Sunday, February 4, 2007

Lisette’s Story: “Impact of discrimination” by Aglaia


Lisette’s Story: “Impact of discrimination”

I am a homosexual woman or a lesbian if you wish. The other day I was having dinner with my parents and they told me that because of my orientation and the work I do, they have had some problems with their colleagues and friends, and that it is sometimes really hard for them, too.
We continued this talk for a while, and at the end my mother said: “Well, but we have raised you this way; we have taught you that injustice needs to be stood up against, we have told you not to stay quiet when someone is treated unequally. And I guess that is a good thing, I guess we managed to raise you with the values we appreciate the most.”
When I think of how hard it must have been for my family to accept me for who I am and support me, I can’t even imagine how my mother feels when she overhears people on the street saying gay people should be isolated from the society. Or how my father feels when he reads a newspaper article about how homosexuals should not be allowed to marry or have children. And what my brother feels when he goes to school and the teacher tells him that homosexuality is a disease.
I wish people would understand that discrimination never only affects one individual, but also absolutely every person who is connected to this individual.

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