I'm really lucky. My first memories of relationship talks with my parents were about equality. From a very young age I was told that love is love, no matter what love looks like for me (or anyone), as long as love is at the center, that's all that matters. It was made very clear that gay/straight/trans/bi were all just different ways to love oneself and others.
I never knew that not everyone was brought up with this belief system. Up until I was in high school, I assumed that we all lived in a world that accepted these as true.
When I started learning about the reality that men and women could only marry, that the term gay was used as a derogatory slur, that some people believed you go to hell if you love the same sex - I was shocked.
I'm straight. I have never suffered the hate that a lot of people in the LGBTQ community often face every single day.
I still truly don't understand anyone who claims that being gay/bi/trans is wrong. The idea that a person can say "I don't believe in that" is baffling. How can you not believe in something that's a reality?
As tired as I am of hearing the hate surrounding this community, I cannot imagine actually being a member of the community and how it must feel to still have to fight daily for basic human rights.
Hate is learned. Alienation, judgment, and ignorance are taught. When I meet people who do not support this community, what I hear is that you don't support equality. You don't believe in human decency and love.
It's quite bold to give yourself the power to say "this is wrong" when speaking about another person's human rights. What a privilege to be able to tell another person who they can and cannot love. How positively self absorbed you must be to own the decision for others on how they can live their lives.
We need to be better about teaching our children that as long as someone is a good person, love is love. It starts in the home. Do not allow hate in your home. When teaching religion, emphasize that only God can judge, it's your job to show love. Companies need to head off discrimination. State and federal laws must protect all of its people equally. Businesses should be open about their support of all communities.
There is no excuse for the discrimination of the people in the LGBTQ community. Period. End of story. Do better. Be Better.