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Anne Frank was a young Jewish girl who was murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust. Today, the first day of #Hanukkah 
, a memorial dedicated to her in Idaho, USA, was desecrated by Nazis who covered it with swastikas and a warning, “we are everywhere.” A threat to Jewish people. /1
, a memorial dedicated to her in Idaho, USA, was desecrated by Nazis who covered it with swastikas and a warning, “we are everywhere.” A threat to Jewish people. /1
Yet, despite Anne Frank’s memorial being desecrated with swastikas and threats by Nazis; despite her being a Jewish victim of the Holocaust, people are continuing to spend time focusing on a small part of her diary where she pondered on whether she had feelings towards a girl. /2
This is not the first time people, especially and specifically gentiles/goyim/non-Jewish lgbtq+ people have focused on Anne Frank’s sexuality. For years, people have referred to Anne as their “bi-con” labeling Anne as bi, citing her as their inspiration to come out as bisexual /3
However, this is not okay. Anne Frank is simply not your “bi-con.” She is not your bisexual icon. As @matzahthottie says in her brilliant @hey_alma article, “Anne was a minor, and labeling her sexuality without her consent is a disgrace to her memory.” https://www.heyalma.com/stop-calling-anne-frank-your-bisexual-icon/ /4
Saying Anne Frank is bisexual is incredibly disrespectful. She never said what she identified as. It’s also incredibly important to remember that Anne Frank’s diary is not supposed to be a book of optimism and inspiration. And this has been wildly misunderstood since it’s print/5
Anne Frank’s diary is about a Jewish girl’s fears, worries, the sadness, and loneliness she felt. We must remember that the infamous line from her last entry, “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart” is followed by betrayal and her murder /6
The Diary of Anne Frank has been misappropriated ever since it’s been published, by her own father and by readers everywhere. Whether it’s readers saying she’s bisexual or readers declaring the book to be an inspirational story of a girl filled with optimism and happiness. /7
Anne Frank’s diary should not be inspiration for coming out as bisexual. It should not to serve as a relatable adolescent book. As Cynthia Ozick said in this 1997 article, To believe that the diary was ‘a song to life’ is to stew in an ugly innocence.” /8 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/10/06/who-owns-anne-frank
On May 26th, 1944, Anne Frank wrote: “Nothing can be more crushing than this anxiety. Let the end come, however cruel.” April 11, 1944; “We are Jews in chains.” It is a testimony to what it was like to live in hiding. Her diary ends abruptly, she never got to finish it. /9
Seven out of the eight people hiding in the annex were killed:
Oct 1944, Hermann van Pels was murdered in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Dec 1944, Fritz Pfeffer was killed by illness at Neuengamme. Jan 1945, Edith Frank was killed by starvation at Auschwitz. /10
Oct 1944, Hermann van Pels was murdered in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Dec 1944, Fritz Pfeffer was killed by illness at Neuengamme. Jan 1945, Edith Frank was killed by starvation at Auschwitz. /10
Feb 1945, Anne and Margot Frank were killed by typhus at Bergen-Belsen. Spring 1945, Auguste van Pels was killed at Theresienstadt. May 1945, Peter van Pels was killed at Mauthausen.
May their memories be blessed for eternity
/11, end.
May their memories be blessed for eternity
/11, end.
