A/N Hi guys! Obviously this isn't another preference and it is in fact another little rant (maybe I should just creat a rant book? Would you guys read that?? Idk, let me know) I promise I will try to get another preference done soon I have 5 exams left, I am stressed, exhausted and emotionally drained (let's face it I'm failing everything). It's a lot quicker and easier for me to do these little rants than a preference because it is literally my thoughts and opinions on certain subjects. Plus I like reading your opinions on these topics too. Okay let's get this show on the road:

So I was just casually sitting with my friend when I asked her what she thought about gay people. Now, she's not a completely religious person but she does believe in God. She was raised a Christian and even though she's not as dedicated towards her religion as some people are, she does still follow the rules and beliefs. I, myself, do not believe in God. I was baptised when I was a baby but as I grew older and learned more about religions and different beliefs I found myself doubting God and the religion I was brought up on. When I was younger my family and myself would go to church every Sunday but as my siblings and myself grew older we stopped (and now only go for weddings and things like that), religion was never forced on me. Both my mum and my dad have their own beliefs towards religion and Gods. My mum being an atheist like myself and my dad being a Greek orthodox (basically a Christian just Greek).

When I asked my friend (let's call her A), she instantly became quiet and started to think to herself she then replied with: "I do not agree with it." As the curious person I am, I asked her why: "Because I believe God made makes and females for a reason. He did not make us so that we fall in love with the same gender, women are supposed to love men and men are supposed to love women." Her tone was not laced with disgust, she was simply stating something she believed it. I then asked her what she thought about bisexuals: "That's okay. Yeah, that's okay". When I asked why she found being bisexual okay but not being gay she replied: "Because the woman could still pick a man over another woman and vice versa". Listening to her opinions did not offend me in anyway, A is usually a loud and bubbly person - constantly laughing at everything and anything, but she understood this was a serious topic and not once did she laugh or step out of line. I then turned the situation onto her, I asked her what she would do if it turned out she was a lesbian. At first she didn't seem to have an answer, so I gave her some options. I asked her if she would act on her feelings towards the woman or ignore them and leave with a man she felt nothing towards, she replied "I would sit down and talk to her about it, but I would not act on my feelings. I would tell the girl that I did like her, but I would not peruse a relationship with the girl". I then asked about her religion/Culture. I asked if she thought her religion/Culture had something to do with her view. Her answer was simple: "Yes." She then went on to explain a bit more: "In Jamaica, being gay is viewed as wrong. I have lived with Jamaican people my whole life and that's what I have been told as I grew up. You don't really see gay couples in Jamaica simply because it is wrong in straight people's eyes". I then asked her what situation she would feel more uncomfortable in (seeing a straight couple kissing or a gay couple cuddling) she said she would feel more uncomfortable seeing the gay couple cuddling, when asked why, she replied with "It's just wrong in my opinion... I just don't necessarily agree with it and it would just make me feel weird".

As someone who has opinions on extremely controversial topics, I do believe passionately that everyone should be equal. When I say everyone I do not simply mean men and women. I mean men, women, gays, straights, bisexuals, transsexuals, everyone and anyone. Not matter the age, whether they are 1 years old or 90, they should be treated with respect and dignity. Unfortunately, we live in a society that can not seem to understand that someone personal life is personal - it belongs to that person and their family. We see celebrities being bashed for being gay or transsexual, transgender, asexual, pansexual, but so what? What does it really matter if Bruce Jenner suddenly wants to turn into a woman? What does it matter if Sam Smith is gay? Let them be who they want to be. The reasons and opinions A shared while telling me her views on gay people were not disrespectful (in my opinion) in anyway. She was simply stating what she believed because of the way she grew up.

However, when I asked a girl who was extremely religious her opinions on gay people she replied "It's unnatural". When asked why, she just continued to state that it was "unnatural". I am sorry, but I have no idea when falling in love with someone became "unnatural". Love is an emotion (and so much more), just like being sad is an emotion. Do people go around telling others not to be sad because it is "unnatural"? No, we do not because everyone has been sad before. Everyone will fall in-love, yeah, it may not turn out right the first time, but we all will experience love in our lifetimes, just like we do sadness. No matter who you love, you should not be made out to be sick, or like you are some sort of wild creature because you do not love who society wants you to love.

My older brother is gay. As cliché as this will sound, I had a feeling he was for a very long time. He didn't act like my other brother or the other boys from my school, I knew something was different about him. Although I am not extremely close to him, I do still love him. I do not care that he will one day have a boyfriend, I do not care that he won't be able to have a blood child with the man of his dreams (mainly because he doesn't like children anyway). I simply do not care. It is his life, I am only a small part of it. If I, his sister, can accept his love and decision (<I don't think that's the right word), then strangers should be able too aswell.

The main reason why I wrote this, was because my conversation between both my friend and the other student opened my eyes in different ways. As someone who grew up in an open household, I was always told to have my own opinions and to fight for what I believed in. My grandmother, fought for what she believed in, my great grandmother did the same. My mum and myself always talk about deep conversations, our opinions aren't always the same but considering she did raise me we do share similar opinions on certain topics. I have been taught from a young age to accept people no matter who they are, what they look like, or what their sexuality is. I was taught to stick up for myself and do the very best that I can. My friends opinion, just gave me more knowledge about religion and cultural beliefs on this topic, she argued her opinions in a respectful manner and treated the topic seriously. The other student showed me that there are still people out there who are blinded by what they are taught and are completely disrespectful. I do not like the idea of my brother having to defend himself for something he simply can not control. We are judging people for the wrong things and it needs to change.

If any of you are gay I just want you to know that it does not matter if you like someone who is the same gender as you. You have a right to love and freedom, do not let the opinions of others tell you different. If you are a girl and you have a crush on another girl: Go get her! Forget about the whispers and the looks they're probably little boys who are jealous that you can get a girl and they can't because they still have a high pitched voice (I'm so lame). If you're a boy and you like a boy:Go get him! I, for one, am not going to judge and there are probably girls that will find your relationship with a guy hot. Do what you want to do, not what society expects you to do. We can not continue to do things that will make others happy but make ourselves depressed at the same time; you're all to beautiful to be sad, you're all too beautiful to cry and be in pain. I know it's hard. Coming out of that dark and lonely closet and I just hope and pray that when you open those doors, you will be welcomed with open arms because you haven't changed, you're still the same lovely person everyone important to you fell in love with. You're still that beautiful person with the most amazing eyes and the loveliest hair, oh and that smile, the smile that hides so many emotions, your smile is worth so much and if you wake up everyday finding that you have to fake one, I hope that one day you wake up with the breathtakingly natural smile on your face, because you deserve. Whether you are fat, thin, normal weight, tall or short, whether you have long hair or short hair, eccentric blue eyes or gorgeous green ones, whether you have chocolate brown eyes, whether you have defined facial features or a cute little chubby face, whether you are gay, straight, transsexual, transgender, asexual or pansexual you are all bloody amazing and probably some of the sweetest human beings I know (or don't know?? Shut up Me). You all deserve the best, and I hope that some day we can be a world were equality is a real thing for everyone.

I love you all sooooooooo much, and if you ever need to talk I'm here for you all. As a person who believes in the freedom of speech your opinions are welcome but as always, any condescending or disrespectful comments will be dealt with in the appropriate manner 😀

~T