Every school has at least one bully. The child that, no matter how vigilant the school is, finds a way to make other children miserable.

Kind bud, indeed.

Family rejection, discrimination in our communities, discriminatory enforcement of laws, and hostile school environments all play a part. But let's focus on how the climate in our nation's schools puts many LGBTQ youth at greater risk for being criminalized.

When I was product testing my children's book Ella's Tummy: A Story of Understand for All Ages -- in other words, having kids read it and tell me what they thought -- one very bright eight year old girl said she thought it was mean that I, as the author, called the main character fat. This was an interesting response, because the book is about fat bullying, and how it is not okay to do it.

I hope that with awareness and education efforts, less children will be targeted for being "different" and more people will recognize the amazingness of marginalized communities.