With New York declaring gay marriage legal, LGBT rights have been a hot topic lately. Fortunately, many people are pro-gay marriage. However, it can be difficult to stand up for such a controversial issue in today’s society. But standing up for LGBTs is an important thing to do.

All over schools in the U.S., tons of children are bullied, a lot of the time for their sexual orientation. Standing up for these people is important because in many cases severe bullying can lead to suicide. In fact, gay and lesbian youths are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youths.

Standing up for LGBT and supporting them can be difficult, especially when in school where people are more likely to judge you, but there are things that make it easier. For instance, joining your school’s Gay Straight Alliance. Joining your school’s GSA is an easy way to support gay and lesbian youth. It can be hard, whether you’re gay or straight, to stand up for what you believe in, so joining a club for people who share the same ideas as you makes it much easier (and much more fun!)

Another way you can support gay youth is by showing it through simple acts. If someone’s passing out buttons or stickers that say you support equal marriage and rights, take one and wear it, or place it somewhere visible, like on your desk or bulletin board. It’s an easy way to voice your opinion without actually saying anything. Or if there’s a bake sale going on for your school’s GSA or something that supports gay rights you can show your support simply by buying a delicious chocolate chip cookie. You can even go a step beyond that just by sticking up for people being bullied at school. Even if your friends simply misuse their words, like saying ‘That’s so gay,’ say something. There’s a good chance your friends won’t be offended, but will learn to be more careful of what they say.

This sounds easy enough, but what do you do if someone challenges your opinion or bullies you because of your support? Remember that you’re not alone. Go to a teacher or school official, or bring some friends over. There is power in numbers, so if people see that you have a group that supports your opinion they’ll be less likely to challenge it. Standing up for what you believe in isn’t always easy, but there are lots of things that can make it easier, and it is the right thing to do.

I am a student interested in marketing and public relations and currently have an internship with www.diversitypromotions.com. diversitypromotions.com is a company dedicated to promoting positive messages about diversity, inclusion and multiculturalism through its Embrace Diversity product line (t-shirts, temporary tattoos, tote bags, volunteer or committee gifts, or custom products with your own message), educational endeavors (trainings, presentations, seminars, books, and articles), and special events such as establishing National Diversity Day. We have also written and published the book “Understanding Cultural Diversity in Today’s Complex World” in its’ fifth printing.