Equal | Teen Ink

Equal

June 8, 2011
By findinga BRONZE, Altamont, New York
findinga BRONZE, Altamont, New York
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Why are homosexuals always being bullied, picked on, or teased? It’s because they are “different”. Homosexuals have their own opinion of their sexuality and people who aren’t homosexuals (straights), also have their opinion of their sexuality. All of our opinions should be respected. No matter how different we are, we should treat others the way we want to be treated. The quote “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, should be considered by everyone. I think homosexuals shouldn’t be bullied. People should love who they want to, and not be judged by it. I feel horrible when homosexuals are bullied. It should be stopped.

I have friends who get bullied about their sexuality. It makes me feel bad when someone talks about them in a bad way. Some cases of bullying lead to kids being brutally murdered. For example, the death of Larry King, a 15 year old gay boy in Oxnard, California. Just because he wore makeup, jewelry, and high heels, he was bullied by many male peers. To tease them back he would flirt with them. February 12, 2008 Larry King was shot in the back of the head twice in a computer lab. A motive for this crime was simple, just that Larry had told Brandon McInerney he liked him. Two days later, Larry died in a hospital because of brain injuries. Evidence shows this was an anti-gay hate. For the murder of Larry King they had a “Day of Silence” for his rights and a march to commemorate him.

Here is another example. A more brutal murder case was of Matthew Shepard. A 21 year old college student; he was literally beaten to the brink of death while tied to the fence. He was hospitalized for five days when he suddenly passed away. The motive was deemed anti-gay hate but, the defendant claimed it was because of money and drugs. On the day of Matthew Shepard’s funeral, so many gay haters attended and wouldn’t even let his body be buried with dignity. For Matthew Shepard they started the “Matthew Shepard Foundation” to promote tolerance and diversity for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, hate-crime legislation, and to try and make an effect on the future.


I understand why some people don’t like homosexuals. Some of the people who don’t like homosexuals believe that the “regular way” to have a relationship is to only have a male and a female. To me, this isn’t true because I think everyone can love who they want, even if the relationship is a female and a female or, a male and a male. Some people might also religiously oppose gays. I think this is hypocrisy because many religions say that we are all “equal”. We all just need to learn to tolerate homosexuals.

The problem should be changed because many innocent homosexuals are being murdered, they commit suicide, or they are bullied to the point of death or the point they commit suicide. More than 4 times the number of openly gay homosexuals are bullied then their straight peers. The statistics would be higher but these kids are too antagonized to openly say they are. Bullying of homosexuals or any other teen online or in class can lead to suicide. A quote said by Professor Stephen Russell of the University of Arizona, “Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens who feel suicide is the option have inevitably been bullied to death.” 30-40% of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens are more likely to attempt suicide then straight teens. According to www.365gay.com, “Out of 35,000-40,000 suicide cases, 20% of them are teenagers between the ages of 12-18.” Of those, 30% are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender kids. It’s not only suicide and murder either. Approximately 28% of gay and lesbian kids drop out of high school because people physically or verbally abuse them at school.

All of these deaths just because of bullying? All of those high school dropouts just because of bullying?It’s just not worth it. That’s why bullying homosexuals I think, is wrong. We should love who we want. We may have different beliefs from homosexuals but we are all equal. I want people to stop bullying homosexuals verbally, and physically. I want homosexuals to be treated with the same respect as people who are straight. According to GLSEN 2003 National School Climate Survey, “More than 91% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students say they hear homophobic slurs or expressions frequently or often.” That’s a lot of students. We can easily reduce this amount.

What you can do to stop homosexuals from being bullied is to help them when you see the bullying. If the bully continues bullying the person, get an adult like a teacher to help. If you hear something bad about a homosexual, talk to your teacher, the principal, or an adult you can trust like a parent. It’s that easy! Do the right thing. One little thing can mean so much to a person. Just you alone, doing something to help homosexuals from being bullied, can make a difference in the world eliminating the bullying of homosexuals one by one. By the end, you will have made a big difference and there would be less bullying in the world.








Bibliography
"Young, Gay and Murdered in Junior High - Newsweek." Newsweek - National News, World

News, Business, Health, Technology, Entertainment, and More - Newsweek. Web. 26 May

2011. <http://www.newsweek.com/2008/07/18/young-gay-and-murdered.html>.

"Matthew Shepard Foundation » Our Story." Matthew Shepard Foundation -. Web. 26 May 2011.

<http://www.matthewshepard.org/our-story>.

"Gay & Lesbian News Stories - The Latest Breaking Headlines | 365gay." Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual

& Transgender News & Free Videos | 365gay.com. 26 May 2011. Web. 26 May 2011.

<http://www.365gay.com/news>.

"PFLAG Phoenix:  Education . . ." PFLAG Phoenix:  Homepage. Web. 26 May 2011.

<http://www.pflagphoenix.org/education/>.

This Site Has Stepped out for a Bit. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://showcasepdx.com/>.

Queersunity. "LGBT bullying statistics."

The author's comments:
I hope that after reading this, people will think twice before saying/doing something mean to a homosexual. They should be treated like everyone else. They can love who they want. Would you like it if you couldn't love the person you wanted to be with?

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 1 comment.


M0429 said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 10:06 pm
M0429, Memphis, Tennessee
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? – Epicurus

Xtians are against homosexuality because they fear it.  fear is all they know, which is why the worship their god/gods, they fear that which they do not understand; death, science, homosexuality. and history shows that what they fear, they persecute, and force off of the mainstage.  they can no longer burn those people that the do not understand, but one cannot be supprised that such people malign homosexuality.