Some people say they are born as what they are destined to be. Some people say it is a result of how you are raised. Either way, when I was little, I realized I was different.

I had small “crushes”, as any little girl does. But it was not until I was a little older that I realized that these “crushes” weren’t the same as everyone else’s.

I have gone through many “phases”, as every person has. In the first few years of my life, I was obsessed with princesses, dolls, and stuffed animals. I wore dresses almost every single day. Seems pretty normal for a little girl, right?

The next few years, I took a sharp U-turn in the complete other direction. I hated the color pink and anything girly. LEGO’s were my favorite toy, and my go-to outfit was a too-big t-shirt and baggy pants from the boy’s section of thrift stores. I started playing soccer and wasn’t afraid to play with the guys.

Around 5th or 6th grade, I began to go into more of a “girly” phase, if that’s what you want to call it. I started caring more about my appearance and wore a little makeup every day, along with clothes that I got from the girl’s sections at stores. I was still an extremely active and sporty person, and I wasn’t afraid to get muddy. I had a few friends that were girls, and a few friends that were guys.

But throughout all of this, my sexuality has not changed.
From the day I was born, I have been pansexual.
Many people don’t know what this term means, or that it even exists. “So… are you, like, attracted to pans or something?” they sometimes ask me. But the real meaning of the label pansexual is attraction that is not limited by gender or sexual orientation, and accepting the fact that not everyone fits into one of the two gender categories.
Just like many other groups who are considered “abnormal” or “different” according to society, the LGBTQ community has struggled with acceptance from people of the general public. The issue of same sex marriage, or even love, has been an extremely controversial topic for the past few years now.
Videos of people coming out have gone viral on social media platforms like YouTube, such as a particularly recent video titled How not to react when your child tells you that he’s gay. This video features a young man telling his homophobic parents that he is gay, and captures their horrific reaction, which includes disowning and kicking the child out, yelling, profane language and names thrown at him, defending themselves by “the word of God”, telling him that the life that he he has chosen is a “sin”, and even physical violence where one of his family members attacks him. This video triggered reactions from both sides of this argument, with a small amount of people attempting to justify the homophobic family’s reactions, but the vast majority of people defending the son.
This is not the “word of God” or “a sin”. This is discrimination.

Another viral video came out last week, of a famous YouTuber, Connor Franta, coming out to his viewers. At the beginning of this video, Connor shares heartbreaking news as viewers learn that he has been hiding the biggest secret he has ever had from us. He says a simple two words that have shocked over 4 million people. Just those two simple words. I’m gay. He started to talk about how long he has known that he was different, his past, and his coming out experience to his family and friends. Since this video has come out, he has gotten an overwhelming amount of support and love from so many people, and he has finally been able to accept who he really is.

One thing that frustrates me is the fact that people think that it is acceptable to try to control who someone loves. Why is it a sin to love someone of the same gender? Another thing that frustrates me is when people use the excuse that “the Bible says its wrong.” The Bible has listed over 670 actions that are considered sins, and I bet my life that these people who are accusing us homosexuals of sinning are no saints themselves. The discrimination of another human being cannot be justified by the words of the Bible; one would have to follow all of the words of the Bible, or they would be a hypocrite.

So you may be thinking, okay, I hear what you’re saying, but what am I supposed to do about it? I’m here to tell you that.

You can do a lot more about this situation than you think. If you are a current LGBTQ person who is struggling to come out, there are so many people and places you can go to get help from. One great place to reach out for support is The Trevor Project. It is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people ages 13-24. Another great resource is your friends, your teachers, maybe a school counselor. There is always someone there for you.

Now, you may be thinking, well, I’ve already come out, or I’m not LGBTQ. How can I help someone else come out? Well, my answer for this is to try to encourage others who are too scared to come out to reach out for help.
If you have never had to experience coming out of the closet, it is a lot more difficult than you would think. But there are so many places that can help someone you love get through this difficult process.

One place, as I said before, is The Trevor Project. They are an absolutely incredible organization that has helped hundreds of thousands of young people for 16 years. Another place is the GLBT National Help Center, who provide free and confidential support for anyone who needs it. Their number is 1-888-843-4564, and anyone, adult or child, can call in for free one on one peer counseling.

But what if you just want to stop the hate? What if you’re not part of the LGBTQ community, but you are sick and tired of all the discrimination? What can I do?, you’re probably asking. The first step is simple. If you are discriminating, stop. But if you aren’t, there are many ways you can get involved with helping out the LGBTQ community.

First off, if you experience discrimination, whether it is online or in real life, do not ignore or condone it. Stand up to them. Help the victim.

Another way to stop discrimination is to refuse to go along with or agree with discriminatory behavior. This is probably one of the hardest things to do, especially when someone you know or love is being hateful, but it is necessary to help stop the hate.

Lastly, offer support and resources to victims of discrimination. Refer them to therapists, counselors, support lines (as I said before), or even just simply be there for them to talk to. We can stop this hate.

Even if you don’t agree with or support the LGBTQ Community, accept the fact that not everyone has the same beliefs and practices as you. It is not your job to force your idea of what is right onto someone else. Realize that just because you don’t agree doesn’t mean it is wrong or sinful. Realize how you are affecting real, human beings.

You can stop this. Let’s support the LGBTQ Community. Together.