Commentary: "Protect Self-Discovery" -- The Minds behind Sexual Orientation Discrimination

On August 12, 2015, Glasis Rodriguez, founder of the political blog “What is Happening in Texas Today?” posted an editorial called Protect self-discovery revealing how laws geared towards education didn’t protect students who are gay, lesbian, bi, or transgender. Because these students are not protected, there is a correlation in the number of LGBT suicides in schools due to bullying as in the case of Brandon and Larry: Brandon who shot Larry due to Larry’s sexual orientation. The author proposes that schools either add a policy protecting LGBT students or create separate charter schools for LGBT youth.

I do agree with what Rodriguez has to say. Although, I have to point out that students who bully and disrespect others are in fact despicable, but it is not entirely their fault. I suggest that this is a result of terrible parenting – parents who don’t look out after their child and those who remain too oblivious to care what they are doing. It is also through a parent where a child starts developing their earliest views about the world and its people. Brandon probably grew up with homophobic parents who, of course, has guns laying around in their house not properly stored away from their 14 year old son. However, a child may grow up with “these” parents (if any) and may not be influenced to do bad things to others, but we as humans also learn from our environment and through the people we meet such as our friends. These “friends” (that unfortunately have been affected by bad parenting) who encourage discrimination are sure to influence the student who decides to hang out with this group. In short, a student can be influenced by a group of friends to do bad things due to those friends' lack of parental guidance. Years later, without something happening to correct these students, they will grow up to be the bad parents that was described earlier - endlessly repeating the cycle. If we could somehow change the way all adults behave and act around children in the whole world, would the end to bullying stop. However, it is impossible to change every single adult (18+) in the entire world let alone their views, perspectives and behaviors.

So enacting LGBT protection laws and policies is the best way to ensure a student’s safety in schools. Creating separate charters for LGBT students is also a possibility that I do support. However, I am just concerned that others – who don’t understand the point of the school’s founding – might believe this is a form of segregation of LGBT students leading to further discrimination towards students coming from that school. But if we were to truly make an impossible difference in the world, we do not have to constantly pass laws and policies (write out with pen and paper) to ensure the rights of humans, we do not have to ridicule the infrastructure of the government or how it governs, we don’t even have to change how the school system works, their outreach of education or their quality of education. Rather, we look at the world from the inside-out, starting with the most basic component that makes up all these incredible things (rights, buildings, education, etc.) in this world: the people. If we are able to change the behaviors, perspectives and views of every human now, generations of children and adults with these qualities will sure to come. The problems that were previously mentioned above will be solved naturally over time. While it all does sound completely foolish and extremely Utopian, it is again extremely impossible. However, we are coming of modern era where we are showing improvements in the way we accept reality for how it is. More people than ever are accepting the LGBT community than it ever did back in the 19^th century. As of June 26, 2015 (a little bit late compared to other countries but nevertheless approved), U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the states. Therefore, there may still be beacon of hope in the midst of a cold and dark society. But I digress. On the subject of matter, enacting policies and laws or setting up charter schools for the LGBT is the only thing we can do now that will ensure the safety of LGBT students and their right towards a stable learning environment and their entitlement to search and discover who they truly are.