What must be done first before any kind of progress is made? When someone is an alcoholic, for example, debating whether they should attend that AA meeting because they "don't drink THAT much," or the obese individual who just can't seem to find the will to stop poisoning their body? It is the simple realization of: "Yes. I have a problem."

If you think, okay, well how does that apply to me? If the title offended you, then there is something wrong that you have not yet realized about yourself, just like that alcoholic and the overweight person. Because let me break it you.

Any kind of hate is wrong. Even the kind you think is justified by your religion, beliefs or upbringing.

In basketball, an uncalled for, excessive foul is called a flagrant foul. It can either be unintended or deliberate. But let's face it, we all know that if you make it to that foul ranking, it was surely intended.

The same with homophobia. You don't just unintentionally dislike someone because of their sexual orientation. You know what you're doing. It is a flagrant disregard for human rights if you think that a person should be withheld love or shamed because of it. You are not the referee in this scenario. You never have the right to judge who a fellow human chooses to love.

In the 50's and 60's, black men and women were tirelessly trying to open the eyes of Americans during the Civil Rights Movement to abolish segregation and gain equality. Jews have been prosecuted for years upon years in all areas of the world. I can think of countless other examples of groups of people who have been and are still oppressed out of sheer hate, including homosexuals.

Today, we live in a time of a civil rights movement of our own. And we need not be blind.

Phrases like "I'm not racist, but I want my children using a separate restroom than black people" or "I refuse to treat this person with GRID. They did this to themselves" are phrases from the 60's and 80's, yet are no different than what we hear today:

"I'm not homophobic, but I just don't want my kids being exposed to that kind of behavior on their television programs or in the classroom."

"I don't mind if someone is gay, but they definitely aren't going to heaven."

"If you were gay, I don't know if I'd still be friends with you."

People around you may not join rallies or protests physically speaking out against the LGBTQ community, but these phrases above are the seemingly harmless embers that we ignore but will eventually become the wildfire.

Don't scorn LGBTQ's for advocating for their community or for raising awareness or for simply being themselves.

"Why are there so many gays in TV shows now? It's like they're taking over."

"Ugh, homosexuality is just a new fad that people are bandwagoning."

"Can't they just stop it with all these rallies already? It's so obnoxious and unnecessary."

Do not stand for any of this talk.

Gays have witnessed a grand revolution occurring just within this generation, but as this country has clearly shown, we all can't change our hearts overnight, unfortunately. But we can surely try.

Call someone out when they are justifying their homophobic tendencies through their religion or through their pronounced knowledge in science. The biggest scams I hear are, "it says in the bible that being gay is wrong" or "something is psychologically unstable in gay people."

Is that seriously what you're going with?

First of all, if you claim your god to be "all-loving" then why wouldn't he love a man who loves a man or a woman who loves a woman? They are people who he created, like you and me, right? If you're able to recognize this all-inclusive love, then great. But if not, then you are either doing your god and your religion an injustice, or you need to find a new set of morals and principles that aren't outdated and senseless.

Because clearly, they're not working.

Secondly, if you call homosexuality a disease or a chemical imbalance, please just stop. Love can't be measured or recorded. There are no set equations or formulas. Nothing that can be cured or decanted out of you. Love is love, people.

Please have a heart. Isn't it tiring to harbor all that hate?