Gays should be Accepted in the Family

Imagine having a secret, a secret so terrible to some, that if you were to reveal it your family would disown you, that is right! Your family would disown you because they do not believe or agree in two people of the same sex being capable of loving each other. Some might say you have a disease and some might think it is not right because it is a sin to some religions and diverse beliefs. Many homosexuals around the world are not being accepted in their families because they are gay. This unacceptance of gay people in the family is not something someone takes lightly. Not being accepted by own family can be hard for someone, keeping a secret like that to avoid being disowned or judged can take a toll on them and can cause various personal problems, like social stress, substance abuse, depression and much more. I believe it is wrong to not accept a gay person in the family and believe that they should be accepted and treated fairly. It is only fair to treat them both fairly and equally because they cannot help it if they only like the same sex gender. It would be unethical to be attracted to someone of a different gender if that is not what you are attracted to. I strongly agree that gays should be accepted into the family. I think they should be accepted in the family because I believe they are full and equal members of the human family and are entitled to be treated as such. I do not think that anybody should be denied their rights as humans just because of their preferred sexual orientation or even gender identity.

No human ever should be a subject of abuse, discrimination, violence because of their preferred gender identity, Especially not from their own families. I do not think it is right for a family member to turn their back on their only family because they are gay. A family is supposed to be the people who love and support you the most. I think instead of disowning a family member for being gay, you can have the opportunity to be an important part of their coming out. It would make them feel accepted, loved, equal and important. Gay people should be accepted in the family because they cannot help the gender they are attracted to. Same-sex attracted is as natural as being opposite-sex attracted, and that we can not force someone to change their sexuality through any psychological or medical means. Research has found that sexual orientation is likely caused partly by biological factors that start before birth, so being homosexual cannot be changed therefore it should be accepted in the family. Therapy and persuasion will not change a person's sexual preference. NewScience states that “For the first time, individual genes have been identified that may influence how sexual orientation develops in boys and men, both in the womb and during life. Alan Sanders at North Shore University, Illinois, and his team pinpointed these genes by comparing DNA from 1077 gay and 1231 straight men.

They scanned the men’s entire genomes, looking for single-letter differences in their DNA sequences. This enabled them to home in on two genes whose variants seem to be linked to sexual orientation.” I think it is important to accept a gay person into the family. All the prejudice and discrimination from not being accepted creates a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems for homosexuals. Having to conceal your sexual orientation to avoid prejudice, rejection and homophobia can take a big toll on a gay person. The National Alliance of mental illness states that gays are 3 times more likely to experience a mental health condition which can include major depression and also generalized anxiety disorder. These people end up suffering from depression because of they fear they have of coming out as gay, they fear that they will be discriminated against. The fear of coming out can then also lead to Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and can then also substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. The National Alliance of mental health also states that the LGBTQ community is at high risk for suicide because of the lack of support and from how much they face harassment, which is another reason why I think gays should be accepted into the family. Gays need the support and assurance they long for. Having the assurance and the support of the family would make a difference in the person's life and prevent these mental disorders that can come from not being accepted in the family. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the LGBTQ youth from the ages of 10-24, they are 4 times more likely to attempt or commit suicide or even just have suicidal thoughts.

The LGBT is reported to have very high rates of substance abuse from alcohol drug and tobacco use than straight people. The causes for substance abuse in the LGBT youth due to the prejudice, discrimination, and lack of peer support. 'According to national alliance on mental health An estimated 20-30% of LGBT people abuse substances, compared to about 9% of the general population. 25% of LGBT people abuse alcohol, compared to 5-10% of the general population.” In conclusion, I strongly agree that gays should be accepted into the family. They should be treated fairly and equally and not be judged, disowned, and discriminated against because of their sexual preference. It is better to accept a gay family member into the family because it shows support and unconditional love. Accepting gays into the family could just help a gay person to avoid suicide, social anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Families should accept gays into their families because it would significantly higher their self-esteem levels. Social life and general health compared to those whose family are not acceptant of their sexual preference. 

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