The down low on the “down low”

You know, it really grinds my gears that there is no true form of acceptance at this University or any part of the world. That is, if you’re also a part of the LGBTQ community.
Well, of course, we are accepted within our own community, but in the layers that surround us, we still aren’t as accepted as I think we should be.
People around the world are exclusively and profusely excluded and ostracized if they are human enough to accept and be proud of whom they are in reference to their sexuality. Because of this, there is a profound number of people who are “down low” and are only interested in male-on-male contact as it pertains participating in an SEC sport, shaking hands to close a business deal, or laying hands at the altar.
From a LGBTQ male perspective, only a small number of straight males are willing to actually see someone that is gay or bisexual as a fellow comrade. The other majority only see us as filth, inhumane mockeries of ourselves, our families and our cultures.
Some of us aren’t even given the chance to be cordial, yet we are categorized as wimps and sissies.
Very few collegiate organizations and professional businesses provide a place of true equality. Of course, most of them have to state that there are pillars of acceptance within their constitutions or missions, but are those ideas carried out in everyday life through actual face-to-face interaction within and outside of those entities? The LGBTQ members rarely represent any of the organizations on a level that is more than basic membership or employment when in some cases they are the ideal candidate.
Do you think that LGBTQ people feel that they will always be openly accepted on official sporting teams? What about in Greek life? What about in student government or anything for that matter? No.
The amount of men and women who are openly a part of the LGBTQ community rarely hold positions or are even participate in organizations collegiately and beyond. So many of these platforms have the ground workings of equal opportunity and acceptance, when in reality, very few actually live up to it to extend the olive branch of education and understanding that will bridge another gap to the professional world for everyone.
Some people think having a piece of paper from the White House that says we can legally marry is the end all be all and there are no other forms of respect needed or due to anyone in the LGBTQ realm. They handed us a paper just to snatch away our pens.
Well, I have direct orders to inform, educate and flat-foot read anyone who plans to distract, delete or dehumanize myself or anyone else within “our” community.
So, call us sissies, double-dippers or whatever you would like. Either way, we-out dress you and can take your cover-ups of a girlfriend at any point in time. Stay in your lane and respect us. We are here.
Terrence Johnson is a sophomore journalism major from Shuqualak.