Dear Intolerant People,
It's 2016, be less ignorant and more tolerant. It’s as simple as that. It’s appalling to still hear people refer to LGBT rights as a problem. How does someone else’s sexuality affect you? It doesn’t. Such discrimination shouldn’t exist, regardless of political or religious affiliations.
People should have the right to love whomever they please and not hide their sexuality in fear of sanction. Who you're attracted to doesn't define your character nor should it. All services should be open to people of all sexuality. The fact that this needs to be addressed in this day and age is ridiculous in itself, equality shouldn’t be up for debate. The idea of discriminating against someone because of his religion, race, or gender is sickening as are the new laws in other states preventing the LGBT community from having the same basic liberties as everyone else.
Recently, New York State Governor Cuomo issued a ban on nonessential travel to North Carolina in response to the state enacting a disgusting anti-discriminatory law. The North Carolina law as a violation of human rights is an understatement. Legislation passed the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, which requires transgender individuals to use the restroom in accordance with the gender written on their birth certificate. Are you supposed to bring your birth certificate to a public restroom? This is completely absurd.
Backers have expressed concern with privacy and sexual assault. In the same light, these individuals refer to the law as a way to avoid “radical action.” Apparently it’s radical to believe in equality and freedom. Allowing transgender individuals to use either restroom they prefer does not deprive you from anything, this only accommodates them. To some, LGBT rights seem to be idealistic and far-fetched. It’s not unrealistic to imagine a world in which we don’t discriminate against others--for any reason.
According to MSBNC, in an interview with North Carolina Governor McCrory he stated the law responds to “the norms and etiquette” that have existed for generations. The law doesn’t discriminate against anyone. This political correctness has gone amok.” This is not political correctness and norms change daily. What kind of world we live in if legislation was not passed and we conformed to norms from centuries ago? Most of the population would not be where they are today. This is not to say we live in a perfect world. However, basic civil rights should not be a concern because these considered “issues” shouldn’t exist in the first place. Though for some reason especially seen with recent events in North Carolina and Mississippi, they seem to rise to the surface way too often.
Similarly, Cuomo has banned non-essential state funding travel to Mississippi after this state enacted a legislation “that allows business and nonprofit groups to refuse service to people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” New York State has taken a stand against discrimination. In representing our state, Governor Cuomo himself has shown we don't tolerant prejudice in any shape or form. This is not the first time he has issued an executive order attacking other states’ policies.
There is no defense for anyone against basic civil rights. Last year, the United States made same sex marriage legal and yet now state legislators are enacting laws, which take ten steps back. How these recent bills were passed is beyond me. Many argue that this protects the majority. What majority is this? Is it those that don’t consider themselves part of the LGBT community? Or people that don’t think LGBT deserve the same rights? The point to understand is that anti-discrimination laws protect the minority and don’t harm the majority. To those that argue that these North Carolina and Mississippi’s laws don’t have anything to do with discrimination are sadly mistaken. Whoever says these regulations aren’t discriminatory needs to look at how the law affects people. We shouldn’t accept anything less than complete equality.
Sincerely,
Those that support equality
