Gay Hate Affects Everyone

Today is Blogging for LGBT Families Day. I think it is very significant that the word families is there, and not just “blogging for LGBT” day.

Pro and anti-gay rhetoric alike seem to sometimes forget that members of LGBT communities have families of origin, and often go on to start their own. Every transsexual and homosexual has a family, and the hate directed at them affects their parents, siblings, and children. We need to remember that.

One anti-gay marriage argument is that it will destroy the idea of a family, but what about the families who suffer because of the hate and violence shown towards the LGBT community? Parents have to worry about the safety of their children, sisters worry about whether their brothers can get a job. Don’t you think that Tyler Clementi’s death hurt families more than two men getting married?

Take the more recent example of one ad company that removed safe sex posters featuring a gay couple. The company had received complaints stating that the posters should not be seen by children.

The ads have now been put back up, but this sends a very clear message that homosexual love is vulgar and bad. Now the children who see these posters taken down and the controversy will feel that being gay is wrong, that their parents or cousins or siblings are doing something wrong, or that they themselves are doing something wrong by having homosexual feelings. This kind of confusion can cause more destruction in a family than two women caring about each other.

When we think about LGBT rights, we need to think of the family and friends that are also affected by discrimination. Hate affects everyone, so everyone can benefit from stopping it.

Contact the author here: JennY@morningquickie.com