Personal Narrative: My Curiosity

My curiosity was first sparked by the LGBT+ community when I was in eighth grade. This was when I discovered my sexual orientation differed from my friends'. At this point, I knew nothing but the terms "gay" and "straight". Now I am aware of the numerous sexualities and genders that exist. Because of this curiosity, along with my own identity, I have spent countless hours since eighth grade doing my best to help the LGBT+ community. I have found that the best way to do this is through education, because I firmly believe that the hatred LGBT+ people face stems from ignorance. Throughout my entire time in school, LGBT+ topics have barely been touched on, and when they are, it is typically only brushed over. It is because of the poor representation …show more content…
At the time, this stood for Gay Straight Alliance. It was a big step for me to join, because it meant telling people who I was, and letting my difference potentially impact how people treated me. At first, I was scared, but by junior year I was confident enough to be an officer. Both this year and last I have been an officer of the club. This year I am the president. Through this, I am encouraged to research LGBT+ history, current events, and other facts. We deal with events such as the Stonewall Riots and the Pulse Nightclub shooting. We also discuss important dates for the community, like Ally Week, Transgender Day of Remembrance, and the Day of Silence. These are topics that are not discussed in school, despite being incredibly important to the lives of a large percentage of students. When I began as an officer, it was common for me to assume these topics were common knowledge. In fact, while creating a game of LGBT+ Jeopardy for our GSA to play, I described a particular event, looking for the answer, “What are The Stonewall Riots?” Unfortunately, I was shocked to find out that no one in the room knew the answer. This was the first time I truly realized how important it was to teach about these events. The Stonewall Riots helped shape LGBT+ history, allowing for a decrease in police brutality and discrimination. This was a group of LGBT+ students who did not know the events that led up to the rights they appreciate now, such as the …show more content…
These topics tend to be more opinionated, so a lot of my sources come from social media. Now, it is clear to me that social media doesn’t provide a reliable stream of information. However, it does connect me with other LGBT+ individuals in other cities, states, and even countries. On multiple occasions I have spoken with people from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East. I have learned how my peers are treated in other countries through first-hand accounts. For instance, a friend from the Netherlands has told me how open her family was when she came out, and how she has never felt the need to hide. The boy I talked to from the Middle East, on the other hand, feels completely isolated from his surroundings, facing cruel punishment from family if they ever found out. Now, of course this information can be found online. A quick search on Google can lead to the most and least gay-friendly countries in the world and how people are treated. This isn’t as direct as my approach. Through my communication with real people who face these real situations, I am able to learn things that aren’t mentioned on the internet. I am able to get a better understanding for the world I live in and what problems need to be fixed. I love this ability, and I hope to utilize it in the future. I hope