I would not generally use this forum to discuss extremely heavy topics. With the election nearing and the endless debate on same-sex marriage, however, I feel it is necessary to weigh in. Now, my goal is not to change your political affiliation. I simply want to educate those in need. This remains a very sensitive issue, but should it continue to be?
The term "sexual preference" is not as accurate as "sexual orientation". The word 'preference' implies that there was a conscious choice. There are many differing opinions on the matter, but I can assure you, homosexuals do not choose to be gay! Given the general attitude our society has towards the gay and lesbian population, why would they "choose" to live their lives that way? The only real choice homosexuals have is whether or not to let the rest of the world know. That is a tough choice to make.
Which is more painful...living a lie or finding out who your true friends and family are? I have known people that have been "disowned" by the people that raised them, ridiculed by the people that once thought highly of them, and stepped on by a society that is not nearly as accepting as it claims to be. Would a poor black kid from the inner-city streets choose to be gay? Would a white kid from rural Kentucky choose to be gay? What cannot be argued is that these people exist. This is not to imply that an affluent family couldn't be just as close-minded, but the reality is, families with fewer financial resources tend to be less educated than those who have money. Education and awareness are key components to becoming a truly accepting nation.
Most hate and prejudices are derived from fear. A fear of what we do not know or understand. The kind of education needed in this case does not come from books or school, though. It comes from life experience. Financial freedom affords opportunities to travel and experience different cultures. Living in a certain part of the country or having limited funds does not excuse bigotry, however. As I have written before, every sub-category of people contains assholes. It is up to you to judge each person individually. Do not let a single bad experience influence your opinion over an entire race, religion or community. By taking the time to get to know an individual, an informed decision can be made about that one person, but not about every person from a particular group to which they belong.
You probably have daily encounters with people in which you have no idea are gay. Would knowing that they are gay change your opinion of them? They are still the same person, right? Understanding that it is not a choice is the first step towards acceptance. Everybody deserves to be loved and to love freely, without fear of religious or legal persecution.
What happened to separation of Church and State anyway? How else can you explain making same-sex marriage illegal? I do not mean to downplay the significance of marriage, but to put it simply, marriage is a legal document. To deny a same-sex couple this right is clearly discrimination. As long as they are consenting (non-related) adults, why shouldn't they have the same legal rights in which a heterosexual couple is entitled? Gay people do not want to marry in an effort to take advantage of the system. They want to get married for the same reason a heterosexual couple does: To provide the ultimate symbol of commitment to their significant other.
This is not a debate of religion or morality. This is about people, and we should all have the same rights and privileges according to the law. Gay people are not monsters. They cannot be thrown into the same category as pedophiles and other sexual deviants. Many people will try, but this really couldn't be more off base. Gay people are our sons, our daughters, our teachers, our doctors, our parents, our loved ones. Gay people are people and it is time we started to treat them that way.
Go Cards!
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