Since this past Sunday, the news channels have been blasting with the Pulse gay nightclub shooting in Orlando which killed 49 people and injured many more. I am sure we all know the details about this by now, how heartbroken all of the families were, how while the shooter was a Muslim, it was a hate crime against gays, how the shooter's wife knew about his plans the whole time, how he was able to obtain the gun legally, and about the thwarting of the gun control issue between the Democratic and Republican Party. It was awful; no matter what side you stand on when it comes to gay marriage or gun ownership, this was a drastic hate crime, ranking as the worst recorded shooting in our country's history. Members of the LGBT community and its supporters everywhere are rising up to have their voices heard as this was an obvious crime against their existence. However, it seems that this is one of the only times that people outside of the LGBT community see any rising up against mistreatment among gays. However, the cruelty toward the LGBT community extends far beyond this shooting.

Many members of the LGBT community, whether gay, transgender, bisexual, etc, can recall many experiences of cruelty because of who they are. Not just those who were affected by the shooting, but almost, if not all, members of the LGBT community have been discriminated against. Hate crimes are performed against this community every day to thwart their beliefs and being. However, hate crimes don't have to always be defined as "shootings." A hate crime or act of hate can be simply calling someone a "faggot" or making fun of them for their sexuality. Much of this cruelty exists in our world today, and sadly causes many more deaths than there were in the shooting in Orlando this past Sunday. There are constant reports of suicides by LGBT members who were constantly made fun of, discriminated against, or simply shunned because of their way of life. A hate crime doesn't just have to be a shooting; it can be someone laughing at a fellow student for dressing differently, or being with someone of the same sex.

However, these hate crimes are never enough to capture enough attention from the media to force a stop. Members of the LGBT community continue to get humiliated every day for who they are. Parents commit hate crime against their child by refusing to accept the fact that they are gay. Churches commit hate crime against their fellow community members by condemning gays, lesbians, transgenders, etc., and claiming that there is no place for them on this Earth. People commit hate crimes towards this community every day simply because they are different.

America especially claims to be a free country where all people are accepted, no matter their race, religion, gender, or sexuality. However, that is far from the case. Many instances, especially as of late, have shown that Americans still do not desire for everyone to be treated equally, especially those of the LGBT community.

You may be asking yourself how this is the case, especially with the granting of the legalization of gay marriage by the Supreme Court last summer. However, these issues spread much farther than a certificate on paper and an official document. If the shooting last Sunday did anything, it made sure that the LGBT community should be even more afraid of the discrimination that they face in this country.

It is sad that this discrimination must take place. The LGBT community is composed of everyday people, just trying to fulfill their life goals and accomplish what is right for them in the world. They are just like you and me. They have goals, dreams, interests, and ambitions. They have feelings and favorite movies, they have their "usuals" on restaurant menus and have fun nights out with friends.

So if you get anything from this article, get this: the discrimination toward the LGBT community goes far beyond the Orlando nightclub shooting. Sadly, this community still has not achieved equality in our country, and until they do, we as American citizens must fight for their rights. Until we can do this, there can be no freedom in this country until EVERYONE is equal.