Under Threat: Equality & Diversity

After America’s surprising and devastating presidential result this week, I was inspired to write just a quick piece on something I stand strongly for which is now at risk for thousands of people. This isn’t just morally wrong, it is inhumane and cruel.

Equality and diversity is something I believe is extremely important we all get behind. As a whole, the human race needs to enable themselves to accept people despite their differences. The differences which Donald Trump is threatening are not dangerous, they are not flaws. A person’s sexuality and religious beliefs are not something we need to be afraid of; instead they are things we should be embracing.

We are living in a modern world, a world where we are encouraged to be different, a world where we can love who we want to love and believe in what we want to believe. Who are we to tell people they are not allowed to fully be themselves? Who are we to tell people to change? Who are we to prevent particular people from living in a certain country? We have no right.

America took a huge step forward this year regarding sexuality and the equal marriage laws. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in every state in the United State of America. While I am not American, being able to witness this revelation in my generation made me proud. Less than 50 years ago people were being diagnosed as gay. If you were not heterosexual, you were considered to be ill and would have to undergo hours of conversion therapy in an attempt to rewire your brain. Now, in 2016, we are here – celebrating same-sex marriage.

However, all this progress is now under threat. Donald Trump is officially the next president of America and equality laws are under threat of being reversed. Conversion therapy is on the brink of being legal across the country. We are slowly transcending back into the dark days when being ‘normal’ was compulsory. This disgusts me.

There isn’t anything we can do about the result of the election. America has chosen. But by coming together we can continue to fight for what we believe in. We have managed to change minds before and we will continue to do so every time we are knocked back down.

I am not afraid of your differences. We are one.