Imagine you’re walking down the hall at school with your best friend. Out of the blue, some random kid shoves you into a locker and whispers in your ear, “Kill yourself.” This person is in the same classes as you, has the same level income as you, and maybe even shares interests with you. The only substantial difference is that he is heterosexual. Nine out of ten LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender) kids are physically harassed every day at school, and a little over a third of faculty and staff do nothing about it1. The bullying of LBGT teens needs to stop now. The topic not be up for debate.
I don’t understand the point of this disgusting behavior. Harassing anyone who is LGBT will not change who they are. And, frankly, it’s just simple minded. As early as before the Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.) in Greece, it was acceptable to be gay. So, why is it that now, when someone is assumed/openly gay, they are discriminated against and bullied? Why would you punish someone for something they have no control over? It’s the same thing as bullying someone for the color of their hair, or eyes, or skin.
One possible reason, brought to my attention by a fellow teen, is because some people are afraid of those who are different. Now, this is understandable, but it is in no way an excuse to harass, threaten, and/or physically assault someone. What happened to overcoming fears? If you’re afraid of crossing a footbridge, you don’t fire five thousand nukes at it. You either avoid it, or you work up the courage to cross it. And upon having crossed the bridge, you may find that your fear was completely irrational.
We, as teens, are discovering who we are every day, and when people are constantly telling you that who you are is wrong, it isn’t a recipe for a happy life. LGBT teens are three times as likely to commit suicide than others in the same age group2. This is not okay. The teenage years are for discovery: discovering who we are, discovering life, and discovering love. These are not years for hate.
Heterosexuals need to take a moment and step into the shoes of the people whose rights are lesser than theirs. We all have the right to pursue happiness, do we not? I am a human being. It does not matter whether I am lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or straight. I am a human being. We are all human beings. Let’s treat each other that way. Because when you don't, it's you who becomes the lesser being.