Growing up, we all learn about danger. "Don't talk to strangers, don't accept gifts, be careful when you go out." These are valuable lessons. But as adults, we discover that cruelty does not always look like a villain. Evil does not wear a costume. Sometimes it hides behind silence, smiles, and social norms.
Among our natural human flaws, some are not innate but learned — shaped by family, culture, and society. Prejudice is one of them.
Children are not born with discrimination. If you do not tell them that two men or two women kissing is wrong, they will not find it strange. They will simply see love as something natural, not defined by gender. But if you tell them it is wrong, they will live by that judgment.
When we think of prejudice, we often imagine open hostility — insults, rejection, hate. But the worst kind is often the quiet one, hidden behind:
"I am not homophobic, I have lots of gay friends, but..."
That but usually hides opinions such as: I do not agree with gay marriage. I do not think same-sex couples should adopt. Why do they need Gay Pride parades? Why do they have to come out? Straight people do not.
Let us look at why these arguments have no civil or moral foundation.
Gay marriage
In many countries, marriage is still legally defined as a union between a man and a woman — a legacy of patriarchal and religious influence. Yet equality means that all citizens should have the same right to marry the person they love.
Child adoption
Biology requires a man and a woman to conceive, but raising a child requires love, care, and empathy — not gender. Many heterosexual couples rely on surrogacy, so why deny loving families based on sexuality? Saying a child needs a mother and a father is not a moral truth; it is a social prejudice.
Pride parades
"Why do they need to shout about it?" Because straight people never had to fight to exist openly. Pride is not about boasting; it is about visibility and survival. If you were lost at sea, would you not call out for help? Pride is that call — for equality and acceptance.
Coming out
"Why do they have to say they are gay?" Because hiding who you are has been a form of protection for too long. Coming out is not about attention — it is about dignity and truth.
I have met many people who express these ideas while claiming to support LGBTQIA+ rights. Some even work for companies that promote diversity and inclusion. The problem is not always bad intent — it is lack of awareness.
If we do not know about something, we should learn and understand what it means. If we do not, we make assumptions that become beliefs, which we pass on, and which hurt whoever comes after us.
Next in the series: Part 3 — Living a Fantastic Normality: Maladaptive Daydreaming