Love and let be 

It is gay pride week and the ignorant are out and about, parading their Bibles and asking why we queers feel the need to “display” our affection and sexual “preferences.” Let’s get something straight: Preference implies there’s a choice, and allow me to iterate the plain fact that it is not

Frankly I didn’t choose to have food thrown at me during a break period in high school, and have students antagonize me with obscene words and concepts in middle school. We don’t choose to be kicked out of our homes, shunned from places of worship, or lose friendships. We don’t need help changing who we are; we need acceptance and love just like every other human being.

Jeremy Kincaid (“Unwelcome learning about gay marriage,” July 3) seems to possess the idea that love can corrupt morals and values. I say congratulations to this man’s son’s teacher on finally having society validate your love — and to the many others of you marrying soon.

I’d like to praise Joe Stayton (“You first on privatizing sex talk,” July 3) for pointing out clear double standards on sexual expression between heterosexuals and homosexuals. May I remind you all, though, that this is not just a matter of sex? Here we are talking about love and the reaches to which it extends in our lives. Due to prejudice, our love as queers often causes stress at school, the work place, home, and even with strangers. Heterosexuals very rarely experience the stresses of which I speak. I concede your right to feel how you do, but don’t let your Christian standards dictate my happiness.