Ever since I was young, my grandmother was openly racist around me. She would say things like “the only people committing crimes are Hispanics and blacks.” Discrimination is not okay. It is hurtful and causes divisions in our society.

One cloudy morning, my grandma and I were sitting in her kitchen eating breakfast and watching TV. “That’s disgusting,” she commented. “Gay marriage should not be legal.” When I saw she was making a disgusted face at the television, I turned my attention there to see what she was talking about. It was a commercial supporting gay pride.

I couldn’t believe she could be offended and disgusted by people expressing their love and happiness. How did the way they lived their lives affect her? I decided to speak up for the LGBT community, only to have my opinion dismissed by her. Clearly, she didn’t care what I thought.

However, when I repeatedly defended the rights of the LGBT community, my grandma started believing I was gay. This upset me because she assumed I would have to be a member of this group to care what people said about them. “Even if I was gay, that should not make you love me any less or treat me any differently. I would still be the same Rylee you loved,” I reassured her. To this day she continues to believe I am or may be gay.

This is just one example of the many times my grandmother has discriminated against others. It hurts me when she judges others based on their race, religion, or sexuality. “You don’t need black friends,” she has told me. “They will only get you into trouble.” I knew from the first time she said this that it was very wrong. My parents raised me to treat everyone equally.

I have black cousins and uncles. Many of my friends are black. I never saw them as different from me. When my grandmother found out I had black friends she tried to warn me that they weren’t good people and that I shouldn’t be around them. But I never let her opinions affect my behavior.

Of course I know that my grandmother was born in a different time, but I don’t think that’s an excuse for her to be a racist in 2017. By now, I would think she’d have a different mindset.

Unfortunately, my grandmother is stubborn and will never admit she’s wrong. She will argue and argue until you give up and let her have her way. That may be why she never truly listened to me or was open to changing her racist views.

I argued with her for years until finally I realized that I can’t always change how others feel. That doesn’t mean I should give up and tell them they are right. It means I should continue to stick up for what I believe but not shove my opinion down someone’s throat so hard that they can’t breathe.

I still don’t understand why people discriminate. To make themselves feel more powerful? I see discrimination daily, especially in school. If others would stand up for the kids being hated, or if the people discriminating would just put themselves in the others’ shoes, it could drastically change how those being discriminated against feel.

Never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.