I want to write because I want to make a difference. I want to take the issues that the LGBT+ community is facing and shed some light on how we feel about societies opinions and criticisms. The only difference between us and everyone else in this world is who we love which, NEWS FLASH, isn’t a choice. People can argue it’s a choice all they want but think about this:

If being gay, transgender or anything other than straight was a choice, then why wouldn’t we just choose to be straight?

Why would we want to get ridiculed, bullied or even killed in some cases over a choice, even if that choice is love?

Reality check ladies and gentlemen, no one wants to be bullied and if it was a choice like you say it is, then I think a majority of us would agree that we would choose the road that doesn’t lead to shame and abuse.

I am currently working on a book that is filed with people's coming out stories. In my research, I have heard many stories where people that knew they were gay, bi or transgender were afraid to come out because of what their family and friends might think of them.

How would you feel if every day you lived with a secret that if it was ever told to anyone you feared you might lose them? Family, friends, employees and anyone close to you.

Imagine everything you once knew was gone in the blink of an eye all because you were “different.” It isn’t a great feeling trust me.

Feeling like you will be disowned and thrown out of your house.

Feeling scared and alone because you’re afraid if you tell anyone that your LGBT+ you may lose that person and they might out you to everyone else.

Depressed, afraid, alone and scared are all emotions no one enjoys to feel, but this is what we feel every day.

Society has made it extremely hard for us to feel safe to be who we are and it’s not fair. We did nothing to deserve this isolation and alienation and will continue to fight for equality until the end of time.

Our children and friends should not have to be afraid to be who they are and come to you with how they feel about this. And I pray that in the future people can just be who they are without having to explain themselves or label themselves as their sexual orientation. Just like any straight person we should be treated just like everyone else not having to say yeah I am gay or bi or transgender. We should be able to introduce ourselves and our significant others to people without confrontation.

I feel that people don’t understand because they don’t go through what we have to go through. They are automatically accepted in this world with only the judgments of their minor flaws such as weight, brains or lack thereof, and other little things that everyone faces in this world including the LGBT+ community. It is also just how they are brought up and aren’t truly educated on this particular topic. So I can’t blame some people for their parent’s misguidance and old school ways.

All were looking for is acceptance! You don’t have to like it but please accept and trust us when we say it is not a choice to be LGBT+. Just like a straight man feels for a woman or vice versa, that’s exactly how people who are LGBT+ feel about the people they love

A message to anyone struggling with acceptance:

Don’t be afraid to be who you are because anyone that is truly your friend and anyone that truly loves you, will love you and won’t care who you love.