God is Love…

Sep 19th, 2011 11:31 AM By Wendy

I grew up believing that gay men and women had a choice. That choice was to either accept that men and women were made and meant to be together and that marriage was a sacred bond between a man and a woman or they would be doomed to everlasting damnation.

I didn’t believe that men should have these “feelings of inappropriate love” towards other men and the same with women. I knew that if I could squelch my own personal crushes for boys in High School and Jr. High, that a gay man or woman could and should, do the same.

I trusted what my parents taught me was correct, because I thought true happiness started with a marriage between one man and one woman, in a sacred ceremony. I was so adamant about my stand on gay marriage that I lost touch with close friends who didn’t feel the same way I did.

I didn’t realize I had lost touch with so many friends due to my perspective on the matter. It was not until years later when I ran into an old friend from college who told me the way he felt over my rants in regards to the LGBT community. I was surprised and humbled over his admission and complete candor to my utter disregard to the way he may have felt, we were very good friends in college.
more…

Gay (A Poem)

Sep 07th, 2011 12:11 PM By Willie

There’s something wrong with our way of thinking even as we play
Ignorantly insulting each other as we say
“That’s so gay”
It’s not okay

Because you’re insulting so many people without a single thought
Even without trying, you simply had bought
Into the idea that you weren’t, but you’ve been caught
In a web of discrimination, so saying you’re just playing is all for naught

There are people getting hurt without even a say
Because others hurt them and don’t want them to stay
Violence against them, they don’t ever play
All because they’re gay and others don’t think it’s okay

Think about the ones who’ve been hurt and died
Of the families who’ve screamed and cried
Never told a soul, “I’m okay,” they lied
Gave up on life because there was no place to hide

Be aware of what you’re saying before it’s too late
You might be justifying someone’s hidden hate
Saying it’s alright to deny their rights like Proposition 8
All because of who they love and who they choose to be their mate

Longer than my PARENTS

Aug 18th, 2011 03:23 PM By Teal

So many gay couples have been together longer than my parents!! (and I am NOT young!!) May you be blessed and kept close to the hearts of all who are fortunate enough to know you and to love you. May you walk in the light of dignity and hope and follow your dreams. Let’s all pray for the day that we can all live and let live. We are all children of God. Beyond unfortunate that some can’t practice what they preach… to love one another….

NOT FAIR

Aug 11th, 2011 01:51 PM By Morgan

I’m 15 years old and I live in Roanoke, Virginia. My uncles are gay and my sister is bisexual. So, I am very offended when people make ignorant comments. I have grown up with gay/bi-sexual/transgender/and lesbian people my whole life. They are people just like everyone else, and shouldn’t be treated ANY different. I have been called names for standing up for what I believe in, and if I get my point across, then call me anything you want.

I don’t understand people who dislike them because if you don’t accept them, how do you expect yourself to be treated any different. And as far as hate crimes go, it is COMPLETELY unacceptable to be raped, tortured, beaten, or even killed because of a personal choice that makes them happy. If a straight person was ever treated like that I’m sure matters would be handled differently.

It’s just not fair, people are people no matter what sexual orientation they are and we are ALL created equal. It’s not fair for gay and lesbian couples not being able to get married, I mean straight people do. Come on people open your eyes, we can all make a difference, and fight for equality, I give a damn, why don’t you?

We Can’t Help It

Aug 11th, 2011 01:48 PM By shane

Well, first off my name is Shane I’m gay and I’m 25 years old. My whole life I’ve been bullied just for being who I am. I can’t help I’m this way, it’s the way God made me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They say I’m an abomination and I destroy the sanctity of marriage. But what about them. Just look at the divorce rate among straight people and they say I’m destroying it. In fact one of the amendments says that we are all equal under the law so they have no right to say we aren’t because we are. What I’m trying to say is I give a damn. And we all deserve the same rights as everyone else we can’t help who we love.

Gender Discrimination

Aug 10th, 2011 03:09 PM By Claudia

I am a law school graduate and am frankly puzzled over the discrimination aimed at same sex marriages, but such proscription is clearly unconstitutional.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender; and the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution guarantees equal protection of laws to all people.

If I wanted to marry a man–no problem. There are a variety of ceremonies to choose from and society would give its blessing. If I wanted to marry a woman, however, all doors would be slammed in our faces. Why? Because we are both women. Discrimination on the basis of gender? You bet.

To make an unconstitutional issue more vile, there are dictators in the form of state governors and state legislators who veto measures that the people voted in on properly placed measures on ballots, thus subverting the election process. Government of the people, by the people, for the people?

Being Gay in a Catholic Family

Aug 09th, 2011 09:21 AM By Kenneth

I have always known that I was gay. I remember telling my mother that I thought the next door neighbor was cute. She would always laugh and tell me that I did not know what I was talking about. As I got older I had a girlfriend, or what everyone thought was my girlfriend. My junior year in high school was a really bad year. I started off the year fighting with myself if I was gay or just “thought I was gay”, like I had heard soooo many times before.

I had and uncle that was gay and my dad would always say “Its a damn choice nothing else.” I did not know any better and thought that their was something wrong with me. With this mindset I went into a 6 month depression. Every day got worst, I kept fighting with myself and who I was. Finally after months of depression, and failing grades I was at the end of my rope. Suicide looked really good just to get it over with. I was gonna burn in hell anyway I go, so why not get it over now. Then I stopped and thought, if I kill myself right now, even if god does hate me, I really don’t see MY god hating someone for being who they are.

So first and foremost I would be letting my god down. Second, I love my mom, she has always been their for me so I would be letting her down. I am the oldest of 5 kids what kind of a message would this send to them. That its ok to run away from what you are scared of and what if one of them was LGBT? My friends, teachers, MY FUTURE! I told myself enough is enough. I AM gay and their is nothing wrong with me.
more…

I Give a Damn

Aug 08th, 2011 06:16 PM By Sergio

My name is Sergio, and I am a Mexican-American, 16 year old from California. Having grown up in a not-so-great neighborhood, and my family being middle-class, my whole life I have had to work my butt off for anything I’ve wanted. With college coming quick, it’s something I have to do a whole lot more. But those are things I am incredibly proud of.

However, something I am not proud of is to be a part of a society that seems to run on hate.

Whenever I hear the words “illegal” or “alien” or ” beaner,” I just feel sorry for the amount of ignorance in the world. Whenever I see news headlines of people getting discharged from serving a country they love just because they love the same sex, I feel angry at the level of prejudice in the world. But whenever I am questioned why I support gays or immigrants or anybody “different”, I feel totally motivated to help the world change.
more…

Winged Road

Aug 04th, 2011 11:47 AM By guido

A million miles away from me lives my boyfriend of three and a half years now. I’m talking West Hollywood, Los Angeles. I live in a little village in the Netherlands. We met online, got chatting and moved on to Skype.(All people in long distance relationships love Skype) One day he invited me to come and visit him. I did in August, about 5 months after our first contact online. I got off the plane, went through customs, got my suitcase and wheeled it out into arrivals at LAX, where Tod was waiving like a madman for me to notice him. We hugged, got to the car and during the drive home we held hands and just kind of never let go again.

But we have yet to find a way to get me into America permanently. Gays aren’t allowed to get married and I have no special skills that are worth getting a green card for. I’m not rich and I’m not politically in danger. And unlike in the movies, love doesn’t move mountains when it comes to bureaucracy.

Any way in is only temporary, how am I to say I will be with you forever, when I’m not allowed by law to be with him forever? Does that seem right to you? How do we make love move bureaucracy out of the way?
more…

American Ex-Pat in Sydney, Australia

Aug 04th, 2011 11:38 AM By Elcid

I met my partner in New York when he was on vacation and we hit it off quite well. I moved to Sydney to see if it could work, and three years later we are still madly in love. When it comes to choosing between the love of your life and your country, there really is no competition. We would love to live in the US, but Australia has made life here for us so easy and accessible, every year that goes by we struggle to find any reason to ever go back.

I miss my mom and dad and I wish they could be here when we start to have children, but in the end, they understand why we cannot live in the US. It’s a real shame, and it’s a heart-breaking story that you hear all the time with ex-pats from the US, but it can and will (hopefully) change one day. Until then, I’m eternally grateful that in Australia we count as human beings whose love is worth recognising for immigration purposes.