Please don’t be part of the problem: Support LGBT

Read Time:5 Minute, 6 Second

Remember those books when you were a kid, the ones that let you pick your destiny? Okay so that’s how this is going to work. If you see yourself one day marrying the person you love, and it’s not blocked by a federal law (you’re straight), please read onward. If you are blocked by said law, and recently had the most powerful man in the world come out in support of you (you’re gay) then skip to “You are so gay;” if you’re on the fence, I guess read the whole thing.

If you’re reading this and have kids I want you to pay particular attention. This very moment our country is divided. We have been for some time, but it’s in the spotlight today more than ever. For the first time in history, a sitting president has come out in support of marriage equality. Whatever you think of his motive; whether it’s politics or his so called evolution, President Obama still is supporting a great minority who simply want to know they and their loved ones deserve equality and to be offered the same benefits and protections as straight married couples.

If you are not talking about LGBT rights, if you are not playing an active role and talking about this, you are condoning the people who speak against it As a child growing up the LGBT community was rarely spoken of. It wasn’t on TV, the Internet was too new, and people in my home town (less than 60 people in my graduating class) did not discuss such things. We were taught the bible as part of our English class. My point though is that the lack of support/discussion for a young boy who is battling with his sexuality can be life changing.

My folks are and were great parents. They were opened minded and there were topics that I imagine they would not want to discuss unless needed, which in and of itself is fine. The problem lies in not speaking against hate.

Imagine a child 13 years old coming to grips with his or her sexuality today. They are bombarded with TV ads, candidate speeches, religious leaders, news media, and hack actors every minute of every day sharing their opinions, their hate. Kids read texts and  Facebook posts, see magazines or Tweets on social topics every single day. Now, imagine that child sitting next to you watching some a news program on cable, and hearing a bigot like Paul Cameron say “gays should be locked up before they rape children”. As the parent you laugh, maybe shake your head and the moment passes. No harm, no foul, he’s an idiot right? You think to yourself, “Some nut job like that doesn’t speak for me or the rest of the world”. Beside you, your child sits there; no words are exchanged.

What you don’t realize is as you sit there and snicker, your child begins to panic. They feel cold and they feel scared. “Did Mom/Dad just laugh at that, do they agree what that man said?” they think. The silence speaks volumes, the lack of condemnation is confusing and sends a mixed message, and a child scared of something over which they have no control now begins to question his own environment, his own parents.

This may seem extreme but think of it this way. Would you want your child’s teacher to scold another student for calling a classmate a derogatory word in front of their class? What would be the result of teachers letting close minded views that can be hurtful be spewed without condemnation or consequences? It would spread, it would alienate, it would scare and destroy the confidence of those it affected. We do this every time we don’t speak out against such vitriol. This works for adults as well, unless you call out against hate speech people may wrongly think you support it.

My plea to you is this. If you hear something and your reaction is to laugh at it for how stupid it is, or wince at the thought of anyone thinking  like that, speak out. Voice what you know is right, because that’s what they are doing. Unless they are confronted, they will think they are the majority and victims of such hate will think you condone such reprehensible speech. We only know a person’s feelings if they are said or expressed;  if we keep silent then the ones speaking out loud speak for us all.

You are so gay:

This may come off harsh, but wake the hell up. We are a minority group who in 2004 saw our rights for over half the country being threatened. Do you know how we responded?  FORTY PERCENT of us voted. We are so damn lazy that when our rights were put to a vote, we couldn’t even get a majority of our community to support us, so why the hell should anyone else?

I am going to make a call to action to the LGBT community. Share your story, not your anger, not your hate, and not your revenge. SHARE YOUR STORY, compel people by speaking from your heart to theirs. The last time you disagreed with someone, did screaming “You’re wrong!” get you anywhere? Our plight is not hate, it’s lack of love. We need people to understand, to look past gender, to look at their children, parents, grandparents, whatever the case may be, and understand what it would be like to deny them love. If you can learn to have a civil conversation with someone who has a polar opposite view then you, then you will start changing hearts. Now go back read the straight part of this and apply that type of logic to your conversation. Until we have rights we had better be out fighting for them or we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

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About Post Author

Joshua Alan Snyder Hill

Joshua is the husband of Major Steve Snyder-Hill (or as some have dubbed him the booed soldier). Joshua and his husband are currently involved in a case with SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network). The case is to ensure service members who are married to same sex partners receive the same benefits and protections as their straight counters parts. Joshua writes blogs in order to try and further help spark conversation around the LGBT community and marriage inequality. He also runs a website, MarriageEvolved.com which is a social network site allowing LGBT and allies alike to discuss current events, struggles and successes in. The sites goal is to help people understand the true effects of inequality and how to have conversations around it.
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scott
11 years ago

Think im going to stay on the problem side. This is rediculous with the whole marriage for gay trash. I dont give a damn if you like to munch carpets or pop each other in the azz the problem lies in trying to legitimize your behaviour by trying push this on to everyone. Get over it, you cant marry just anyone. Marriage is an institution of religion thats where it started. Power of attorney will get you far enuff as too sharing benifits too bad, I might like to fck cows but i dont see them trying to get on my healthcare plan. Really, its stupid. No one gives a damn what you do in yr home but they do give a damn when your trying to change sht you have no right to be involved in.

Connie
Reply to  scott
11 years ago

Sharing your fondness for bestiality doesn’t explain how a cow can sign a contract or give consent for sex. Thank you for pointing out the lack of logic in your statement.

Human rights are human rights. It is as simple as that.

ontheleft72
Reply to  scott
11 years ago

Scott if no one gives a damn about it, why do you seem so passionate and who said you can’t marry another human being? Fucking JESUS? Fuck Jesus and his daddy and all the bull shit bible claptrap that goes with the religious propaganda that is destroying our world.

pinoak46
11 years ago

Are we asking for equal marriage? Equal love? Get out the vote? I enjoyed the article but I’m not sure what the point is here beyond sharing the story. Is that it? If so I agree wholeheartedly.

Mary
11 years ago

Excellent!

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