Homophobia is incredibly prevalent in our society. People may not feel comfortable in a changing room for fear of “being hit on,” as if homosexuals are sexually predators constantly on the attack. Homophobic adults to want to surround their kids with any gays or lesbians, for fear that “it’ll rub off on their kids” as though it were a spreadable and catchable disease. Individuals fear being hit on by the same sex, but embrace the opposite sex giving them attention. At the end of the day, people shouldn’t fear someone of their own gender paying them a compliment. All that you would need to do is take it for what it is- a compliment. Be flattered and embrace the courage of someone who has given you attention.

Gay men are put into certain categories as well. If they’re gay, they must be “flamboyant,” “whimsical,” and “feminine,” right? Wrong. Just because someone loves their own gender doesn’t mean that they can’t watch sports, be physically fit, or fall into any other “stereotypically male” category.

Lesbians are also typecast as “butch,” “masculine,” or “not lady-like.” Again, an emotional and sexual interest in someone with the same gender as you does not mean that you automatically lose your own gender.

With that being said, many people will ask homosexuals who is the “man” and the “woman” in a relationship, or who portrays the most stereotypic male or female qualities. Unless a man identifies himself as transgender, he is still male, regardless of sexual attraction. If a woman does not identify as a male, she is still a female. There is no “male” or “female” in a homosexual relationship- just two people of the same gender who fell in love for the same reason that a heterosexual couple would.

With more people feeling comfortable coming out to the world after the recent passage of gay marriage rights, it is my hope that these stereotypes will diminish. A person with homosexual interests is still a person. An attraction to the same gender does not make you any less male or female, and it definitely does not make you any less human.