Human Rights

I know that I said this blog was going to be about music and retail, but I really feel the need to talk about something else that really gets me riled up.

Homosexuality.

I read an article, posted by a friend of mine, before going to work this morning. It was about 9 guys in New York sodomizing and beating (with CHAINS) three homosexual men. 2 were 17 years-old and one was 30.

This brought me so much sadness. I feel like lately, the gay community has really been in the news lately. And I'm almost glad. I say almost because it's all been terrible. But at least we're acknowledging that this community exists and that these events are now happening. It's opening people's eyes!!

Living in San Francisco for the last 5 years, I sometimes forget that being gay just isn't as accepted everywhere else like it is here. In SF, no one really gives a crap if you're gay. For a while at my job, I felt like I was one of the only straight people!! (Although it was entertaining to compare types when a cute guy would wander in). To me, I see gay rights as just as important and on an equal level as women's rights and racial rights. As it should be.

Denying a gay person the right to legally love who they love, IS WRONG.

That's what we're argueing here, love. Who am I to say who thousands and thousands of people should love? Some argue that if we allow this, people can marry whoever and whatever they want. Um.. can a sheep sign a marriage certificate? No, I don't think so. No matter what, even if you do not give these people their HUMAN FREEDOM, HOMOSEXUALITY IS STILL GOING TO EXIST!! You aren't going to get rid of it! If anything, it's becoming a larger and larger community!!

I just can not see how people are so against this...

When Prop 8 was a huge deal in California, I made sure that I was going to be able to vote (I voted No, obviously). And the day I found out it passed, I came home and looked at my roommate (who was gay (this is an old roommate, not current)). He is one of my best friends and because of a large group of religious zealots (and other groups as well, I just know this was a large one), he is not seen as equal to me. He is a white male. He is a college graduate and very talented. If you stood him next to a bunch of random people, he would not stick out as obviously different (well... he did do drag a few times....). But because of his sexual preference, WHICH IS NO BODY'S BUSINESS BUT HIS OWN, he can not marry the man that he would want to spend the rest of his life with. I felt so angry and upset for him.

We have the right to not disclose any sexual information to anyone. We are allowed our privacy. Why not these people?

The religious aspect.

I understand that there are people who consider themselves religious, that firmly believe that if you do not believe in the Bible, Christianity and Jesus, you really WILL go to a firey hell for all eternity. I understand that these people feel the need to prevent this from happening. They see it as helping people, not converting. They are genuinely concerned that if you do not live the Christian life, you will burn in hell. And this is okay. That is THEIR HUMAN RIGHT to believe that. And in some ways (and some people are just freaking ignorant, intolerant, and close-minded) they are trying to prevent other people from burning. I understand this.

But I still think that homosexuals have the right to love who they love. You can still try to convert them to heterosexuality, that is your right. You have the right to believe in what you believe, so why shouldn't they get the same?

It is not a choice. It is something you know about yourself. Just the same as a heterosexual knows that they like the opposite sex. It's. The. Same. Thing. We are just conditioned to think that one is right and one is wrong.

As a woman, I am given rights. As a homosexual, they should be given their rights.

It doesn't affect me personally, other than I will get invited to more weddings.

Love is love. In whatever form it takes. I do not think we have the right to take it away from others.

Okay, and breathe.

~B