I so very very badly want to read this essay. VM me the second you've posted it with a link.
As it turns out I was probably exaggerating when I said "essay" (Maybe not, but I don't really want to go on and on about this). But yeah, my stance on this issue is not something that I can answer easily with a sentence, not because I'm not good at being succinct, but I don't really want people to be misunderstood. Also my apologies for not noticing this earlier.
I am tolerant of people with different sexuality than what I possess, but if I was asked the same question about 10 months ago, probably not. I was raised in a Christian family, and I was taught by my parents, especially mother, that being gay is sinful. I believed that ever since I asked my parents about the whole issue, which was like... when I was in middle school?... Subsequently every time I ask my mom about anything related to sexuality, she'll worry that I'm gay and I'm committing a grave sin or something. Right now it sounds like a plop of horse ****, but I actually used to believe that. I'm sure she meant no disrespect, but as an older generation, she doesn't realize that the world has moved forward so looking back on it, it was a very poor decision to take advice from my mother. However, I won't put all of my blame on Christianity and religion in general, because well, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
So what steered me away from this belief? Well, one of my closer friends I made during the first semester of my university, one day last semester he just looked glum and embarrassed, and after some long-winded talk and circumlocution he finally said was gay. I guess he decided to "go out," as some of you may call it. Obviously the news shocked me, but on the outside I just said I accepted it despite feeling otherwise on the inside, because I didn't want to lose a friend just because I didn't want to upset him in an emotional situation. I was shocked not because he was gay, but how "normal" he always was, and how contrasting it was compared to the stereotype of girly, fanny, weird, rebellious characteristics that I thought all gay people possessed. I'm still friends with him and we still talk often, and I tolerate his sexuality, but back then I was just so confused, because my former ideals clashed with what I saw in my friend.
So yeah, I could go on and on about how my native country Korea treats LGBT community and how I believed such and such and make excuses, but in the end, the problem was with my ignorance and I'm glad I have better knowledge about this whole sexuality business.
