The Importance Of LGBT History Month
I feel that LGBT History Month is a very important part of the year. Although I'm straight, I can’t help but feel passionately about this time, as I am completely and utterly against homophobia.
The reason I hate homophobia so much, is because when people are bullied, mocked and made to feel guilty about who they love, and made to feel wrong about how they feel, must be one of the most awful things in this world. Every single person on this Earth should be allowed to be who they want to be, express themselves however they wish, be open, and not have to feel guilty about who they care about, and have to hide who they really are.
A boy in my year has come out as bisexual, and has recently started a relationship with another boy. I was extremely happy for him when I found out, but very soon after I also found out that he had uploaded a picture of him and his boyfriend kissing on Facebook (which many a straight couple have done, but nobody complains then do they?). Many people reported it and Facebook took it down. This made me incredibly angry, because I thought that people were finally becoming more tolerant and becoming more accepting to people who come out as homosexual or bisexual. Clearly I was wrong.
On Monday 7th February, I went to the LGBT Youth Conference at City Hall with my school as I am part of the Anti-Homophobia Alliance there. As well as performing in a play, with fellow members of my group we set up an art table where we created two large posters, one positive and one negative to do with homophobia and LGBT people. It was slow to start off with, but eventually people started to come over until we had a crowd of people surrounding the table; writing messages, sticking on words and pictures, and cutting out headlines from newspapers. Once again I felt myself filled with inspiration to match the feeling I had at the Cardiff Mardi Gras 2010. Seeing so many people adding even little things to the posters, made it so much more personal and showed me how people truly care and want to make a difference.
Another part of the day, was a geography lesson workshop (lead splendidly by tommy b and another friend) and learnt a lot about homosexuality around the world. Being gay is illegal in most of Africa, (particularly the North and East), Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, Kuwait, Lebanon, a lot of Western and Southern Asia, and also Malaysia and many other countries around the world. Same sex marriage is illegal throughout most of the Americas and so many other countries. In some places there are even death penalties and life sentences for being gay. This shocked me hugely because I never actually realised that it is that extreme. I learnt a lot that day, and found it fascinating hearing about other people’s experiences and stories.
Even though earlier on I complained about the fact that people aren’t learning, they are really, slowly but surely. I see more and more people coming together to tackle the issue of homophobia, and it makes me feel so happy that more and more people are trying to help.
Organisations Loud and Proud: Cardiff LGBT Youth Provision
Info Family & Relationships What to do if something goes wrong Bullying
Info Family & Relationships Being in a Relationship Same Sex Relationships
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3 Comments – Post a comment
SamuelPatterson
Commented 63 months ago - 14th February 2011 - 11:27am
That is a shame about your friend's picture being taken down. Like yourself, it annoys me that there is so much homophobia in today's society, You'd've thought that the world would've passed that by now. Nice article.
Tyezer
Commented 63 months ago - 15th February 2011 - 15:37pm
I completely agree with you. Homophobia is one of those things that gets me really upset. I feel passionately about LGBT rights, but more than that I feel passionately about equality. It shouldn't matter what you wear, what you like, what sex you fancy, what colour your skin is or what country you come from, we should all be treated equally.
I have always felt that I do treat people equally, although the other day I was saying to my mum how much I hated people who are closed minded and judgmental. She said that if I truly believed in being non-judgmental, I shouldn't judge judgmental people. This is something that I'm going to find hard not to do!
Tom_Bevan
Commented 63 months ago - 27th February 2011 - 13:02pm
Nice one mel!
the month is getting more and more promo every year, its great to see things gradually changing. Long live equality!
oh and tyezer i have the same issues as you - i feel sorry for these poor judgmental folks- what great people they are missing out on knowing!