"Maggie Sawyer gave me a family." - By Liz

Maggie Sawyer gave me a family.

I grew up in a very religious household. I started to realize I was not straight at a pretty early age, but repressed it pretty hard. I heard a lot of negative rhetoric surrounding gay people as a child, and early on, I decided I wasn't going to come out to my parents. Ever. I spent years waiting to be kicked out for being gay. I was terrified. I had a duffel bag packed in the back of my closet for years. My plan was to grow up, become financially independent, and then cut my family off.

Everything changed when Sanvers and Maggie Sawyer came into my life. I started Supergirl on June 1st of 2017 and finished it in less than two weeks and immediately started re-watching season 2. It felt like I was being told someone like me could have a happy ending for the first time in my life. The second time I watched Maggie say "It's real, you're real, and you deserve a real, full, happy life. Tell your family." I decided to come out, no matter what the outcome. If Maggie Sawyer could go through everything she went through, and still end up the strong, independent, bad-ass she did, I could come out to my parents. A few weeks later I did, and a few months after that, I came out publicly. It was killing me slowly to be in the closet. Coming out saved my life. Maggie Sawyer and Sanvers saved my life.

Now I have an amazing found family of people I've found through this fandom. I have the best queer mom a girl could ask for. I have friends who have had my back through hell and highwater. I don’t feel alone anymore. I love this fandom with my entire heart. I've also had the chance to watch my blood family grow and become more accepting. It's been rocky, and there have been some really hard moments, but they are coming to love every part of me. It's been amazing to watch them evolve. Sanvers gave me the strength to give them that chance. I'll forever be grateful for that. I can honestly say that Sanvers changed my life entirely, and I wouldn't change that for the world.

I will love them forever.