Bi/Gay/Lesbian Acceptance | Teen Ink

Bi/Gay/Lesbian Acceptance

January 27, 2010
By Anonymous

BGL = Bisexual/Gay/Lesbian


For many years, I was confused about my sexuality. I wasn’t sure where I was going. I had to learn to follow my heart. I had to stop thinking that I wanted to be heterosexual, because I knew down at my soul, I wasn’t. The faster I learned to accept myself, the faster others would accept me. I held back,afraid of what my friends or family would think. I wondered everyday who I was, who I’m becoming and if people would accept me for who I am. Anti-Gay language hit me by the 4th, and degraded me till 7th. I can never change the remarks I’ve dealt with, tried to push away and ignore. I was hurt and scarred for life. Why does the world have to do this, to me, and the youth of our children and teenagers? You see the discrimination, you hear the harassment, you even sometimes are the one who is dealing with it. Why do you do it? Why don’t you stop it?

In today’s society the BGL acceptance is very poor. Do heterosexuals know how it feels to not firstly accept yourself, yet alone not being accepted into your family, friends, or even community!?

Being BGL is NOT always a choice. Scientists and researchers have found, that between a homosexual and heterosexual man, their hormones were actually different! So, being homosexual may be based on the nucleus and function of sexual hormones. It is a part of who they are, their genes and soul.

The strongest opposers of BGLs are religious followers. Homosexuality is said to be against god, or an abomination. However gay activists claim that homosexual activity is private business, except for those involved in the intimate relationship. It really depends on the person’s views and beliefs. Although being BGL is apart of you, God created you. Being BGL is a part of your biology. If God created us, then he would have known what he created, and why.


You MUST be asking me by now, why does this even matter? I’ll tell you why.
Nearly 90% BGL middle school students report being verbally abused.
Nearly 60% reported being assaulted.
Out of all BGL Middle School students,only 41% felt SAFE at school.

Consequently, lives of BGLs are challenged from discrimination or bare acceptance, because of their sexuality. Have you ever been too afraid to tell your parents something? BGLs have to be afraid their parents won’t even accept them for who THEY are. This all increased one MAJOR factor. Teenagers that are BGL are more than threProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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times as likely to attempt suicide then the average teenager.

An anonymous survey was set out in Massachusetts in 1995, consisting of questions about sexual orientation.

Of the 4,167 students surveyed, 3.8% identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure of their sexual orientation, which means 110 students or more could be facing discrimination in todays Massachusetts. Let’s say every state had the same results. 110 Students in every State,would add up to 5,720 BGLs. Is that not a large enough population for you to even care? Well then,by the end of every year,at least 900 teenagers would have DIED from suicide because people can’t even accept who they are. It is estimated that 500,000 teenagers try to kill themselves every year, and about 5,000 succeed.


This was the cause of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover’s ( age 11) suicide. On April 9th, 2009 Carl hung himself with an extension cord after daily taunts about being gay. This is at least, the fourth suicide from middle school bullying in the year of 2009.

"As was the case with Carl, you do not have to identify as gay to be attacked with anti-LGB language," Byard said. "From their earliest years on the school playground, students learn to use anti-LGB language as the ultimate weapon to degrade their peers. In many cases, schools and teachers either ignore the behavior or don’t know how to intervene."

Learn to accept all sexuality’s, because they just won’t disappear! The next time you hear taunts about being BGL, ask the bully: Why does it matter to you? Or defend the one being taunted and make sure that person is okay. Give your peers the support they need through these difficult and confusing times. Learn to accept, not attack or change. The world has a lot to learn, but it may start with you.



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This article has 19 comments.


Haylatte said...
on May. 3 2015 at 7:56 pm
Haylatte, National City, California
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Breathe. It&#039;s just a bad day, not a bad life.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;There are many people who put you down. Don&#039;t be one of them.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;Panic is what&#039;s gonna kill you if something goes wrong.&quot; -ForeverDreaming.orgg

Or LGBTQIA+ The plus represents all others

Haylatte said...
on May. 3 2015 at 7:55 pm
Haylatte, National City, California
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Breathe. It&#039;s just a bad day, not a bad life.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;There are many people who put you down. Don&#039;t be one of them.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;Panic is what&#039;s gonna kill you if something goes wrong.&quot; -ForeverDreaming.orgg

I agree, though the point the original poster was attempting to make was that we don't choose to be one sexual orientation or the other. We do choose to sin, but we don't choose who we love.

Haylatte said...
on May. 3 2015 at 7:53 pm
Haylatte, National City, California
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Breathe. It&#039;s just a bad day, not a bad life.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;There are many people who put you down. Don&#039;t be one of them.&quot; -Unknown<br /> &quot;Panic is what&#039;s gonna kill you if something goes wrong.&quot; -ForeverDreaming.orgg

@gettera The original poster just may not be educated on identities other than Lesbian, Gay, and Bi. Nowhere in this article did it state that any other sexuality receives more or less torment. They aren't intentionally leaving you out, they just aren't as well informed as you would want to be. As a heteroflexible person, yes, I do wish more people were educated on us who fall under the "plus sign" of LGBTQ+, and it's just our job to help them out! Don't verbally abuse the underknowledged, they had no intent whatsoever to offend you.

gettera said...
on Apr. 8 2012 at 9:24 pm
gettera, Columbus, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If I&#039;m right, I&#039;m a prodigy. If I&#039;m wrong, I&#039;m mad. That&#039;s the way history is written&quot;<br /> ~Artemis Fowl II (Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer)

I agree that discrimination of all kinds is hurtful and stigmatizing, and I won't dispute that children are cruel to one another. I also agree with many of the other comments on here, though: Why only gay, lesbian, and bisexual? Here on the interwebs, I've noticed that gays and bisexuals aren't alone in their hurt. Transsexuals are hurt as well, and by leaving them out, you've stigmatized them-- you've practiced what you've preached against. I myself am panromantic and used to being left out of these things, but really? Trans, questioning, other queers, and perceived non-heteronormatives receive just as much torment as the gays and bisexuals do, if not more. 

on Jan. 16 2012 at 2:28 pm
Bookwizard PLATINUM, Watertown, New York
38 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you love something, let it go. If it comes back it was always yours, if it doesn&#039;t it never was.

i agree with you too

on Nov. 28 2011 at 3:15 pm
JasmineNoelle1 BRONZE, There Is No Need To Know This !!!, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
You never needed to change my darling you just need to have confidence in yourself to be yourself and not change for someone else.

I agree with you

on Jul. 17 2011 at 2:33 am
ZeeBYoung BRONZE, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&#039;t judge a person until you&#039;ve walked a mile in their shoes. That way, you&#039;re a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. :)

I have a question for you. Why are you brainwashed?

on Jun. 27 2011 at 8:50 pm
i got a question for you. why do you brainwash people???

RichardVo said...
on Dec. 19 2010 at 9:28 pm
RichardVo, Phan Thiet, Other
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
To be or not to be

I couldn't agree with you more. Unfortunately, not much people can have those great thoughts and discrimination still exist.

Hollyss SILVER said...
on Dec. 19 2010 at 11:44 am
Hollyss SILVER, Stafford, Virginia
8 articles 0 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Fiction reveals what reality obscures&quot;-Jessamyn West<br /> &quot;You can&#039;t leap a 20-ft chasm in 2 10-ft jumps.&quot;-Anonymous

I'm questioning, but scared to say anything because of what people will think. At school, you hear people gossip "Did you know? So-so's bi!" I don't want to be the person at the other end of the pain. But what can I do if everyone's against me? I like my friend, but there is no way I'd tell her.

on Jul. 29 2010 at 6:58 am
dirinity SILVER, Clayton, North Carolina
9 articles 0 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Certain things catch your eye,<br /> But pursue only those<br /> that capture your heart.<br /> &quot;

it means 2 things.

1. As Fahreekin said, questioning.As in you dont know,but are interested in finding out. Curious if you will.

2. queer, as in gender queer. Transsexual doesnt cover everyone thats essentially left over, ie Asexuals or Androgynous, or people who are "other"


on Jul. 28 2010 at 5:15 pm
fahreekin-crazy BRONZE, Sharon, Massachusetts
1 article 0 photos 15 comments
it means questioning. love this article!

on Jul. 28 2010 at 3:26 pm
Karma_Chameleon SILVER, English, Indiana
8 articles 0 photos 236 comments

Favorite Quote:
To be able to say &quot;I love you&quot; one must first be able to say &quot;I&quot; - Ayn Rand

Hey Mandapanda, quick question - what does the Q stand for?  I've always heard it as just the other acronymns...

Skaii GOLD said...
on Apr. 15 2010 at 10:45 pm
Skaii GOLD, ., Other
10 articles 0 photos 7 comments
I completely agree, but I was wondering why you didn't say anything about transgendered teens, and said BGL instead of LGBT. They go through the same harassment as the rest of the gay community. I don't mean any disrespect, I was asking out of curiosity.

tulk94 said...
on Apr. 15 2010 at 3:14 pm
tulk94, LaSalle, Colorado
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I agree with this.

on Feb. 15 2010 at 2:52 pm
dirinity SILVER, Clayton, North Carolina
9 articles 0 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Certain things catch your eye,<br /> But pursue only those<br /> that capture your heart.<br /> &quot;

I will ask that you use the GLBTQ or LGBTQ or even LGBTQiP acronymns because other wise it limits your audience and thus your supporters. Just a minor detail on an otherwise good article.

on Feb. 4 2010 at 4:46 am
07_mariab BRONZE, Quezon City, Other
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
always think outside the box...?

totally agree.just as what Ijust posted:

Its crazy that somethings are not wrong,bad or forbidden but is not accepted by most people.

on Feb. 3 2010 at 7:38 am
SaraRoxsHerSox SILVER, McVeytown, Pennsylvania
7 articles 0 photos 85 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Brochacho!&quot;

Wow! I completely agree with this article! People shouldn't be discriminated because of who they like.