I am writing in with regards to the LGBT issue with some facts and a history lesson and hopefully let you people decide on your stand. You see, 23 years ago, when I was in my Primary school days and if I see a group of classmates making fun of gays, I would join in. I would probably be the worst asshole of them all. But today, I know better and I want to do my part in making things right.
In fact, just this month I made a police report about a Christian that goes to church regularly, is married with kids, who has cheated my money and caused so much problems/misery to my life. I was almost homeless and suicidal at that time. Contrast this criminal Christian (and by the way, he has an affair despite being married) to the LGBT community that has done nothing bad to me in my entire life and you can see why I am still ashamed of my Primary school days behaviors more than 2 decades ago. If anyone needs the police report lodgment case ID, I am happy to share in private.
But today, I would like to share with you some facts and evidence from modern medical science about how genes play a part in gender preferences. Even among straight couples, do you know that genes also play a part in how you select partners? But I shall leave that topic for another day. Today will be just LGBT issues.
1) Dr Bailey said, "Sexual orientation has nothing to do with choice. Our findings suggest there may be genes at play and we found evidence for two sets that affect whether a man is gay or straight." - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2559021/Being-gay-DNA-res...
2) The claim that homosexual men share a “gay gene” created a furor in the 1990s. But new research two decades on supports this claim – and adds another candidate gene. - http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/06/04/the-science-o...
3) Steven Rose, of the Open University, said: "What worries me is not the extent, if at all, to which our genetic, epigenetic or neural constitution and development affect our sexual preferences, but the huge moral panic and religious and political agenda which surrounds the question." - http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/14/genes-influence-male-sexu...
I could have pasted more scientific research papers information but here’s the thing, if a person already insist on a narrow and inaccurate belief and in spite of evidence, refuse to admit their mistake and stick to their original belief, then no amount of evidence I bring will ever change their mind. But it also reveals to you a lot about the flawed character of that person.
In fact, these people with the narrow and wrong beliefs when it comes to LGBT issue, tend to claim that sexual orientation/preferences is a choice. To them, I say, how would you know so much about another person than the individual themselves know about himself/herself? It’s like insisting that a person likes to eat durian (because that’s your personal preference) while in reality, that person hates to eat durian, and yet you impose your preference on them! Why are we so arrogant to think that we know another person better than they know themselves? And why are we so concern about what these people do with their genitals in their private life? Doesn’t that sound gay to you?
And a history lesson for all of us.
This picture is courage, revolution, hatred and disgust rolled into one.
See that girl walking amidst a group of white students? These students detested her and wanted to deny her a basic right that every human should have - right to equality. Her name is Elizabeth Eckford. She did not know how they would react to her act of defiance. She did not know if she would be called names, insulted, hit or even killed! She just knew that if she did not walk these few steps to her school, the oppressors would win. So she walked. That is courage.
By walking those few steps, she opened the door for the oppressed, ushering a new era of equality. That is revolution.
See that girl shouting behind Elizabeth? That is Hazel Bryan Massery. Someone who doesn't realize that it is by accident of birth that she is standing on the other side, or even standing there at all! She believes that those whose presence she is protesting are there to take what they deserve and they take nothing from her. Yet, she goes out and shouts anyway. Infecting others with her hateful spirit. That is undue and undeserving hatred.
Today, when we look back at this picture, what do we feel for Hazel and her friends? I am sure it is disgust.
This photo totally changed the meaning of racism for me. It brought its ugly face to the front and makes me cringe at how inhuman we can be towards fellow humans. I know that this is just the beginning and that a lot of people eventually reach a stage where they can even justify killing another human being for being different. But this, this is the beginning of it all. The thought that the life of the people who differ from me is somehow less important.
It is said that Hazel Bryan Massery later apologized to Elizabeth at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of integration at Central High.
Now my question to you is, when our future generations read about the LGBT issue, are you going to be Hazel the person filled with undue anger and undeserving hatred or are you going to take the stand of the wrongly oppressed?
My question to you is, with the advances of the medical evidences, are you going to stay ignorant and use religion as an excuse for your ignorance, or are you willing to learn new things and grow progressively together? Are you going to use religion to preach peace and yet your actions show anger and hatred or are your actions in accordance with your preaching about universal love?
In case you’re wondering, I am not gay. I was an ignorant person once when it comes to LGBT issues but over time, I have accepted the medical evidence and refuse to stay ignorant. I have also chose to make a stand against these unjustly oppressed. What is making things worst is that these are the minorities and so, their voice is weaker compared to the majority. I am sorry if I offended anyone, but I felt a need to speak up when I see something unjustly happened.
Allow me to share these…
Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings.
And if having read this and you are still against LGBT, then so be it. God says we shall not judge others for we have also sinned, and if religion is indeed what your faith is, then may your actions and what you preached be aligned.
Eric Teng
TRS Junior Writer