this was a paper that i wrote for a final for a high school class and i got an A on it so for all the people that dont see what gay people go through here read this.

The reason I am writhing this paper is because gays have been fighting for there rights since1924. That has been a long time there has been a lot of things that the government has done good and bad. In 1962 Illinois became the first state in the United States to decriminalize homosexually acts between consenting adults in private. Also in 1969 the stonewall riots transform the gay rights movement from one limited to a small number of activists in to a widespread protest for equal rights and acceptance people of a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich village the stonewall inn they fought back and that causes a three day riot.

Before 1973 they thought being gay was a mental disorder according to the American psychiatric association. In 1982 Wisconsin became the first state to not judge on there sexual orientation. On the year I was born the military came up with the “don’t ask don’t tell “policy. That permitted gays to serve in the military but banning homosexual activity. President Clinton’s original intention to revoke the prohibition against gays in the military, which has led to the discharge of thousands of men and women in the armed forces. I think this is not right we as women and gays have tried to get equal rights.

In the constitution in states that “we the people of the united states” that means gays, women, blacks, Jews, anyone. Why do people treat gays, women, blacks, Jews differently? With the constitution in 1964 there was a riot because they were protesting and the cops had violated the 1st amendment. In 1962 they had violated the 14th amendment, that states the “no state shall make or enforce any laws which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States: nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property.” I feel that they are not giving them a life that they want. The government is telling them they can not get married and can not have kids and that is a life that every one wants.

In 2000 Vermont became the first state in the United States that legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. The law states that these “couples would be entitled to the same benefits, privileges, and responsibilities as spouses.” It stops short of referring to same-sex unions as marriage, which the state defines as heterosexual. From this point on there is a different view about gays from the government.

One of the biggest court cases was in November 2003 in Massachusetts supreme judicial court ruled that barring gays and lesbians from marring violates the state constitution. The Massachusetts chief justice concluded that to “deny the protections, benefits, and obligations conferred by civil marriages” to gay couples was unconstitutional because it denied “the dignity and equality of all individuals” and that made them second-class citizens.” This is very true that the constitution states “sepert but equal.” The thing is that gays are not sepert but equal so that is unconstitutional.

After that three states legalized same-sex marriages or civil unions. In 2007 the House of Representatives approved a bill ensuring equal rights in the work place for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. President Obama had signed a referendum allowing the same-sex partners federal employees to receive benefits but will not let them get full health coverage. This is Obama’s first major initiative in his campaign promise to improve gay rights.

Now as a teen that is growing up now it is hard. You get picked on in school you are called names like d*** and if you are bisexual you are called a s*** and a w**** because you do not know what you want from a gays point of view. It sucks that no one thinks it is real that you can be gay and happy. When to gay people walk down the road all they guys this is oh that is hot they only think of the sexual part of it they do not see what we go through everyday. The harassment that we have to deal with, the bulling. Being gay is not easy it is very emotional and physical pain.

A group of friends of mine were at lunch and some seniors had yelled “hay d***s.” How do you think that makes us feel? That hurts a lot like we are no good, like there is nothing good on the world, that there is no point to living. When they laugh at us or walk past and say awww threesome just because we are gay dose not make us s***s, or d***s, or w****s and it is not fair. When you grow up on a street that hates you because you are gay then you will no what is it like to be gay and hated.

We are discriminated by three ways physically, emotionally, mentally. Physically because people want to beat you up because the way you are. Mentally because of the name calling and jokes and comments. Emotionally you are slipping into a depression because you think that you are no good and you are worthless?

When I was looking up information I found this survey and the results were shocking to me that all the gay teens that were under the age of 13 they had showed 19 things that gay teens got in to before the age of 13. 59% used tobacco, 50% said the have done high risk behaviors. 68% have been I a fight, 32.7% have a weapon(s), 27% have engaged in sexual behaviors. A shocking 59% have had alcohol before the age of 13. 37% have tried weed and 17% have tried cocaine. 40% do not have a safe school and 50% runaway. Shockingly 70% have good feelings and 75% have done something with there life wow that is a lot of people good for them. 30% have tried suicide, 27% have broken homes. 61% have had sexual molestation. 85% have used illegal drugs. 51% have had illegal activity and 29% have done prostitution. 36.6% have gender conflicts. When I first read this I was shocked I could not believe that the numbers were this high. The reason that I think the number are this high is because of the fact that gays are looked down upon and that people think it is ok to bully the odd ones out.

One of the things that bugs me is people try to tell me it is a choice and its not a choice. It is something that you are born with and you can notice it at any time. But no one just wakes up one morning and says today I think I am going to be gay that just not how it works at all. People do not realize that when you are told it is a choice they don’t realize that no one wants to live like this it is not they way you want to live and we live in a world that looks down upon gays so being gay now is like being a Jew when Hitler wanted them dead. Many people think it is a choice and gays say it is not it is like when you are born you can not say oh I want to be white you can not decide that or I want my hair to be black that is not how it works.

I am glad I live where I live because in some places they are real mean to gay people. Like in Africa, even death can not stop violence against gays. Madieye’s body was only in the ground a few hours before an angry mob came and dug up the body and spit on the body and took it to the parent’s house. How would you like to see your son lying on your front stairs dead only because he was gay? It that right for parents to have to see there son laying there after they had laid him to rest? Then the people that did it were not done yet they recorded what they had done and sent it to every phone so then they had all the gay in hiding. One person had locked himself in his room for days because he did not want that to happen to him and have to have his parents see him dead on there front porch that is not fair. We are all human no one derives that at all.

Homosexuality is already illegal in at least 37 countries. In the past year alone gay men have been arrested in Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. In Uranda lawmakers are considering a bill that would sentence homosexuals to life in prison and include capital punishment for the “repeat offenders.” In the past two years at least four men suspected of being gay have been exhumed by angry mobs in cemeteries in Senegal. If you were poor it is because there are prostitutes in the street. If they do not have enough to eat it was because you were a homosexual. The Muslims thought that if two men were seen together they were thrown off if they did not die rocks were thrown at them till they died.

One thing that I have learned is when you come out everyone puts you down I look at them and said you have a problem with me I do not care so stop trying and no one bugs me anymore. Find support a friend, teacher, anyone that will help. Just don’t car what people think about you. It is what you think about yourself that counts. Hold your head up high and they will stop. I had someone want to beat me up and I said that I did not care I did not have time for there drama and for them not like me and she left me alone from there on out. So stand up for your self and we as gays will look differently. We will look stronger and not picked on in school. This is my paper on gay rights and now you no how I feel.