Today marks the end of Anti-Bullying Week, but for all the kids out there who still get teased and taunted for being a little bit different, it’s a problem that persists for most of their lives. Young Katie Goldman is just one example. Her mother, a writer for Chicago Now’s Portrait of Adoption blog, posted a story today about how Katie’s being teased by the boys in her first grade class just because she likes Star Wars. The little girl wanted a Star Wars water bottle to match her Star Wars backpack, but then stopped wanting to bring it to school after some boys in her class made fun of her.
(More on TIME.com: How George Lucas Changed Special Effects in Filmmaking Forever)
As many of us Star Wars fans out there know, you mess with one of us you mess with all of us. So the Internet has responded, posting words of support for the first grader as well as sending her more toys to play with. People are tweeting their support with the hash tag #MayTheForceBeWithKatie, and even the head honchos up at the official site have gotten wind.
(More on TIME.com: Darth Vader: “Luke, I Knew I Was Your Father Two Years Early”)
Katie, there’s nothing wrong with being a Star Wars fan. I used to watch Star Wars so much that by the time I hit the fourth grade I broke the tape from rewinding it. I used to – okay I still – save my money up to buy Force FX Lightsabers, action figures and comic books. And, when I got older, I found a job where I could continue to write and talk about Star Wars and other things I liked. There’s tons of us girls who like Star Wars and other so-called boy’s stuff, and it’s completely fine. Keep drinking out of that Star Wars bottle with pride. At least you know what you like, which is a lot more than other people can say.
More on TIME.com: