thatgirlgabyright:

On the bus ride to school this morning, a little girl and her mother sat in the row in front of me. I paid no attention until she turned around and smiled at me. Her front teeth were missing and her brown hair was in pigtails. Her mother has fallen asleep beside her. I removed my headphones and returned the gesture.

Girl: Hi!

Me: Hi there.

Girl: You look like the girl on TV!

I couldn’t help but smile.

Me: I do?

Girl: Yeah!

She rummages through her mother’s purse and retrieves an iPhone.

Girl: See! Look! She shows me a photo of Korra smiling.

Me: Yeah. I guess I do kind of look like her. But I don’t have pretty blue eyes like her.

The sun hits my eyes so I close them.

Girl: No!

She reaches out to try and touch me, but she can’t reach.

Girl: I like your eyes better. They’re like maple syrup and I love maple syrup!

Me: Ha, thanks.

Girl: Do you like a boy like Mako?

I panic, I don’t want to tell her I’m a lesbian.

Me: Umm no, I don’t. I don’t want a boy like Mako.

Girl: Good! Me neither! He’s a stupid head!

I laughed to myself, exercising muscles that I haven’t used in a while.

Me: You don’t like him?

Girl: No! I want Korra to be with someone else but my momma says it can’t happen because it’s bad.

Me: Why does she say that?

Girl: Because it’s bad for two girls to be together like that. But Asami’s so nice!

I could not believe what I was hearing.

Me: Yeah she is. It’s not bad for two girls to be together. Sometimes girls like girls and boys like boys. And some people like them both and some people don’t like either. And that’s all okay.

Girl: Oh. Do you want a girl like Asami then?

Me: Yes, I do.

Girl: Cross the street and don’t look! Maybe she’ll hit you with her scooter!

Me: Ha. Yeah, maybe.

Girl: I wish I could look like girls on TV.

Me: But you’re so much prettier. Don’t worry about them.

Her mother wakes up and pulls the cord, they’ll be getting off at the next stop.

Girl: Okay! Don’t look so sad though. Bye Korra!

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Me: Bye Ikki.

The little girl shrieks with delight as she gets off the bus.

She had no concept of gay, striaght, bisexual, etc. She just knew what was nice and what wasn’t. She gave me a bit of hope for future generations. Not to mention she’s totally on board the SS Korrasami.