Smile

something very uplifting about this :) Laughter is an incredible thing

Big Boy Now... Part 1

...moving up in the world, being given more responsibilities, being forced to be more self-reliant. All of these things, supposedly, make a person more mature. I beg to differ. Recently myself and my peers have 'moved up in the world' so to speak. We wear suits, we roam freely and are trusted enough to take care of our own safety and welfare. As I saw this step up in the world coming towards me in the summer, I assumed that those sharing this graduation in responsibility, would become more mature. Oh, how could I have been more wrong?

I have been told many times by me superiors that my opinions and way of expressing them, is at a maturity beyond my age. I have also been told that those friends that I surround myself with are also mature beyond their age. I am proud of this. As we moved into this period of our lives with each other, we realised that this gift of responsibility was not a prize for maturity, but rather, a challenge to show your maturity. Sadly, others of my age group have not realised this. They assume that with all these responsibilities, they are able to be just as much of a child as before, except be punished less. Referring to them as children, maybe a little unfair. Children are innocent, learn from their mistakes and are often incredibly adept at forgiving and understanding people, more so than most adults. These people I take of are rather more like... well, toss-pots and selfish, arrogant, egotistical dicks.

They continue to make up ridiculous stories, make fun of those different to themselves in order to impress those around them, and show a deliberate lack of interest in their success, all, seemingly to prove they're 'real men'. What they do not realise is that the mark of maturity is not popularity, or the ability to demean those smaller than yourself, but rather the ability to be aware of your actions and how they may effect those around you. What's ironic is that they demean those people with that mark of maturity, those people that are 'real men' or 'real women'.

Yes I'm angry, and yes, this is personal. Yes, someone, an 'arrogant, egotistical dick' has chosen me to demean, in order to impress his peers. Don't worry - I gave him hell, and will continue to do so...

Sidenote- The stories an events involving this unfortunate situation will be described in part two. 

Getting Smart: Why Gay Marriage Should Be Legalized Throughout the US

So this is something i wrote about two years ago as an english assignment... Before I came out. Like most of my English pieces (not meaning to brag... well) it received full marks. My teacher, so impressed asked if I would read it out in class. It's fair to say that that was definitely in my top ten most terrifying moment EVER. Standing up and reading to a bunch of teenagers (most of whom found and still find the notion of being gay a novelty - more on that later) about gay marriage. Anyway here it is. 

In the United States and in other countries across the world, huge tensions and political debates are arising over whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalized. It is my opinion that by denying same-sex couples the right to lawfully wed, you make them second class citizens. Therefore, in the United States, same-sex marriage should be legalized presently.

It is often argued by those opposing the legalization of same-sex marriage that marriage is an institution meant between one man and one woman, this is also the argument written in US law.

However, this argument is clearly untenable. Who defines marriage? Religion? If this is the case, although the belief may be kept within religious communities, no religious text should directly affect US law, this very point is codified within US law, hence, if this is the case, US law is contradicting itself massively. If it is the married, however, who define marriage, then is it not unfair that those given and enjoying the right to marry can actively deny others the right to marry. Or, finally, it could be tradition that defines marriage. In which case, the tradition of marriage has been broken countless times throughout history, sometimes, for the better. One example of this is divorce, first legalized in Greek-Roman culture, then later on, famously legalized by Henry VIII in medieval England.

Another point often opined by US senates, is that marriage’s main purpose is for procreation and the stable raising of children. This is a point that often angers supporters of same-sex marriage. This is because this argument contradicts itself on so many levels, as well as failing to reward itself little sense. If this argument stated were to be codified in US law, it would not only deny same-sex couples to marry, but also infertile couples, and couples who have no intention of having children. It should also be pointed out that studies have shown same-sex couples just as capable as raising children as their heterosexual counterparts. And although same-sex couples are physically incapable of having children together, they are perfectly able to take part in surrogacy and adoption. 

Another fear that many people attain about the legalization of same-sex marriage, is that churches and other religious establishments would be forced to marry same-sex couples, hence putting there beliefs into disrepute. However the proposition contains no such statement, it would be a right not a requirement, that churches could marry same-sex couples. Nor would any law allowing same-sex marriage, deny the right of religious beliefs contradicting such a law.

After evaluating all of the above it is my belief that dis-allowing same-sex marriage is non-sensical and denies the liberation of around 5% of the US population.