I am a Heterosexual Caucasian female, who grew up in middle class America. So, in reality, my life has been generally smooth sailing. Yeah, I was teased for being a big girl in middle school but seriously, who wasn't? Middle school boys are ass holes. I would laugh it off, ignore the rude comments, and move on with life. At the end of the day I knew that I was funny, intelligent, loving, and caring.
I am also an ally to the LGBTQ community. I support equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBTQ social movements, and I challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. What I couldn't ignore even at a young age is why people put down others for who they love. How could anyone control how they feel towards another person? People seriously get their panties in a bunch over how someone else feels about another person. It's seriously mind boggling to me.
There is young adults committing suicide because they to not feel loved. The Trevor Project is a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ young adults. The movement began as a Oscar-winning film. The film premiered on HBO in 1998 and since then the filmmakers launched the Trevor Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ and questioning youth.
Since then, thousands of young people have utilized the life-saving resource. Even though this is an amazing organization, these organizations should not have to exist. We need to create an environment for our children that accepts love. I will to continue to support organizations like this one in hopes that one day it will not be needed.
First, love is a powerful emotion and if someone finds love I am happy for them. Whether that love be a man, woman, or transgender individual; love is love. We only have a short amount of time here on earth and if you can find someone who makes you happy, go for it. I do not believe someone else has the power to tell you how you are suppose to feel. If we supported each other for finding love and looked past who they are, the world would be a better place.
Some believe that I can not step out of my own hetero-normative world to advocate for the community. I may not know the struggle first hand but that should not put me in a box where it is wrong for me to support my brothers and sisters. I have friends who are a part of the LGBTQ community that are the most loving and intelligent people I have ever met. I would go as far to consider them family. To see someone I care about so deeply have the potential to be judged and discriminated breaks my heart. We were all put on this earth together to strive, so I am standing with the team who is moving forward.
You may not support the LGBTQ community and with that I feel sorry for you. I do not feel hate or anger. I seriously feel bad that you can not let love into your heart. It's upsetting that you can not accept someone because they are happy in their skin. I hope for you to someday love yourself then you can to begin to love others. I hope that one day you feel love and understand why you wouldn't want to take that from someone else because of what is perceived as "normal." I know for now that I will stand with my LGBTQ brothers and sisters to hopefully make a change.
