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As a freshman at AUB,
I had the absurd notion that university life was going
to be the place where I could truly be myself in front
of everyone. However, just like a dead fish flushed down
a toilet, my beautiful dream seemed to disappear when I
took a sociology course during this year’s Fall
semester. When we reached the topic of homosexuality,
the whole class (of approximately 30 students), except
for 4 students, went berserk.
As usual, there were
the references to the holy books, the confusion between
homosexuality and pedophilia, and the occasional “It is
disgusting!” comment. I was stunned. I think I had
expected a miracle to happen during the summer before
high school graduates enter the new realm of university.
But alas, I started to understand that my naivety was
just my dream for tolerance and acceptance in my new
surroundings.
Spring semester
came along, and for English class, we all had to
research a topic under the “Human Rights” category to
present at the end of the course. I immediately selected
“gay rights in Lebanon,” and I started working on it as
soon as I possibly could.
What I found most
interesting was the fact that once I started explaining
to the class the difference between Helem and Meem, and
what they contribute to the gay minority in Lebanon,
more and more seemed to understand the importance of
those two organizations.
The shift in
ideology IS slowly happening. However, the problem is
that most people have never heard of either
organization, and most people do not really understand
what homosexuality means. I am hoping that with my final
research paper, I can change the mind frame of at least
one person when it comes to being open-minded and
accepting other people for who they are, no matter what
religion, gender, race, or sexual orientation the belong
to.
Step by step, I
believe that one day the majority of people in Lebanon,
and hopefully around the world will open their arms to
others without question of personal preferences or
inborn characteristics. Maybe then I can keep my naivety
and have faith in a world of cotton candy, flying
unicorns, and a cup of gold at the end of my rainbow. |
