Emma Hoffman
Writing Contest Entry
December 12th 2012
I Can be the Change; Accepting Everyone's Sexuality
This day and age, lots of people have been coming to terms with who they are, and are proud of it! The group of people who have progressed through recent years has been the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community. With social awareness increasing, social scrutiny is also at an all time high. Every day, LBGT students are teased, bullied and harassed because they are "different" then other students. These attacks on students have lead to physical and emotional suffering, even the most extreme, suicide. "When kids are walkin' round the hallway, plagued by pain in their heart. A world so hateful, some would rather die, than be who they are" (Macklemore).But really, they are just like any other heterosexual student. Their differences don't make them "weird", they actually make them more interesting and diverse. How boring would the student population be without the LGBT community? The LGBT students are only asking to be accepted, the bare minimum really.
Any teenager can relate to wanting acceptance, which is why I relate so strongly to the issues of the LGBT community. The Gay community also is also restricted by laws passed by the united States government. I find it very hard to believe that the country that I grew up in, that was founded in equality and freedom, who has struggled through wars and diseases and slavery and prejudice and poverty, still won't let Americans marry who they want. It seems like all the struggle in the world won't be able to change America."No freedom 'till we're equal. Damn right I support it" (Macklemore). As a human being, I am capable of making the choices to provide everyone I meet with tolerance, respect, and acceptance. "While many minority groups are the target for prejudice... and discrimination... in our society, few persons face this hostility without the support and acceptance of their family as many gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth do" -Virginia Uribe
Reading the quote above inspires to me to be the support for the youth who don't have acceptance. I can't even imagine my family not accepting me for me, and I want the youth in my community to have a person that will accept and understand unconditionally. I plan to be that person in 2013 by opening myself to the LGBT community in ways that I have not done previously. I can join my school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Club, where I previously have been too intimidated or scared to go. Fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, and fear of being labeled kept me from going to GSA before, but now I realize that these are the same feelings that all LGBT students face, every day. Realizing this, I feel more empowered and encouraged to venture out of my comfort zone, even just for an hour every Wednesday. I can also help people my age accept the LGBT community by using every social outlet to advocate, and just talk to people about gay rights.