San Luis Obispo High School has taken a strong position in welcoming the LGBTQ+ Community by starting clubs such as Gay Straight Alliance, to show students of SLOHS that bullying will not be accepted when it comes to sexuality. The question is, do we focus too much of our attention on the LGBTQ+ Community, that those with religious based morals are feeling bullied?
Students who follow a religion that don’t support homosexuality have to hide out of fear of being mistreated for their belief. Since June 26, when same sex marriage became legal in all fifty states, on social media we have seen an increase of people openly humiliating anyone supporting a religion disagreeing with homosexuality. Wouldn’t that fall under the category of bullying?
“I was raised a Christian, so naturally I was taught that homosexual behavior is a sin. I don’t morally support the decision, but it’s not something I would judge people on. I believe that those who have made the decision have the right to be treated as an equal, and shouldn’t be harmed physically or emotionally for their choices, but morally I would not promote it. I like the idea of fighting for the end of bullying, but I don’t feel safe as a Christian and my own morals. I feel as these homosexuals can now come open, I have to hide my beliefs or I get criticized, or worse. I don’t believe it’s fair,” said an anonymous SLOHS student.
The fact that she wanted to remain anonymous proves my point.
We have made a huge point in welcoming the LGBTQ+ community, but many have had to sacrifice their religious freedoms to do so. It goes against someone’s religious freedom when they can’t openly express their own moral views in public. What have we really accomplished?