[U]ntil I wrote the anti-bullying article, I had underestimated the unifying power among the self-named Geeks, Nerds, Star Wars fans and science fiction fans. They can cheer with the best of the sports fans. Aided by the speed and ease of social media, the Geeks sent Katie's story zipping around the globe.
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What strikes me is how these individuals who were once so isolated are now part of a very tight community. They have found each other; they are plugged into each other, and they have each other's backs. Now they have Katie's back, too. The Geeks have adopted Katie, taken her by the hand and offered to escort her through life as a girl who likes Star Wars.
According to her mother, Katie has received a variety of gifts from well-wishers and is becoming something of a hero among schoolchildren. A class of first-graders compiled a book of letters that they sent to her. Katie, in turn, left a voicemail message for a first-grade boy who was teased for having a My Little Pony toy, after the boy's mother contacted Mrs. Goldman.
She said, "I am Katie. I like Star Wars, and you like My Little Pony. I know other boys who like to play with My Little Pony, and it's great, and umm, May the Pony Be With You!" she finished proudly.
Click here to read the rest of Goldman's blog post, where she describes how stories of hardship from Katie's supporters helped her daughter cope with daily struggles in her own life.