Cerritos College
Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Clearing the path to acceptance

“Telling the world I’m gay is nothing, ” defensive end Michael Sam said after he publicly announced he is a homosexual to various news outlets.

With the recent announcement of his homosexuality came a chain reaction. It’s as if one after another, the Olympics, celebrities; All these stories popping up have sparked the gay rights topic once more.

And that’s a good thing. Homosexuality’s widespread presence in the world as of late is a positive force and it will help steer the controversial topic to a road of casual conformity.

cartoon bballThere’s no use in brushing the topic off. It isn’t going to simply disappear if ignored.

News outlet “Grantland” appropriately announced Sam’s outing as a “necessary moment.”

And necessary it was. Sam is not the first to announce his sexuality publicly, nor will he be the last.

See, the individuals who announce this knowledge about his or herself are certainly doing it for self-benefit; Revealing such a secret is absolutely a relief to say the least.

This serves as a catalyst for all individuals out there who could be hiding the same secret at this very moment. Every individual who steps out and announces his or her sexuality is standing up to those who scream blasphemy and instill hope to those who are fearful to reveal what lies within. Even if that requires some people to confront the fear from family and friends.

Hopefully we will reach a point in time where coming out is not something that people will be afraid to do. Not just for gay and lesbian people, but those of other sexualities like pan, trans, or bisexual.

Recently, the 2014 Winter Olympics has been bashed by being “too gay.”

Too gay despite the fact that Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws allow for supporters to be arrested or beaten indiscriminately. Rock group and avid LGBTQ supporters Pussy Riot know this after its numerous members have been arrested time and time again.

Topics like these are delicate. People couldn’t even stand it when the National Anthem was sung by various ethnic groups in different languages in a Superbowl commercial, as a statement that the country is indeed a melting pot of individuals.

This country is a melting pot of people. That’s the truth and so is sexuality. “Too gay?” Ridiculous.

Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, words to live by. This could apply with homosexuality. To those who cringe at the thought of it, being receptive and exposed to this concept or way of life will make its acceptance far more reasonable and a reality.

Television programs, such as CW’s hit show Arrow or the popular show Glee on Fox, have even integrated gay and lesbian story lines into programming. Some of these nuances might be forced, but the underlining message behind all of it is that homosexuality should be embraced.

Also a video game called Mass Effect has embraced homosexuality by letting you as a player pursue homosexual relationships with the characters in the game.

This is a good fight. The country has fought against slavery, for women’s rights, civil rights; the list goes on and on.

There has been many times in our human society where we as a whole thought we where right when in the end we were wrong.

This time it’s back and it’s up to us, society, to do what is just and fight the fight. A fight for homosexuality and normality.

Then one day, as many individuals have long preached it, the idea of “coming out” will no longer be headlining news, but rather, a casual occurrence.

 

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Clearing the path to acceptance