Blog #5

In today's society, sexuality has been the talk all over the place; some circumstances being good, such as legalizing gay marriage in certain states, but also some being bad like discriminating against the gay community. For myself, I knew the good and bad that was brought upon the LGBT+ community but I did not know the severity. Before I attended the event Loyola held, Sexuality and Justice Panel, I did not understand the everyday struggles. Everyone who has any type of social media constantly sees videos of people expressing their sexuality to their friends or family. As I would view these I would think "Good for that person I know it must have been hard" however, I did not know how hard. The amount of courage and bravery the LGBT+ community has to build up to express their feeling, whether it is through a video, parade, riot, or whatever the case maybe is unacceptable. They should not have to build up bravery to tell their parents, friends or family who they are; that is where our society is wrong. After reading Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and attending the Sexuality and Justice panel Loyola offered, I was able to comprehend the seriousness of sexuality and the hardships the LGBT+ community endures. 

While I was at the event Sexuality and Justice, a small handful of speakers told their story and experiences of liking their same gender. But two girls caught my ears more than the others. The first girl talked about being pansexual, which is being attracted to both men and female genders. She told us how it was hard for her family to accept the idea of her being pansexual. Her parents did not love her any more or less, but being from such a religious background it was hard for them to grasp the reality. I felt extreme sympathy for her when she told us her family was not too fond of her sexuality. I know they don't need to be screaming in excitement but the fact that she knew they were not total fans of the LGBT+ community is saddening. She should have felt immediate support from her family but living in a society where such sexuality is often looked past or frowned upon is very wrong. As that girl spoke more through her personal experiences within her family, the second girl spoke more through the LGBT+ community as a whole and the stereotypes they deal with. She told us that she feels unaccepted and an outcast because she is gay. She is often nervous to tell people and new friends she is gay because she is nervous about their reaction. She said not all people look down on her but there is that handful who do and it is very sad. However, through all the unequal treatment, they both explained how times are slowly changing. 

Relating the speakers I heard from to the first and second acts of the Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, he writes similar stereotype that was occurring even that long ago. A character named Viola, who is gay, disguises herself as a man and pretends to be Cesario because she has feelings for a woman named Olivia. Viola does this because during this time same sex relationships were frowned upon. However, through the disguise, Olivia begins to fall for "Cesario" until finally the secrete is revealed. Olivia is shocked at the fact that she fell for a woman. Olivia degrades the love she felt because it was unacceptable during this time. The idea William Shakespeare was alluding to is Olivia had no problem falling in love with someone until she realized it was a girl, and it was considered wrong. People need to look past sexuality and accept each other for who they are. 

Listening to the speakers at Sexuality and Justice panel, and reading the first two acts of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, I was able to see a different side of sexuality more clearly. People should be accepted for who they are as a person not what sex they are attracted to. It is a shame people apart of the  LGBT+ community feel the way they do because the society has portrayed it a bad thing for hundreds of years. Thankfully, we are seeing changes and sooner or later, hopefully, no one will have to feel embarrassed or different for being gay. The discrimination of  LGBT+ community needs to come to a halt. Calling someone a fag, queer, or gay in a negative connotation is inexcusable and our society should be the one's embarrassed that it is socially unacceptable to call someone gay. Through all the parades and riots one thing is for sure and that is those who are gay, have the freedom to be and should not feel as if its a bad thing. There should not be  a two way road when someones expresses their sexuality. Gay or straight, white or black, or man or woman everyone should be accepted as who they. Change is happening and through that idea alone should bring joy to those who are involved with the LGBT+ community.