Thursday, March 21, 2013

LGBTQ Exclusion

I think that perhaps, the strangest feeling, is being excluded by a group of people who are feeling excluded.
On Tuesday I went to a LGBTQ Youth Leadership conference. I was planning to stay until Thursday evening. My roommates were really nice and so was my group leader.
I want to make it clear that I am an ally to the LGBTQ community. I am a straight girl supporting every single LGBTQ individual on their journey to where ever they are going. I even help run the GSA at my school and I love everyone that comes.
I expected to go to this conference to learn, to help, to befriend, really just to support everyone. But it seems that these LGBTQ conferences are not made for allies. They are made for queer youth. And that would have been okay for me, had someone, anyone, bothered to include me.
It seems that the group of people who most want to be accepted in our society and feel they have the most difficulty in "fitting in," can't even let others "fit in," with them.
I am here to support, I am here to be your friend, what does it matter if I'm straight or not? Is it because I'm unable to sympathize with your struggles?

It is a strange experience though. The idea of being excluded because you are not like the rest. I finally, truly understand how they feel. What it's like. But I don't know what to do because this group of people is feeling like they just want to "fit in," but how can they "fit in," when they aren't even willing to accept others for who they are. It is a difficult concept.
In a way, I am happy for the experience because now I know. But it also makes me very sad because I'm not too sure if they even realize what it is that they're doing.

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