10/6 Blog #4

My brother is twenty-one years old. A lot of people don't know I have a brother, and about only four people know how close I am with him. My brother's name is Connor. He looks and acts almost exactly the same as me. We could easily be twins, but Connor and I have one difference. Connor is gay.

He came out to me last year, when he got back from college. I took it like most teenagers would. I did nothing. I did nothing, because there was no change. Gay, straight, black, white, religious, or atheist, Connor is my brother and someone I will love forever. Connor coming out to me changed my identity in the best way possible. When he came out to me, I felt like I finally had a purpose. I could change the views and habits of my peers. They use phrases like, "that's gay" or "don't be homo", and I finally understood how much they hurt people like my brother. People use these terms like it is bad to be gay. I believe being gay is natural, and my brother had no choice. He was born that way.
Therefore, what gives people the right to use phrases that demonstrate being gay as bad or strange? There is nothing and no one that gives them the right to put down people as amazing as my brother and many others.

From that day and on, I try to stress the importance of accepting people for who they are. Everyone is created equal, and the human race needs to start taking those words to heart. People need to step out of their bubble and into the shoes of my brother, then see what it's like to be bullied for being yourself in a society that you can not escape. I put myself in his shoes, and I gained a whole new perspective. This new perspective changed my life and my identity forever. I could not more glad my brother came out to me. It made me who I am today.