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WRITE FOR YOUR RIGHTS: TAKE A STAND AGAINST DISCRIMINATION ESSAY CONTEST
Third Place Winner: Brandon Cranmore, age 17, Meridian, MS
I have known for as long as I can remember that homosexuality was a part of my surroundings, and a very big part of me. My sister was a lesbian, but it never became a huge part of my life until I understood what it meant. I would hear people in school making fun of gays and lesbians and I never understood why, because in my family it was okay. Well I was soon to realize that I was gay, and that part of me never wanted to open itself to the world, because of the fear of being picked on, called names, spit on, beat up, or even possibly dead.
Then one day, it didn't matter anymore. I saw this kid get slammed into a locker while one of my "friends" called him a faggot. I was appalled by this sight and went for the immediate reaction that soon changed my life for good. Out of utter nerve I yelled, "I'm gay, why not kick my ass?" My friends looked at me in bewilderment and laughed. "Yeah right, good one Brandon." They didn't want to believe me. After that incident I knew it was time for change. I slowly began to drift out of the closet and face a world of hate, discrimination and fear. I knew what I was in for, and others warned me that what I was doing was stupid, but it wasn't stupid for me. For me, it was a desire. A desire that urged to take a stand for something that felt strongest in my heart. After the whole school finally figured out I was gay, I never lost a single friend, but made enemies I never even knew. One guy in particular would purposely leave threats in my locker, accidentally spill food on me, or trip me in the hallway. I just ignored it, but that wasn't enough. I could not let anyone be hurt like that anymore because of their sexuality. I finally took a stand for myself, and for the world. I started a petition around school saying, "Do you hate me because I am gay, or because you don't know me?"
It was meant for everyone who signed that petition to meet in the auditorium after school. It was time to make a change. 120 students showed up, out of 133 that signed. I held a 30-minute slide show and lecture that had a good majority of them crying, and even regretful for hating gay people. Some changed, and some didn't. I am finally out of that school, but it makes me feel like I have done something in the world, in one little place -- like what I did might change the life of another.
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