There needs to be enforcement of LGBT protection laws. There are still vast amounts of ignorance in America’s society, especially in the South, that effect the Gay {Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Asexual, etc.} and Transgender community. This happens especially to the youths who are unsure of their own orientation. There is absolutely no justifiable reason for this treatment now or in the past. It is un-American.

Ignorance and unwarranted, blind hatred is still very much alive in the United States. There is still a substantial amount of people who hate, and persecute those in the LGBT community. Since From January 2013, to October 2014 there were over 770 documented killings of LGBT members, and countless more since then. On August 8th, 2015, Amber Monroe was shot to death because she was transgender. On July 21st, 2015, India Clarke was bludgeoned to death because she was transgender. Both of these were women of color. The police did not consider these as hate crimes. There have been several more killings in Southern states that police did not bother to investigate or arrest a killer. The southern states were even the last ones that put the legalization of marriage into effect.

The youths have had especially bad treatment. According to the CDC, 31% of Gay and Lesbian students and 32% of Bisexual students have had forced Sexual intercourse at some point in their lives. The suicide and attempt rates of LGBT teens have average at 35% to 40%. This is an unacceptable amount. These teens feel unsafe, and they are afraid to speak about it because their parents might not accept them. 40% of homeless youth are LGBT, either rejected and kicked out because of their parents, or to get away from an abusive or unsupportive household. 

There is no reason for this. Sure, there is religious text that would be against it. But in the same text, it expresses that one should care for another, and one should be courteous to their neighbor. And there are those that say that it is just what they were taught, but if they acknowledge this, then why do it? It is no excuse. There is no excuse for this. It’s just ignorance, and the fear that is put into the unprotected LGBT community from those that will use violence, slurs, and being treated like less than people.

Americans believe in Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but these same humans who proclaim this would condemn another because of their sexual orientation, or if they are transgender. How can this be a free country if a significant amount people cannot express their love in public? Or if one is killed because of their choice in partner? Or called a monster because of what they want to proclaim as their gender?

These crimes cannot be considered acceptable. There needs to be a better protection, a force, laws, anything, to help protect against the violence and persecution of LGBT persons. Sex should not be a death sentence.