All Nonfiction
- Bullying
- Books
- Academic
- Author Interviews
- Celebrity interviews
- College Articles
- College Essays
- Educator of the Year
- Heroes
- Interviews
- Memoir
- Personal Experience
- Sports
- Travel & Culture
All Opinions
- Bullying
- Current Events / Politics
- Discrimination
- Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
- Entertainment / Celebrities
- Environment
- Love / Relationships
- Movies / Music / TV
- Pop Culture / Trends
- School / College
- Social Issues / Civics
- Spirituality / Religion
- Sports / Hobbies
All Hot Topics
- Bullying
- Community Service
- Environment
- Health
- Letters to the Editor
- Pride & Prejudice
- What Matters
- Back
Summer Guide
- Program Links
- Program Reviews
- Back
College Guide
- College Links
- College Reviews
- College Essays
- College Articles
- Back
Bi/Gay/Lesbian Acceptance
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
Cache-Control: max-age=0
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.
Similar Articles
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 19 comments.
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"
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments
Favorite Quote:
"Breathe. It's just a bad day, not a bad life." -Unknown<br /> "There are many people who put you down. Don't be one of them." -Unknown<br /> "Panic is what's gonna kill you if something goes wrong." -ForeverDreaming.orgg