Holding hands: to many, it is second nature, but to the members of the LGBT+

community, its something to fight for. After Congress passed Obergefell vs. Hodges,
informally known as the same sex marriage equality act, some believe that the fight for
LGBT+ rights is over. But to others, both LGBT+ and not, the fight for rights is just getting
started.
The term LGBT+ is an abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, and other
sexual orientations. In an unscientific Oracle-conducted survey of 169 students, 14,79
percent consider themselves part of the LGBT+ community. For one member, junior Dasha
German, acceptance of her sexuality has not always been easy; she encountered bullying
when she realized she was bisexual in middle school..
Ive heard about people who have complained that Im too gay and thats not
cool, German said. I heard that when I was younger, and before [...] it was more like a fear
[that] somebody knows. Now its more like a painful thing because now thats a part of who I
am.
Although senior Nick Oh is not a supporter of LGBT+ rights, contrary to Germans
experience, he expressed that he would never discriminate individuals based on their sexual
orientation. According to Oh, being a Christian has influenced his beliefs that love should
only be between a man and a woman, but he wants people to acknowledge that, like him,
not all Christians discriminate against the LGBT+ community.
Some [forms of Christianity] are just wrong, Oh said. Like [in] the South, [with]
them beating up gay people because theyre gay, thats just morally wrong. [...] The only
reason why Im doing this interview is so people understand that not all Christians want to
kill gays. Some of them just want to leave them be. We know its a sin. We just want to help
them get rid of it, not [try] to be offensive to their love interest.
Like German, French teacher Matt Bertke faced LGBT+ discrimination while teaching
in his former school. Before working at South, Bertke said that he was harassed by students
who repeatedly called him faggot, and by the administration for not enforcing any policies
to stop it. However, at South, Bertke found a more accepting and encouraging staff and
student community.
At Glenbrook South [...] it doesnt feel like an issue for me, Bertke said. Staff are
supportive. Students dont even seem to care. [...] I dont hear hazing in the hallways. I dont
hear people mocking each other. Just because I dont hear it, that does not mean its not
going on. But at least students are being respectful around me, and so that is huge. [...] Our
human resources department provides health insurance for partners, even before the
marriage laws were passed. [It] provides parental leave for adoptions, so [...] even the
human resources department is hugely supportive.
Despite these early obstacles, Bertke eventually came out as gay to his friends at
age 21 and to his family two years later. According to Bertke, the time lapse between family
and friends was due to overall fear of criticism, especially coming from a devout Catholic
family. With all these concerns in mind, Bertke still chose to come out because he felt his
sexual orientation would always be the same whether or not he decided to tell his
community.
[Coming out was] terrifying and liberating all at the exact same time, Bertke said.
Its scary because you dont know how people are going to react. [...] But at the same time,
there is no more hiding. There is no more lying. Theres no more going behind peoples
backs. Its very freeing.
In contrast to how Bertke feels, Oh believes that people can chose whether or not to
be a part of the LGBT+ community. According to Oh, although people arent born LGBT and
are rather turned into it, he believes that there are ways to fight the feeling, such as by
staying away from same sex relationships. In Ohs view, which he claims stems from the
Bible, fighting the LGBT+ feeling will secure a person a place in heaven, but immediately
accepting the LGBT+ lifestyle will send them to hell.
According to my religion, being gay is a sin, and if youre a sinner, you go to hell,
Oh said. But according to me, Jesus [Christ] died for our sins so our sins are forgiven. So
what I believe is that as long as youre fighting it, [you] will go to heaven. So like some
people, they just cant help but be gay, [...] but as long as theyre fighting it, like trying not
to be gay, then they wont be. [...] The sad truth is [that if theyre not fighting it], then yeah,
[they would go to hell] probably.
Acknowledging both Bertkes and Ohs view, Katrina Prockovic, sponsor of Gay
Straight Alliance (GSA), believes that being LGBT+ can be a choice for some and an innate
part of their being for others.
Certainly over the last several decades, the idea that [this] is how you are born is a
very important part of the LGBT push for equal rights, Prockovic said. The idea that this is
who we are; were born this way. I also want to say though, that I think its normal and
healthy for people to experiment, and some of that might be a choice.
Whether being LGBT+ is a choice or something a persons born with, junior Kenny
McMahon supports any persons sexual orientation. However, McMahon does not support
same sex marriage due to his Christian background, as written in an unscientific Oracle-
conducted survey.
Although I support those that are gay, and they do deserve to have the same rights
as married couples, [...] I feel like marriage is a holy sacrament with God, and God says in
the Bible that marriage is between a man and a woman, McMahon wrote. Therefore, I do
not feel it is right to consider it marriage. Just give it a different name.
In contrast to McMahon, Jess Melchor, GSA co-president, was overjoyed on the same
sex marriage ruling.
I follow all these people on Twitter, so I was getting all my text notifications, and
people were like, Wow. Way to go, America, and I was so confused, Melchor said. So I
opened up all these links and it was [that] the official [Washington] DC Congress [said] that
[same-sex marriage was] legal for all 50 states, and it was so so beautiful. [...] I started
crying in the bathroom [...] I was so happy.
With this in mind, Melchor realized the new possibilities for the future. Prior to the
ruling, Melchor feared not being able to experience her best friends wedding, who is
bisexual. But with the new law, Melchor knows that their martial opportunities are one and
the same.
She will now be able to get married, which is a huge deal, Melchor said. And its
kind of sappy and nice to think about, that Ill actually be able to be a part of my best
friends wedding. Before all this, it was kind of like a what if type of deal. Thats just not a
good feeling at all because shes [...] my best friend. She deserves to be happy doing
whatever she wants. Its really nice to be able to be there for her, and [watch] her
experience milestones that I would have been able to do none otherwise.
Although Melchors fear never turned into a reality, for Bertke, this was a problem he
faced. Bertke and his husband were forced to get married in Iowa because Illinois had not
legalized same sex marriage in the year 2012 when they decided to get married. Although
Bertke felt that marriage just needed love to be true, his husband felt that it was important
to have the legal document for both title and economic benefits.
Im very philosophical about these sorts of things, Bertke said. its kind of like,
well, what is marriage? Marriage is a commitment between two people, so screw it if the
government doesnt want me to be married. If both of us believe were married, then were
married. And he is very much [...] like, No but its not fair. Its not really marriage. What is
this? And so he really wanted that certified stamp of approval and really was pushing for it.
According to Prockovic, acceptance of the LGBT+ community is not hard to achieve
because anyone is capable of understanding and coming to terms with the LGBT+
community regardless of race or generational gaps. She has seen this personally through
her father, who is an immigrant, 80 years old, and previously homophobic.
I saw my dad, who probably started off pretty homophobic in his life, [...] actually
change his mind, Prockovic said. And he did it with thought. He did organically. He did it
because he saw as a human being it actually makes sense, and welcoming all people
doesnt harm anyone. So to me, seeing that my dad, this older guy born in a different time
and place, could evolve in his thinking, that just gives me hope that everyone can and also,
frankly, I expect that everyone should. Its time.
 German has seen a similar change in her life, but on a larger scale. Particularly within
South, she has seen the acceptance of the LGBT+ community and their rights expand.
We as a country and as a community are starting to [...] accept all of these things
and learn more about them, and more importantly, let ourselves learn, German said.
Because before it would be like Yeah, gay people exist. Moving on. Now its more like
Yeah, they exist. They face problems. Lets help.