Gemotions

Lila saw the follow request on X. It was Ms. Garcia, her Spanish teacher. She sighed, her shoulders slumping. She felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She had posted some fairly controversial opinions on the platform.

She went through her timeline, and quickly went into a panic. The thought of Ms. Garcia reading her arguments, judging her language and her perspectives, was paralyzing. She felt a rush of anger, quickly followed by a heavy dose of shame.

The next day in class, she was barely able to focus. When Ms. Garcia spoke to her, she barely made eye contact. The comfortable feeling in the classroom, a space where she always felt safe to learn and to grow, had completely disappeared. She felt isolated and exposed.