The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Unites States Constitution officially abolished slavery and recognized African-Americans as American citizens. The Fifteenth gave them the right to vote. In 1918, Congress officially acknowledged women’s right to equal suffrage. In the Declaration of Independence, it says clearly that “all men are created equal.” So, why is it then that this apparent statement of civil liberties need not apply to a man that finds himself loving another man?

All of our lives, we are taught that it is wrong to discriminate on the basis of race or gender. It is not common for people to mention anything about sexual orientation. In fact, it is not uncommon for people to grow up believing that homosexuality is wrong and that it is okay to discriminate against people of this orientation. It is mentors, like parents, family, even teachers and pastors that still, in this modern day and age, inculcate these views on their children and pupils. In reality, the principle of discrimination is an abomination to the nature of all mankind.

It is a simple fact that discrimination against the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community stems from religious fanaticism. Some could say that there is scientific evidence supporting the argument that homosexuality is wrong, but this is not the main bias taken by people who disapprove of untraditional sexual orientation. It is wrong that our government can allow these biases to decide the fate of an entire culture. How can it be fair that the beliefs of one group of people affect the very existence of another? The idea of marriage being defined as being between a man and a woman is an absurd notion. It is not the place of the government to decide who a person can and cannot choose to spend the rest of their lives with.

Not only are homosexuals persecuted politically, but even more so socially. In current events, bullying has been an epidemic that has swept the nation quite rapidly. Gays especially are subject to a severely higher amount of ostracizing in their school or community than most other groups. It is possible that the typical teen has been conditioned throughout their lives not to discriminate on this basis, but other potentially dangerous children choose to seek out those that they have been taught to hate and try to destroy their whole lives. Even teens that do not outwardly have a problem with gays or lesbians have been trained subconsciously to believe it is wrong. The word ‘gay’ is used on a daily basis by tens of thousands of young adults as a derogatory adjective. It is not a big deal for friends to playfully call each other ‘fags,’ but I guarantee that it is a big deal to those children and teens that are bullied and victimized because of their sexual orientation every day. In the single month of September 2010, six gay teens committed suicide because of continual harassment. If this is not a wakeup call, I’m not sure what is.

I feel it is crucial that people everywhere starting asking ‘why?’ Why is it wrong for a woman to love and want to spend the rest of her natural life with another woman? Why is it the business of anyone besides the persons saying these vows? Why does our government let the voices of one culture outweigh those of another? Why does society still condone discrimination and harassment of a people that are absolutely no threat to our country or our way of life? Why do we live in a country where people boast diversity, but do not practice what they preach? Not one person in this world can answer these questions logically. That is why it is my firm belief that homosexuality has an important place in our culture and that enlightenment cannot be reached until the idea of discrimination is completely annihilated from our society.