Caged
Caged
Jul 10, 2017 · 2 min read

Be lucky it was just your school. I grew up in an entire town of Southern Baptists and Church of Christ who felt the same way. 1500 people discriminating against the 50 or so Methodists with a woman as a preacher, who happened to be my mother, was bad enough. I had to learn very quickly to hide my affinity for all sexes. It was an absolutely horrible experience having just about every aspect of self and family persecuted as a child, much less just sexual preferences.

To which, in light of your essay, it raises a broader question. Why do religious institutions get any federal help, including exclusion on taxes? Religious groups constantly discriminate against other religious groups, be it Christians against Islam, Jews against Christians, or Baptists against Methodists. Whether the discrimination is against the LGBT community or against denominations, why does the federal government allow special treatment to groups who advocate ostracization of one group over another, in the name of religious freedom?

Growing up, we were constantly isolated from community events like ‘church’ dances, ‘church sponsored’ school activities, ‘church’ market and trading days, ‘church’ fairs, you name it. ‘Church’ activities was cover for ‘us not them’. Conveniently it not only isolated the people who believed in sexual equality behind the pulpit, but also against the only black family in town as well. It was an active choice to segregate the town by parishioners who doubled as principals and teachers.

Religious belief is one thing. ‘Congress shall make no law …’ is fine and dandy until they make exception enough to effectively support. Vouchers will much do the same. On its face, it is not a law for churches as much as it is a law for parent choices. Yet when the only existing choice is religious, what is the difference?

I have questioned the notion before that what good is being able to have a belief if you cannot act on it. But to what extent do we allow it as a society and turn a blind eye to the behaviors it creates, when we would never tolerate those behaviors from any other facet of society? Honor killings come to mind. There is a line.

I strongly feel that line needs to be reexamined by society in favor of true equality under the law, benefiting no institution or practice that discriminates against anyone in the public sector. You may be free to not allow me in or serve me communion, but you will pay your taxes and not reap the benefits of the public coffers in doing so. Unfortunately this does not solve the problem of us LGBT kids having to attend and hide while we listen to religious discrimination in the classrooms or hallways. It only keeps the rest of us for paying for it.

Caged

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Caged

Locked in a cell called Earth, with no way out.