Exploratory Essay

Since I was at the age where I could understand what love truly was, I have always been very forwarding with the fact love should be with anyone you feel that way for. Gender, skin color, weight, body type, and so much more should not affect who anyone can or wants to be with. Growing up I was not raised to believe gay equalities were either wrong or right. It was not until I reached the age where I could understand and really view that love is love. In middle school, I came to realize that a few of my friends had been picked on for stating they either liked the same sex or thought of liking the same sex. On VH1, a music channel on television, there once was a show called “Tila Tequila” and in this show it was based on a young woman who was bisexual. Tila was on this show to find love, which did not technically mean a man or woman. Love was who she found was the person who was there for her, would do anything for her, and who would not be afraid to show that. Gender was not a deciding factor on who Tila wanted to be with, it was her heart those this person and not what society told her. My best-friend is also a bisexual woman and in a time where gay equality was not fond upon, she struggled to come out with herself. When she had done so, a lot of people were with her. She is proud of who she is and would not ever think of changing herself for anyone besides her for their own benefit. In 2013 not only are interracial couples allowed to be together, family members can marry one another, and bestiality is legal but the LGBT community is not allowed to have these same rights. Is it not wrong that two people can not love one as a man and a woman love each other? So I ask this; why should being with someone of the same gender be a rising controversial issue in our country? Why is it so wrong to want to love someone who is no different than yourself only the same gender? For those who do not know the LGBT community, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, are the human beings who are what our society calls “gay”. A “lesbian” is a female who is also into females or who is willing to be with a female if that is what she feels is right. “Gay” is what, sadly, our society sees men that also seek relationships with other men. “Bisexual” is a person who seeks relationships with both genders, while a “transgender” is a person who feels as if they were born to be the opposite gender. Back before the issue of same- sex marriage was around, the word “gay” did not describe someone's life style. Gay meant happy, but now most struggling gay members of society are nothing but happy. The fact that in this time of changes that a member of the LGBT community can not be happy with who they are, what they do, and who they love is very disturbing. No one should have to hide who in their soul feels that they should be, even if that includes wanting to be with the same gender. In trying to find research that favors my opinion of equality, I came across an intriguing book. “Same Sex Marriage: Pro and Cons” written by Andrew Sullivan. In this novel, Sullivan explains not only the pros and cons of legalizing same -sex marriage, but also the background and orientation of marriage all together. Sullivan quotes Plato's Symposium, “Notice how same-sex love is put on the same plan as opposite-sex love, but also how marriage is not identified with it.” This quote explains how love to one man and another man is the same as a man and a woman's love, but without the ability to hold hand in marriage. By Sullivan quoting Plato, he is showing that not only are same-sex couples in this day in age are not able to marry but so were the same brand of couples unable to do so in past; centuries ago. It is not only breathtaking that between centuries and centuries of love, two people of the same gender are still unable to marry but it is distasteful. This article has helped me realize that this is not a new controversy, but a reoccurring one. You see two ladies or a man kissing on a social media website and it’s a huge public matter. In my opinion, two people who like each other should be able to kiss or be in a relationship without it being a deal. Let love be love and leave it alone. I find it very unsettling that in 2013 it is unacceptable for two people of the same gender to be criticized for the way they live their life. There are thousands of men and woman in this world struggling to come out and say who they really are; gay. The fact that in America people cannot do what they want, with who they want, without someone judging them is very disturbing. I support equality for both men and woman, even if I stand alone. In a world where celebrities can perform private matters in public, drugs can be taken without any enforcement, or teenagers can walk the streets without parental control, saying “I do” to the person you love should be legal. No, I am not a member of this community but that does not mean anyone who is not can not support the right to let love be love. Fight for equality, after all how would you feel if you could not hold hands in marriage with the person you love?