The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) conducted a nationwide survey of more than 10,000 gay and lesbian young people. The survey found that gay and lesbian teens are less likely to be happy than heterosexual teenagers and are more likely to report harassment and experiment with harmful substances. Seventeen percent of gay and lesbian students who responded also said they had been shoved, kicked or otherwise assaulted at their schools, while only 10 percent of heterosexual students report being physically tormented.

These results are disturbing. Why should anyone who is attracted to a person of the same sex be faced with homophobia and intolerance? It’s really a shame that in 2012 people continue to be harassed and degraded because of their sexual orientation.

Call me crazy, but shouldn’t people be able to do whatever they want with their lives? How does someone else’s sexual orientation affect other people? Being gay or lesbian is something unplanned and uncontrolled. You like who you like; you can’t help who you’re attracted to.

This survey is wake-up call for everyone. People should be judged by their actions and what is in their hearts, not by their sexual orientation, and no one should be bullied for who they love.