Coming Out.

To begin this long list of things that I hate I will start with something incredibly personal to me.

Coming Out.

First of all, I hate that this even exists. I hate that our society has placed someone inside of a box that they must come out of. At no point does anyone who classifies as heterosexual feel forced to 'come out' to anyone. In my 17 years NO ONE has been surprised when I have a crush on a male. Yet for me to go on a date with a female? HA! Every head would be turning. 

They have. 

For some reason, society feels the need to commentate. Instead of just letting me do as I please friends begin to 'worry' about me? What the hell for? Of course homophobia is bred so strongly in the Bible Belt. I have so many friends afraid to be who they are because they will be bullied, looked down on, or even disowned. 

For me, being who I am was a journey. A terrifying journey. There have been points in my life where I have had either zero friends or just plain fake friends. I have been depressed and suicidal. Yet none of that compares to the shame I felt when I understood that I wasn't heterosexual. I was raised in a Christian family and was always taught that girls ONLY liked boys. It took me years before I could admit anything else to myself. It wasn't until Freshman year that I decided to embrace it, and the process was incredibly slow moving. The point is I was ashamed to be who I was born as. 

Believe it or not this is happening to so many people. Why do we teach our kids a textbook answer of who they should love? Parents - would you rather your kids be happy and in love or in a relationship strictly for appearance and to please you? If the answer is the latter than you have NO business having a child. If you cannot love the child that you have raised because of their sexuality or gender identification than you do not deserve someone so wonderful in your life.

NOW, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POINT:

Coming out is dumb. Coming out is like you explaining yourself to society and you owe no one an explanation. Focus on being who you are and loving who you want. Don't focus on how society will react. 

The point of the 'Equal Rights' Movement isn't just to gain political rights. It's to gain social ones as well. Until a gay child and straight child can sit through a class together without someone cringing at the other's sexuality than we have not achieved equality. Either we all explain our sexuality or none of us do. If you like someone than be with them. If you're afraid of losing someone in your life than they were never there to stay. 

Yes, somethings just suck. Not being a white, heterosexual, male sucks. Even that can suck pretty badly. But I promise you that nothing will get any better until you embrace who you are and realize that you don't need to explain that to ANYONE. 

Peace out,

-Lindsay