Learning About Hate
Realizing people hate gay people
Originally Published in Another Fucking Publication on Medium.
First off, happy Pride Month! Yes, I am an ally. I was raised in a small southern town, where, unbeknownst to the younger me, people do not like gay people. I have unfortunately rooted myself back in this town. And as I grew up in society, I learned quickly about the hate other humans have for gays.
I was only 12 years old when the case of Matthew Shepard hit the news. I didn’t know what to think. My mom had the news on television a lot, so I saw the media coverage. As a young girl, I was so confused as to why someone would torture someone because they were gay. A German mother raised me, and we never talked about homosexuality. Hate was never brought up in our household. I remember asking her once what she would think of me if I came out as a lesbian, and she told me she didn’t care, as long as I was with someone who treated me right.
So, I was naïve to the thought of people hating other people because of their sexual orientation. Back in the 90s, it was just LGB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual). As I grew older, the community grew larger and began incorporating new letters into the acronym to include transgenders, queers — an umbrella term for lesbian, gay, bisexual — intersex, asexual (some of these go under the + category).
Whatever the term, I am still an ally. I cannot even fathom how someone can hate someone for being any of those. Like, what does it matter? Why does it bother people? I’m glad I wasn’t raised a bigot or a hater.
It’s 2025 now, and although I still see the hate, it’s not as bad as it was. Now gays can get married, Woo Hoo! Yes, I voted for that, while dating a homophobe — didn’t last long — and you’re fucking welcome. I believe my generation, and the generations after me, are more loving and accepting. I raise my daughter to love everyone.
Shoot, 15 years ago, when I lived in another small southern town during college, my neighbor was going through the transition, and I partied with her like the rest. She had a male roommate and appeared to be accepted by our peers. But even today I still meet so many people who hate queers and transgenders. I don’t know why. But they won’t be invited to my fucking potluck anytime soon. I don’t drink the hater-ade, and hate has no place in my household.
This month, we celebrate those in the LGBTQIA+ community, so wear your fucking rainbow apparel, hang your rainbow flags, be happy and gay, pun intended, and continue to love yourselves, because I love you too.
We are all God's children, God loves everyone.