the day some are murdered. This world needs more supporters for the LBGTQ community, we are all humans and people can’t be judged or discriminated for whom they decide to love. As a teacher I will never judge anyone, I have not done it I respect everyone’s way of life.