Issues Homosexuals Face

            Homosexuals are ones who direct sexual desires towards the same sex. This includes lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. Often, especially in the south do to the strong religious citizens, homosexuals are treated different and not accepted. They have to face many challenges in everyday life that many heterosexuals do not consider. One of the hardest challenges homosexuals face is revealing to society their sexual preferences.

            The first challenge a homosexual faces in revealing their sexual preferences is admitting it to themselves. Often they began to realize they are different than what is normally expected from their peers in their preteen years. Most preteens grew up with friends who often picked on gays or lesbians and even often picked on homosexuals themselves. Because of this they find it hard to admit to their friends that they are homosexual. Teens often struggle with this and many never admit it and live their life as a lie. They will force themselves onto the opposite sex to try to become attracted to them. Homosexuals know that if they do this they will never be happy. As one homosexual stated “All the way through primary school and especially secondary school I knew although at first I was sure it was all a phase and that I would eventually meet a girl and my life would go normal that wasn’t the case, now I’m proud to be gay, it’s part of who I am” (Chris). Chris was able to admit the truth but many are not confident enough and live in depression do to this.

Issues Homosexuals Face in Revealing their Sexual Preferences                             3           

After Homosexuals admit the truth to themselves they must then admit it to their friends and family. Homosexuals often find this difficult because they fear rejection. In reality they are often rejected by their loved ones. They must choose to be unhappy and keep their friends or be happy and hope their friends and family will understand. When they reveal their sexual preferences to their friends and family they often get different reactions. Some may tell them they are happy for them and then slowly drift away, some may began to bully them immediately, but some will be true friends and stick with them and accept them for who they are. Parents are often embarrassed that their child is homosexual (Niolon). Andrew Hill a homosexual student at Macon State College stated that “my dad ignored the truth for six years. He pretended that what he knew I was, was not true. After a large fight he then accepted the fact.” Andrews dad did not want his son to be homosexual but eventually realized he must accept who is child is. Some parents will send them to counseling or say they are just going through a phase. They often hope their child will grow out of this and become “normal”. This has been found to be extremely hard on Homosexuals. There have been many suicides caused from the rejection of who they are. In a blog on gay stories, a homosexual stated