People are being kicked out of their homes, fired from jobs and having to answer personal questions about their sexual orientation across the nation, due to closed-minded business owners. They are being extremely violated to the point where community leaders and local residents are considering passing laws to protect the LGBT+ community.

OK, so according to the Riley County Community Needs Assessment, a survey about community-wide resources conducted by Wichita State University’s Center for Community Support and Research, discrimination due to sexual orientation and race in the last year were both reported by over 17 percent of the 1,126 respondents and focus groups.

In addition, the members of the Flint Hills Human Rights Projects are also discussing LGBT+ discriminations and ways to solve it.

Here’s a wild thought for landlords and employers. Stop being a jerk. Just because you don’t think something is right doesn’t mean it’s wrong. You are entitled to your own beliefs and opinions; just be aware of who you might be hurting when you act on them.

I understand that there are many aspects and reasons as to why people think the way they do; it can come down to religious or moral beliefs. Yet, your ultimate moral belief should be to respect other’s differences. Show your respect and move on. Let’s all pretend we’re a semi-decent society and that we respect people’s decisions even if, in our eyes, it’s not the choice that’d you’d make. Just imagine how great that’d be.

As a society, we have defined what is normal and what is alien. I understand that this has carried on for centuries, but we can make a difference; we’re already halfway there. In a story published on the Tampa Bay [Fla.] Times’ website on Sunday, Hillsborough County, which banned the pride parade a few years ago, is gathering its charter review board to weigh whether sexual orientation and gender identity should be added to the charter’s anti-discrimination section.

Life is about meeting a diverse group of people and gaining more perspective in order to grow as a person. It is crucial that we keep an open mind.

Personally, I am gay. I have been gay for as long as I can remember, but I grew up in a family and a culture that frowned upon that; in fact, death was the punishment. So, I had to suppress all of these feelings because I was made to believe that I was wrong. In order for me to live somewhat happily, I have to live by other people’s principles, and I shouldn’t have to. Nor should the people who are being harassed in public situations.

I’m not asking you to change your entire belief system, I am simply asking for you to respect who I am.

People are being incredibly hurtful and close minded that it has created an inhospitable environment for LGBT+ people to live freely as themselves. So it’s either we change the way we see the world, or we enforce laws to protect the LGBT+ community.