Controversial.

via Google

I just wrote this. And I'm a little scared to post this on my blog because I hate conflict. Haha. But I feel the need to share this with all of you. I want to preface this by explaining that I love so many people, especially those who live this kind of lifestyle. This is a mere reaction; purely my thoughts written down on paper. I would love your comments and thoughts. (but please be kind!) 

Tommy, {a teenager at a local high school} lights another cigarette and says, “They still hate us. Our parents hate us, our teachers hate us, straight kids hate us, and adults hate us.” Andi O’Conor writes Who Gets Called Queer in School? In this article, Andi interviews a group meeting consisting of gay, lesbian, and bisexual teenagers. Throughout the article these students tell their own specific stories about living a homosexual lifestyle. The whole purpose of this article was to give voices to these teenagers who feel underprivileged and discriminated against. For example, Christi, a teenager in the meeting, explains that she can’t hold hands with her girlfriend in public or she’d get killed. She explains that one of the most difficult parts of homosexuality is the lack of support and love they receive at home and the fear of violence in the public. Often, in order to survive school, these teenagers will pretend to be heterosexual to stop the harassment.  The article, also, talks about the name-calling that exists in the schools. The derogatory and awful names that include faggot, queer, gay, etc.

I have so many thoughts and feelings on this issue of homosexuality. Many points that were stated in the article are ones that I agree with. However, there are some aspects that I tend to disagree on. I do believe that homosexual teenagers do have a less than ideal situation. I understand that name-calling and discrimination exist. I believe that particular name-calling should completely dissipate because it is entirely unacceptable. I would, personally, never want people to point fingers and mock me with those phrases. However, I disagree on that fact that homosexuals feel as though they are extremely underprivileged. To me, it seems as though they tend to have the mentality that they are the only minority that is being discriminated against in our nation.

In my life, I have had many conversations regarding equal treatment to every single person, regardless of their race, class, or sexual orientation. I have discussed with people the idea of white privilege. We continue to talk about Hispanics, African Americans and the other minorities that exist and the discrimination entailed with these people. I believe that these things do exist and we need to be aware and change these awful discrepancies. However, I have noticed, in my many college courses, in my conversations with others, we have never once talked about issues that regarded me--a single, white, blonde, girl-- in America being discriminated against. We focus so much on the extreme minorities that often speak up that we don’t recognize some of the majorities that are being discriminated against.

I was raised in a community that was not LDS in Oregon. It was, however, mostly white, and gay and lesbian behavior was common in my school. The homosexual kids at my school were very open, honest, and almost too upfront about their beliefs. I recall one particular experience that is forever engrained in my mind. I was having a discussion with one of my gay guy friends. It started off as a very friendly conversation, but as it progressed, he started pushing his views onto me. In fact, at one point, he said that my thoughts and beliefs were wrong and that I shouldn’t believe those things. I have no problem with homosexual behavior. But when someone pushes his or her views onto me, making me feel that I am stupid for believing something, my internal moral compass fights back. His hurtful comments completely contradicted the entire purpose of his “gay rights” group—of treating every one equal. If I am to accept their beliefs, they have to be able to accept mine as well. It does not bode well with me when someone tries to push his or her beliefs onto me, especially when I did not try to sway them one way or the other in the beginning.

 It is also important to add that I was made fun of every single day of my high school years for being Mormon. Every single day. And I never once started a group calling for equality or tried to push my views onto someone else. I accepted it because I had no other option. Why don’t we ever talk about that? We have no problem talking about treating homosexual humans correctly, how come we didn’t have multiple conversations or assemblies about being nice to the Mormon kids? I feel if we want true equality that means equality to every one, not just the extreme minorities.

These thoughts are important, I daresay, mandatory in my future classroom as a teacher. I will, at some point, deal with students of different religions, race, and sexual orientation. I should, as a teacher, never push my beliefs onto another child. Instead, I should accept them for their strengths and weaknesses as human beings. I will treat all of my students equally, accepting them for their idiosyncrasies and not discriminating them for their different beliefs. Each child in my future classroom can succeed and I can guide them along to reach their potential through love, care and support.

It is important for others to understand that although I do not necessarily condone homosexual behavior, I do love many individuals who practice this particular behavior. It does not mean that I degrade, make fun of, or be mean to people who live a homosexual lifestyle. They are human beings and deserve the respect as any other individual. These teenagers in the article Who Gets Called Queer at School? should never fear violence in their homes or in the public. They should never feel as though they are bad human beings because of their lifestyle. It is important, also, that we recognize that most people feel discriminated at some point, even if they are part of the majority. As teachers, as friends, as people, we all need to try our best to love, care, and appreciate people for who they are internally so that we can, ultimately, treat everyone with equal tolerance.