How far Have Gays and Lesbians Really Come?

The gay and lesbian movement has come a long way from the days when everyone feared others finding out about their dark little secret. Sure there are still too many people who feel the need to hide in their closet all alone but not nearly as many as had to 50 years ago.

Back then men and women felt forced to marry in order to blend in with everyone else. These people were forced to be someone they were not so that they could keep their jobs and not feel threatened every time they walked down the street. Now we have gay clubs, gay pride parades, and whole gay and lesbian rights movements that help to support people when they feel they need it. That said, there is still along way to go before society truly accepts homosexual and lesbian people into the fold.

For example, the army still has their don’t ask, don’t tell policy in place and if one was to admit that they were gay they would be kicked out immediately. This is a practice that only works to show our youth that they are not good enough unless they are heterosexual. Is this really the kind of message that we want to be sending? It is after all 2007, not 1932.

And that is not the only place where gay and lesbian people are not welcome. There are far to many employers who feel that they have the right to fire people who do not share their same so called values. And of course the hot topic of today is gay marriage. Married society still does not want gay and lesbian couples to have the same rights as they do. This leaves them with little recourse in case of accidents, sickness or death as well as all kinds of trouble when it comes to custody of any children that they share. This is cruel and it reeks of the dark ages.

It is high time that we all started looking at each other as equals. We are all human beings, whether we are black, white, Asian, Muslim, gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight as an arrow. Wake up people and put aside these petty differences. See people for who they are not what they are.