"...I discovered that I could take a risk and survive. I could march in Philadelphia. I could go out in the street and be gay even in a dress or a skirt without getting shot. Each victory gave me courage for the next one." (Martha Shelley)
In 2005 the UK established "civil partnerships" of gay couples.This may have been an improvement to some but that doesn't mean the discrimination has stopped. I believe everyone should lend a hand in the fight discrimination towards gay people. When discrimination is stopped there will be less violence and less amount of teens dying due to suicide. Small things can go a long way. If we only excepted each other for who we are then discrimination would not be a problem.
One story that shows the violence that not excepting each other brings is about an 30 year old man in New York. The man was invited to a party, or so he thought. Once inside he realized it wasn't a party but a night full of pain and misery for him. Nine teens and young adults tortured him by burning his private places with a cigarette and whipped him with a chain. This was just because the man was gay. I don't think this is fair. He is a still human. He deserves to be treated the same as everyone else. If discrimination stops then we wont have problems like this.
Being tortured physically is one thing but being mentally tortured and being driven to commit suicide is another problem. Jamey Rodemeyer is a teen that has been through this. Jamey was an open about the fact that he was gay. He wasn't ashamed of it and didn't hide it either. This led to him being bullied through middle school. He had a blog and bullies constantly posted telling Jamey to die because the world would be better without him. 'JAMIE IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND UGLY. HE MUST DIE!'
'I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!' Soon he couldn't take the torture anymore and gave his life up. I think the bullies are as good as murderers because they are what cause Jamie's death. If they had excepted the fact that he was gay then he would still be on this world with his friends and family.
Marriage is something that brings two lovers together for as long as they live. Even if you are gay you should have the right to marry. One country that has accepted gay marriages is the UK. Around 15,000 marriages were scheduled nine months after the law was passed. The only problem would be the fact that they haven't called it marriage but "civil partnership." I think it is wrong to call it "civil partnership" but it is a step forward because now gay couples have the right to be together and love one another. I think everyone should follow the example UK and other places like New York, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway and many more, have set.
Discrimination is something that has to stop. It is a flaw that is creating murderers out of people. Teens and adults are physically and mentally torturing gays. It has to stop. We have to be able to look at gays the way we look at are friends and family. We need to be able to accept who they are and respect them. They shouldn't be treated as if they are inhumane monsters. The end of discrimination begins with everyday people accepting gays.
