Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning/Queer, Allied/Asexual, and Intersexed
Yesterday was the #DayofSilence. Hundreds of thousands of students nationwide took a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment in their schools. As a proud supporter every year, I donned a sticker and watched proudly as handfuls of people around me, stronger than I am, stayed silent for the day.
It always moves me, seeing a bunch of people join together for something; working together for a common cause.
More than 30,000 Americans commit suicide each year, and 5,000 of these people are teenagers. 1 in 3 suicides amongst teenagers are committed by homosexual ones.
I proudly answered questions about the day, why I supported it, and explained any questions I could. I may be heterosexual, but we are ALL human. We are people. No one deserves to get bullied, no one deserves to feel so much pain that they feel like ending their life is the only answer. So if I can help in any way, shape, or form by answering a couple questions so that people are more informed, then that's what I'm going to do.
According to studies, homosexual teenagers are four times more likely to kill themselves than heterosexual teenagers, and eight if their parents are not accepting.
A girl, who I occasionally talked to stunned me that day. She flat out stated; "I hate gay people. They are disgusting." As I stared at her shocked the only response I could come up with was, "Why?" And she didn't have a response. "I don't know. I just do." I lost so much respect for her. Comments like that, hurtful statements. That is the reason why so many people feel scared to come out, ashamed.
It should not matter to anyone if someone was born with a penis and likes men, or was born with a vagina but knows in their soul that they are male. If every time you meet a new person you're looking at their pants instead of their eyes, you're not a good person. I'm gonna flat-out say it. I wouldn't care if I met someone who had two penises flailing around in their pants, it's the person inside. It's their soul, who they are that makes them a person.
We all have one beating heart, skin; we cry, we smile and laugh and we feel. We are human. People. We hurt in the same ways.
I cannot fathom looking that girl in the eyes again, but I will. Cause I'm the bigger person, I understand that everyone is different, and factors play into everything we believe and don't believe. But I will not stand for bullying, for pain, just because two people of the same sex happen to be in love. Just because a guy wears a bra, shaves his legs and puts on heels. Bullying is unacceptable. Suicide is unacceptable. Another life lost to torture and pain is unacceptable.
**Even though I cannot stand Arizona, this is cute.
