buhbino.

Homosexual intercourse was decriminalized after years of discussing it in court. There were people who argued that it went against God and it was considered unnatural and was a criminal offence. Now even though it isn’t a crime, people still consider it ‘wrong’. Thousands of teens like me have to hide their sexuality to stay safe. My parent’s generation never knew what the word gay meant until they were taught it was wrong. As a child, the words gay or lesbian were treated like slurs. They were avoided for so long. I never knew what it meant. When I grew up, people told me that marrying someone of the same gender was a sin. Poor trans people on the street who begged for just a little food were called evil. They were tormented with slurs and we were told they were dangerous. Without the internet, I never would’ve learned the truth. It’s pride month and I have to hide my smiles and erase all the celebratory posts on my screen when someone enters my room. When kids come up to me and ask me something about gender and sexuality, I explain it to them. I have to teach them what their parents didn’t. I have to sit by and listen as every single adult in my life says so many terrible things about my sexuality and I have to sit there and listen. If I disagree, I get shut down. If I fight, they ask me if I’m gay. If I talk about pride at school, my teachers shuffle uncomfortably, some even tell me I’m wrong. So no I don’t really care that it’s decriminalized. I was surprised to find out it was criminal in the first place. And whether or not gay marriage is legal isn’t what is important to me. We need to be accepted. How many out and proud kids have been bullied, tortured, and killed? How many have committed suicide? How many have stayed hidden in fear? How many feel like something is wrong with them because they never had a word for it?

“Is that normal??”