Make It Better

I’m not gay. I know people who are gay and I’ve heard horror stories about the self imposed repression of identity during the adolescent years. The struggles and pitfalls of having a society against you and finally being able to tell the narrow minded that you don’t care what they think. I have no idea what that is like personally, I’ve just heard.

I do remember being an overweight teen and thinking I was worthless and unlovable. I remember all emotional dressing downs in high school, the torrent of conflicting emotions that sent me from laughter to tears in a single breath. It was a slice of Hell wrapped in hate and dressed with hormones. And I was a straight white kid.

I can’t imagine going through that AND a sexual identity crisis.

The third leading cause of death among teens is suicide and we’ve seen a lot of buzz about it recently. Celebs (and the President) recording “It gets better” spots telling gay teens to hang in there is a nice sentiment. I’d like to add this though; To all you straight teens out there, to all of you who see someone pushing someone around, to all of you who say nothing when someone says, “That’s gay”. I challenge you to “Make it better.”

I know it’s hard to stand up and step into a flammable situation, but all you have to do is let someone know that you are there for them. Just be a friend, talk to that kid on the receiving end of peer torture. To step out of your clique, your comfort zone and tell someone that you’ll listen, and make a friend. “Make it better.”