Open Thesis/Introduction:
Immediately following the after of Tyler Clementi’s suicide, I was inspired to develop a personal reflection that consciously enlightens my audience about their attitudes on men who’s sexual preference is for the same sex. As an openly Black, gay young man living in the more urban setting of Chicago, I noticed a general gap of social awareness and lack of communication between gay men and straight men. This is due to a massive amount of misunderstanding, myths, and confusion about the lifestyle that any openly person lives. I usually try not to interact with many straight men because of the blatantly ignorant and snaky, unintelligent statements that are made, which usually lead ti verbal and sometimes, physical fallouts. However, as a natural peacemaker, I would like to open the eyes of the who are left in the dark about gay identity to exemplify that the gay culture is expanding our desire to be accepted and cement our rightful place in the world. Hopefully, we can all unite together and break this band of hate.
Exploring Homophobia:
As a child, I vaguely recognized that I wasn’t normal: I had a more artistic edge when it came to music and arts and crafts. I was more emotionally expressive and flamboyant than the other kids. And I regularly indulged in what I thought was special about myself as a child---I danced wildly, sang passionately, and loved immensely. I just knew that I was different, I knew that I wanted something so abstract from the life of what my family and friends had---I wasn’t drawn to the commonly or obvious. I just didn’t know what was this something in me called. As I grew up, I became more aware of internal desires. Soon thereafter, I discovered sex, and I learned to brand those specific feelings as sexual. While studying history, science, and religion, I learned that socially, I was a misfit, which, as a result, led to the cruelty, oppression, and the persecution of being “different.” I felt as if there was no place for someone like me in the modern world. Even as the church had only bad things to say about my desires, I continued to struggle with rightfully find my balance. What once made me feel special now caused me to be vulnerable and outcasted because it wasn’t the norm, because other boys and girls weren’t experiencing the same interest as I. My emotions had become guilt-driven and my heart were shattered into many piece because every time I entered a church, I heard the same bitter message against homosexuality. I became shameful, I was translucent…
Spirituality:
As my consciousness became more complex, I became spiritually concerned with my morality and personal behavior. I began to question my worthiness to God within my life. I’ve always considered myself a spiritual person, “spiritual” in the reference of being deeply religious. As I look at the content of religion, I still feel those deep feelings of bitter sweetness that plagued me in my early years. Yet, I remain optimistic that there is love in God for someone like me. I still want to find the meaning in life and feel the presence of God in my experience. However, with all the medieval (backward) Bible clutchers who constantly degrade anything that doesn’t fit into their narrow-minded cesspool, it can be a bit discouraging at times. Ironically, the message of religious reformers like Jesus, was that of love, compassion, mercy and discipline, one that superseded Law and authority. “Love thy neighbor” was the commandment Jesus gave. He never directly mentioned a thing about homosexuality or sex in general for that matter. This Golden Rule would certainly not support the churches campaign (or anyone else who refers themselves as s Christian) against gay rights. To rail against gay people preaching hate, and instilling fear and rejection for self-loathing purposes, only reveals how out of sync people really are with the One Commandment of Love. I believe that God is more than capable of handling or anxieties and judging our flaws without anyone’s help. If you feel as if my heart’s desire is wrong, still embrace me (love the sinner, hate the sin). All you can do is pray for me. Let God be God because He was in control before any human and He will be hereafter out presence has vanished. This is why one must be weary of hypocritical scoundrels who are proactively vicious and violent and participate in such religious discriminatory foolery. In (for the gays who are unguarded), as stated in the Bible, people like that will soon get their comeuppance (Matthew 7:1-6).
The Freedom In Finding Your Identity:
Though the rise of the gay consciousness continues to challenge religion, we must realize there is a deep sensitivity to other people as religiousness is undergoing a necessary transformation coping with modernization. We cannot cling onto old symbols or maintain certain stereotypical myths. Like a story passed down through time, it’s funny how the truth can somehow be lost in the midst of lies. These are, after all just pellucid similes. Gay culture may not have entirely caught up with breaking the assumptions of the invisible stereotype, but even in the struggle, we are contributing to the maturation of the human race by forcing the issue. We feel pain, we laugh, we live, we have faith---and this is true spirituality…defining the source of personal identity and discovering the purpose of the life under the watchful eyes of God. In the end, the experience of embodiment through God is meant for everyone. And no one can take that away from us…
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