Sharon Underwood
Encyclopedia
Sharon Underwood is an American woman from White River Junction, Vermont
who became famous in 2000 after a local newspaper published a letter she had written decrying the treatment her son had received from his school peers as a result of him being gay
.
Underwood's letter, the result of more than two decades of anger built up by "standard gay bashing
", was subsequently reproduced in newspapers, emails and on websites around the world, including that of Democratic National Committee
treasurer Andrew Tobias
, who posted it under the headline "The best thing I've read all year".
Underwood later also wrote another letter in support of Mark Noel, a gay member of the Boy Scouts of America
who was expelled from the organization in 2000 for publicly revealing his sexual orientation
, a case that subsequently drew nation-wide attention.
White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States...
who became famous in 2000 after a local newspaper published a letter she had written decrying the treatment her son had received from his school peers as a result of him being gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
.
Underwood's letter, the result of more than two decades of anger built up by "standard gay bashing
Gay bashing
Gay bashing and gay bullying is verbal or physical abuse against a person who is perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender . Such abuse is used also to bully heterosexual persons and persons of non-specific or unknown sexual orientation.A "bashing" may be a specific incident, and one...
", was subsequently reproduced in newspapers, emails and on websites around the world, including that of Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
treasurer Andrew Tobias
Andrew Tobias
Andrew Tobias is an American journalist, author, and columnist. His main body of work is on investment, but he has also written on politics, insurance, and other topics. Since 1999, he has been the treasurer of the Democratic National Committee.-Biography:Tobias graduated from Harvard College in...
, who posted it under the headline "The best thing I've read all year".
Underwood later also wrote another letter in support of Mark Noel, a gay member of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
who was expelled from the organization in 2000 for publicly revealing his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, a case that subsequently drew nation-wide attention.