Clockwise, from top left: Moscow opposition rally "for the social rights of Muscovites" 2 March 2013, LGBT activists. Queer pride parade held in Delhi in 2010. DC Capital Pride parade June 2013.
By TATYANNA CABRAL
As we go through the years, problems have been solved and new problems have been created, but one of the things that always seems to come up again and again is the issue of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender rights, also known as LGBT rights. This is an issue all over the world, and in some parts of the world this group will not be accepted at all. What have we done as a country to tackle this issue, to be more accepting of others?
Over the years, 17 states have legalized gay marriage; California. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. These however, will not be the last of the states that legalize it.
Here, many changes are in the process of being made, but as for other countries, it seems that no changes are set to be made at all. In countries like Ethiopia and Pakistan, as well as many other countries, there are anti-homosexuality laws.
There is absolutely no reason for the LGBT community to be unaccepted and intolerated. There is nothing wrong with these people; just because their sexual orientation is different from others does not make them a whole new species. In reality, people treat them differently and see them differently people, but they are all human beings who should be treated the same way as everyone else. Why is it that people do not accept that?
In Cameroon, a small Middle African country, people are sentenced to up to five years in jail for homosexual activity. In November 2011, two men were arrested outside of a nightclub because of ‘unusual behavior.’ The way they spoke and talked about wearing women’s clothing had apparently been the key evidence that proved their homosexuality. There could have been a good chance that they were not homosexual, as just because there are some people who assumed they were, does not prove anything.
Even if they are homosexual, why do they have to be bothered? They are not disturbing the peace, they do not get in the way of people. If they don’t bother people, why should people bother them? If they were just left alone, this would never be a problem.
It is also interfering with someone’s personal life. Stars like British diver Tom Daley or YouTube sensation Tre Melvin coming out and saying that they are bisexual seem annoyed to have to address the issue. Tom Daley mentioned in his video in 2013 about coming out that “in an ideal world, [he] wouldn’t be doing this [making a video making this announcement].” Yes, in an ideal world it would not matter to people what your sexual orientation was, so they would not ask. Coming back into the real world, everyone can see that is not the case.
Seeing that this has been going on for years, it is quite difficult to change people’s minds about this whole idea of everyone being treated equally. This idea has been successful before, getting blacks to be treated the same as whites. There is hope that, one day, things will change. In fact, in May 2013, France became the ninth European country to legalise same-sex marriage. Progress is slowly being made, but it at least is making a difference.
Overall, it should not matter what your sexual orientation is; one day that will be the case all over the world. People should be accepted for who they are, and that alone. Most importantly, love is love; it should not matter as long as it makes people happy.
