By Emily McGuire
Homophobia is bullying and beating kids for their sexuality. Homophobia is crying alone in your room because you could never come out to your family. Homophobia is deep-rooted, internalized hatred. Homophobia is the worst thing in many people’s daily lives.
Homophobia, like all other phobias, is rooted in an irrational fear. The irrational fear is of people who love or show romantic interest in those of the same gender. Homophobia is something that affects many people worldwide, including me. There are laws in place in 73 countries making it illegal to be with someone of the same sex romantically, even in private. Despite this, even more people around the globe show their pride in being LGBTQ+ every single day.
Being straight is like an invisible safety net that the LGBTQ+ community does not have the privilege of wearing. LGBTQ+ people face many inequities in terms of money, legal protections, job opportunities, adoption options, and much more. In “Marriage is Marriage” from Ms. Magazine, author Sarah Boonin notes that “DOMA made more than 1,000 federal laws referencing marriage become inapplicable to us.” DOMA is an acronym for the Defense of Marriage Act. This act meant that same-sex couples could not get married because marriage was supposed to be “between one man and one woman.” It had originally barred marriages of same-sex couples at the state level, but was overturned by United States v. Windsor. The bill lost even more power with the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, saying that same-sex marriage was a constitutional right, thus legalizing gay marriage across the country.
Even though same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015 for citizens of the United States, there are still many homophobic and judgmental people who try to ruin people’s lives because of their sexual orientation. “Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism” by Suzanne Pharr tells an eye-opening tale of the dangers of being openly queer in the modern world. When talking about homophobia, Pharr states that “its power is great enough to keep ten to twenty percent of the population living lives of fear (if their sexuality is hidden) or lives of danger (if their identity is visible) or both.” People can face the loss of their jobs, “heterosexual privilege and protection,” safety, credibility, and so much more just because they are (or are thought to be) LGBTQ+. Though it is a protected category, and sexual orientation cannot be asked at a job interview, some employers look for any visible signs of “gayness” and make-up reasons why person wasn’t hired or why they get fired if they were already employed.
Same-sex marriage is legal in the US. LGBTQ+ peoples are considered a protected class. Life is still hard for people who identify (openly or closeted) as LGBTQ+. There are still laws in place in 43 states in the United States where murder of gay people is allowed and defended in courts of law (it’s called the Gay and Trans Panic Defense). Only six states currently don’t allow this defense, and one state is repealing this defense in June. There are still attacks on people who are gay (or thought to be) and places where gay people hang out (bars, clubs). The hatred of gays is passed from generation to generation and many times gets worse. Like racism, there is no reason behind the hatred other than fear. But this fear costs people their jobs, their homes, their children, and too often their lives.
Despite this, everyday people celebrate their own pride in themselves and others like them. People who are starting to accept themselves and their sexuality and/or gender, people who are helping others who have been kicked out by homophobic family members or roommates, people who are starting to transition to their true gender, people who are fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ folks, and people who are making the legal changes to ensure we get treated equally. We are all equal, and homophobes must realize it. There is nothing wrong with loving someone of the same gender. There is nothing wrong with presenting as a gender other than what you were assigned at birth. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to have a gender. There is nothing wrong with not being sexually attracted to anyone. There is nothing wrong with being attracted to anyone despite their gender. There is nothing wrong with being LGBTQ+.
There is nothing wrong with being me.
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