After victories for gay marriage by Supreme Court, hopefully more people will treat them equally
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| AP Photo |
For those people who decide to keep this significant part of themselves a secret, it's particularly stressful. Could you imagine having to hide who you're attracted to and who you love from the world? Could you imagine having this constant fear of being rejected by the people you care about -- even your parents. That would make me depressed too.
One of my best friends is a lesbian and, when she came out to her family and friends, I saw a significant change in her. Throughout high school and the beginning of college, I could tell that she was depressed. I tried to be there for her. But I never knew what was going on in her life. That was until she told me the truth. And it was as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders. And, suddenly, she was happier and more confident than I had ever seen her.
On top of that is also the fear of actually being harassed.
In a national study by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network, researchers found that 90 percent of homosexual students reported being harassed or assaulted during the past year, compared to 62 percent of heterosexual teens.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court declared that gay couples married in states where it is legal must receive the same federal health, tax, Social Security and other benefits that straight couples receive.
As steps are taken to make the gay community equal in the eyes of the government, I'm hoping, more and more, they will be accepted in everyday life as well. And I hope this will also make the rates of depression and suicide among them decrease as well.
No one should be may to feel less than others.
1 comments
It's actually a shame that the govt has to even be involved with whom one loves and wants to marry. There is such inequality among our supposedly "united" states that it is almost laughable if it weren't so sad in reality. I believe one is born gay/lesbian and it is not a choice. Who the hell would choose to be in a minority where one is hated, and abused and traumatized esp in adolescent years. Those oh so precious years of development of one's self esteem and self worth. It doesn't surprise me that teen commit or attempt suicide during those years over the bullying they go through. Their psyche is so fragile it can only take so much abuse in some young people (and even gay adults) whereby they see the only alternative to life is death by their own hands. And that is a tragedy. By at least making marriage legal in all 50 states it sends out the message that our government is acknowledging that being gay is not a horror show. That it is a perfectly acceptable alternative lifestyle for those born this way. Breaking the stigma will have a trickle down effect I believe. Naturally there will always be haters. We still have KKK, and pro Nazi people even after all these years. We will never will get rid of gay bashing or those against gay marriage but by making it legal it can at least eventually become so mainstream that it does become acceptable by the masses: like the woman's right to vote, we have a black president, we have people of all colors and nationalities in positions of great power like CEOs and Corporate Executives - a once exclusively white man's domain. I just would like to see our nation become unified on this issue instead of being speckled Stately with the approval of gay marriages.
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