11-year-old’s question “Why?” leaves Grammy speechless

Photo by Weston MacKinnon on Unsplash

My 11-year-old granddaughter was making cards while I wrote a letter.

Child: “Whatcha doin’, Grammy?”

Me: “Writing a letter.”

Child: “To who?”

Me: “My prison pen pal.”

Child: “Huh?”

Me: “I have a pen pal in prison. We’ve been writing each other for years. I’ve never met him, but I got his address from an organization called Black & Pink.”

Child: “Pink is my favorite color!”

Me: “I know. The organization is called Black & Pink because it’s for prisoners who identify as LGBTQ, which means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer/Questioning.”

Child: “I know about that.”

Me: “I’m glad you do. I write him because it not only cheers him up, but it actually helps keep him safe, because when he gets letters, the guards and other inmates see that he has a friend outside prison, and they treat him better. Some people don’t like LGBTQ folks and make life hard for them, especially in prison, where there are so few people making sure everyone does the right thing.”

Child: “Why don’t some people like LGBTQ people?”

I had no answer.

-Marci