The perks of having an LGBTQIA+ friend
The LGBTQIA+ Community faced a lot of trials. However, as time passes by, people started to have a wider understanding of their community, especially with this current generation. Lesbian or gay or transgender or queer or intersex or asexual or non-binary individuals are people that we now see as a part of our family and some of them are even our friends.
The perks of having an LGBTQIA+ friend
Honestly speaking, they are unique. They are one of a kind. Having them as a friend isn’t just a coincidence. But, it’s also an opportunity to address the stigma and discrimination, and hatred amidst gender differences. Because that means you accept them wholeheartedly and their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender equality. Them as an LGBTQIA+ is just a bonus that lets us enjoy their presence.
The Cloud 9 Effect
Have you ever experienced laughing non-stop to the extent that you find yourself in tears? Well, if you haven’t, you’re missing out. Although many of them are introverts, some LGBTQIA+ individuals are an extrovert. Their social butterfly behavior makes them become a friend who randomly cracks silly jokes and makes weird faces anytime in any place.
In these kinds of instances, we laugh and we encounter The Cloud 9 Effect. They give us so much dopamine and it has become an unexplainable feeling of happiness we face together with the people we love. They serve as our main source of happiness. When we are with them, it’s usually a day full of positivity. Plus, you can never forget that you can never go wrong with a happy soul.
They are just one call away.
In terms of having a bad day, you don’t need to worry. You will always have a friend ready to listen to you. They’ll just say something like I’m all ears. Now, spill. They already know that you’re carrying the heavy baggage of problems. It can be a problem at home, at school, or even at work.
When you have an LGBTQIA+ individual as a friend, you have your own personal advisor or consultant. They can guide you on what to do and what not to do to solve your problems. They’re one call away and they will give you a shoulder to lean on.
Instant support system.
Having an LGBTQIA+ buddy will make your life easier. They are more flexible than others. Additionally, they can manage multiple emotions which results in a better grasp of what the person is trying to convey. Plus, they are adaptable. They always place their feet in other people’s shoes. That way, they can offer the best support that they can give. They will assure you that everything will be alright. Because it will be.
Having an LGBTQIA+ friend is an angel in disguise. You will see how caring, loving, and supportive they are. Their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender orientation aren’t something people should laugh at. They are humans like us and they don’t deserve the treatment that they have as the only thing they try to advocate for is acceptance, not tolerance.
Remember what LGBTQIA+icon Elliot Page said, “This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another.”
Nathalie Shien is a 4th year BUeño taking a degree in Journalism under the Department of Print and Broadcast Media at the College of Arts and Letters. She is a well motivated individual who finds writing as one of her favorite things to do. It is her past time hobby to write literary works such as poems, short stories and many more. Aside from this, she loves to talk with people, socialize with them as she saw that it is a great help to understand someone's story. Besides, her desire to become a great writer improved as she joined their school-based organization namely as Bicol Organization of Neo-Journalists (BONJour).