Most people are so excited for homecoming. Me, I dread it. People walk around comfortable in their own gender and look so handsome and beautiful in their suits and dresses, while I’m too ashamed to even stand up straight. I look at my date and I see how uncomfortable she is. I hear the laughing. I see the looks.

I hate it.

I hate homecoming.

Imagine walking into a room and having all eyes on you. Holding hands with your same-sex partner and getting the looks and the snickers and the laughter. It’s a terrible feeling. To not feel accepted where you live is like a penguin living in the desert: a weird sight that isn’t good for the penguin itself.

This is a reason why a lot of LGBT students avoid these school sponsored events.

Most people don’t give a second thought to how LGBT students feel at these school affairs. Most heterosexual, straight couples give looks to the only two guys or girls in a room. It’s intimidating. To be looked at for just trying to enjoy your night with somebody you care about makes the whole “fun” of the night gone.

Four out of ten LGBT youth feel that their community is not accepting and out of the eight percent of LGBT kids in high school, four out of ten feel that they can’t be comfortable in their community, according to The Human Rights Campaign.  This includes simple things like school dances, where you’re supposed to enjoy a night of dancing and laughter.

Instead you’re stuck in a never ending cycle of feeling like you don’t belong there.

It’s sad to think about all the times in history where an LGBT student hasn’t felt safe or comfortable at school. I can say now it has changed quite a bit, but we still see the difference between a heterosexual couple and homosexual couple. There shouldn’t be one.

I was once told by a family friend– an immigrant, specializing in cardiovascular surgery– that everybody’s the same on the inside no matter what.

Everybody has the same heart.

We all have a heat, but some people need to deliberately choose when to show those emotions from the heart and that’s not correct. Love should be everywhere at South. Even if we’re different we’re all the same.

Homecoming is defined as the return of a group of people, usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home. South should be every student’s home.

We learn here 180 days of the year and we have to learn to understand one another. We may not get along all the time, from different interests to different viewpoints to  different backgrounds, but everybody deserves to feel welcome in their learning environment. Even if it’s just for one night where an LGBT student wants to have fun with their date or significant other.

Even if you don’t agree with it don’t stare, don’t laugh, don’t snicker.

Accept.