Love Has No Gender2 min read

I don’t like cheese on my pizza.
Throughout my entire life, I have faced judgement for my tastes, for people are very reluctant to accept behaviours that do not fit their expectations of how things are supposed to be.
But that’s the funny thing about being normal – it’s actually impossible to do. Regardless of how you speak, act, or dress, somebody is bound to find your behaviour to be against the norm. Since everyone has their own definition of “normal,” we can’t expect everyone to be on the same page.
So, why in the twenty first century do people still discriminate against the LGBT community for going against “the norm?” With London’s Pride Festival coming to a close, it is important to acknowledge what these events actually stand for. To some, it is a celebration of the great progress made by the LGBT community, while to others, it is a cry for help as they feel their rights are still not respected and upheld as they should be.
This year’s festival was the biggest yet, celebrating fifty years since Parliament legalized homosexuality in England and Wales. The parade consisted of a 1.4 mile march from Regent Street to Trafalgar Square, with five stages along the way featuring music, speakers, and other various performances. The theme for the celebration was, “Love Happens Here,” emphasizing the importance of universal love to every person of every gender, race, and orientation.
I mention my pizza preferences because I think the vast majority of people would agree that even if they find my tastes to be bizarre, they should by no means spark anger or disturbance within others. Likewise, someone seeking a relationship with the same or opposite gender should make no difference to those who are not involved. Clearly this is a dramatization because it would be much easier for me to eat a regular slice of pizza than it would be for a homosexual person to spend his or her entire life unhappy, pretending to be someone that he or she is not. However, the point of the matter is that nobody should have to adjust their preferences to satisfy the criticisms of others. You cannot control your tastes. Yet, in some areas of the world, gay marriage is still illegal and even punishable by law. In Chechnya, Russia, gay men have been tortured and murdered in concentration camps, as Chechen authorities seek a “complete cleansing” of homosexuals.
Why would anyone create hate and violence over individuals expressing love? Love should have no limitations, rules, or regulations. Love should be pure and free. London’s Pride Festival aims to provide a safe space for everyone to express their love in every form.
If only people could accept everyone as they are and allow others to do what makes them happy. If only we could open our hearts and treat one another as equals. If only it could be that simple. Oh wait… It can.