Levithan and McLean Article

After reading and reflecting on Boy Meets Boy and the articles tying to GLBTQ, I found myself surprised by the emotions that were discussed or tied to their culture.
I was most surprised by the statistics shared in the articles. I found it shocking that GLBTQ people are depressed and likely to commit suicide, but as I reflected on some of the hardships that they must face in our society I better understood how difficult it would be to meet such oppression.
The article discussed gay and lesbian adolescents as being “frequently depicted as guilty, ashamed, bitter, desperately unhappy individuals who would give anything to be “normal” (McLean, p. 183). This quote makes me feel that it is even more pivotal that this community of people needs more literature that focuses on positive experiences of coming out that show that it is acceptable to be who they are rather than be ashamed of who they are.

After reading this article, I started to think about the different movies and novels that I have read about the GLBTQ population. All of the main character that were GLBTQ struggled in some way in their life.
I also began thinking about how gay, men in particular seem to be associated with AIDS. This association only continues people’s negative thoughts and misunderstandings about this population.
The article made the connection that the Old Testament injunctions against homosexuality are directed toward males. This could possibly be why so many of the texts today about GLBTQ end in death or tragedy.
Levithan made an essential argument in his article, “being gay is not an issue, it is an identity. It is not something that you can agree or disagree with. It is a fact, and must be defended and represented as a fact.” Identity is a huge role in a person feeling whole. Anyone would be unhappy if they felt that they could not claim part of their identity, such as their race or gender with out being criticized. It is not just a label; it is a part of the person.