We had became best friends and to this day we still are, but I noticed during the beginning of our friendship, people began questioning me and asking me if I was a lesbian simply because we hung out and she would spend the night over my house. This situation really became real to me when I began to get teased for being a lesbian only because I was friends with someone who was. Also, my family began questioning me. I had to explain to many people that just because my best friend is a lesbian does not mean that I am one. Just like my aunt being a lesbian, when I see her, I do not see her as "Auntie Robin the lesbian", but I just see her as my aunt, and the same thing with my best friend, she was not "Rachel the lesbian", but simply Rachel.
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I have noticed that over the years the LGBTQ community has been more accepted, and there are more Safe Spaces for them, but there are still many areas and topics and things are being tip-toed around when it comes to the LGBTQ community and there are still those people who are homophobic and refuse to talk about sexuality out side of heterosexuals. The LGBTQ community needs their justice and they deserve the same rights as everyone else. Do we all have to agree with it, no, like August said, "It is important to note that we are not arguing for an explicit discussion of sex....But just as recognition...." We are the first step to changing the schools, the communities, and the ideas of the LGBTQ community in our youth, lets make the change.
After I read your post, I was really inspired. Believe it or not, I do have quite a few gays and lesbians in my family. But like you said, I don't look at them any differently. They are still my family. But I can just imagine that it must have been different with a best friend. Like you said, you were part of the "norm". You are heterosexual and you still got bullied just for being friends with someone who was lesbian. I'm assuming that a majority of this bullying happened while at school. Alicia wrote in her blog that students should feel the safest at school and unfortunately this is where most of the discrimination happens. I think your right when you said that over the years LGBT has become more accepted, but I still to this day don't think that it is fully one hundred percent accepted in society.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you did not give it to teasing and stop being friends with her. It is sad that even your family would question you being that you have a gay family member. I think over all students today are more accepting of LGBT people then most adults are although there is room fore improvement. The fact that you refused to give up a friend may give other kids the strength to come to the their friends or help others to stand with friends who have come out. More people need to be like that!!!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the video that you posted. I think it is interesting to see it from a young child’s point of view. A family can be made up of all types of people, as long as you are taken care of and that your family loves you, nothing else matters. I am a dancer, and I have been dancing since I was two, so the people at my dance studio are also part of my family. I have been with most of the girls in my class since we were five and six. So we are very close.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read your reflection and then the comments I agree with all of you, and what you think about LGBT's. I think that the bullying it comes with needs to stop though we all know it never will in this present day society. Though, I do feel more people are accepting of LGBT"s then they have been in past generations. And to continue to make everything a step better these subjects need to be addressed in school starting at a younger age, therefore bullying and teasing can be prevented.
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