Dear homophobic parents,

First of all, being Christian or any other religious background is not an excuse for you to not accept your child. If you are a "true believer," then you should act in a way that shows kindness and love. Respect everyone for who they are, and treat people the way you want to be treated.

Many people, especially Christians, have a hard time accepting homosexuals. If being gay is a sin, why do Christians have such a hard time with this concept when they sin as well? No one is perfect. Everyone sins. Why should the gays not be accepted? There are many things the Bible says is a sin, but people choose to ignore them. A common example of this is eating shrimp. The Holy Bible states that “anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.” (Leviticus 11:12) Where is the fault in eating shrimp? I do not see any of these so-called “Christians” getting their panties in a wad over eating shellfish.

Also, Christians are against homosexuals and same-sex marriage because it is not OK in the eyes of the Lord. People put words in God’s mouth, saying that He does not accept gays. Well, they are not God or Jesus or even the Virgin Mother Mary. They should not be putting word’s in the Lord’s mouth. If they were really “Christian,” they would treat everyone (including gays) with respect. My personal definition of a true Christian is someone who walks and talks the way the Lord would. The Lord would be kind to any one of any race, sexual orientation, or background. He would not discriminate, and neither would a “true Christian.” A “true Christian” would speak kindly to people even if they do not agree with their views.

I do not mean to put down Christians. There are a good amount of Christians who see the best in everyone. These people are amazing, and they contribute to making society beautiful. It is time that we need to encourage the feeling of self beauty.

I commit sins. I realize that I am asking a huge amount of people to be kind, although that can be a lot to ask of some people. Everyone has a bad day every once and a while, and I admit I am not my definition of a “true Christian.” I sin. I speak unkindly about some people at times. I have a loud mouth, and sometimes, I yell at people for no reason. I try my hardest to be kind and respectful to everyone around me. Everyone is going through different things. That is why we all need to be loving towards others. We never know what someone may be going through.

I have a friend who is shunned in her household for being gay. She has had her parents try to "pray the gay away," ground her (because that will totally make her stop liking girls), and constantly preach to her about her homosexuality. Her family believes that being gay is a choice like being a thief is a choice.

I disagree completely. Being gay is not a choice. You were born this way. I believe that from the moment you are born, there is a path that God has set aside for your life. He made you. He created you. He might as well said, “My child, you are gay.” If you are gay, you are gay from the moment you pop out of your mother’s womb whether you know it or not, and people assume you are straight because it is the social norm.Heterosexism is the discrimination against homosexuals and the belief that everyone around them is straight.

I read once that God will make the American people suffer because the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Why in the world would you say that to anybody, let alone to someone who belongs to the LGBTQ community? Once again, this is putting words in the Lord's mouth. If the Lord really did love us for who we are just like I've been told ever since I was little, then he would accept us in all shapes, sizes, and sexual orientations.

If you do not accept your child for who they are, you shouldn't have had a child in the first place. You should support your child in every way, shape, and form. What happened to the days when you were pregnant, and you were happy to just have a healthy baby? If your child is healthy, happy, and just so happens to be gay, what is the problem with that? Some parents act like their child just murdered someone when they come out to them.

If you honestly loved your child, you would accept them for who they are. You do not have to agree with it, but you have to accept that this is who your child is. Some parents claim they are not "homophobic," but actions speak louder than words. You can talk the talk, but do you walk the walk? You claim you want your child to be happy and to live a great life, but do you really? You may not see it yourself, but you are forcing your child to hate talking to you when all you do is put them down for their sexuality.

The most interesting thing about your child is not their sexuality.

Sincerely,

A decent human being