In the United States, 75 percent of students have no state laws to protect them from harassment and discrimination in school based on their sexual orientation. Kids who come out at a young age are at a higher risk of getting bullied. For this reason children stay in the closet until they can't anymore because they fear rejection. They don't want their friends’ opinions of them to change. Gay teens are also terrified that their parents will disown them if they found out. 26 percent of gay teens who came out to their parents or guardians were told they must leave home. Our society promotes that everyone be themselves and to love who they are but they also tell people to hide who they are because it’s not acceptable. Being gay/lesbian is not the “norm.” As of 2012 only 9 states in America allow gay-marriages. As of today 18 states allow same-sex marriage. In less than two full years it has doubled but it is still not enough. You can marry your third cousin once removed but marrying the person you love and want to share your life with is absurd in the eyes of society. All gay/lesbian people want is to be respected and treated the exact same way straight people do and I don't think that’s too much to ask. My best friend came out to me two years after we met. He said till that day it was the hardest thing he ever did. The whole time he was writing out the message he was hesitating whether he should press send or not. I admit at first I was a surprised and I wasn't sure how to handle it but then soon after I was used to it. At the end of the day he was still my best friend, the person I told everything to. Someone’s sexual preference shouldn't even be put into consideration. My friend wants to be able to hold a guy’s hand while walking through the park without everyone passing judgment. He wants to have the choice whether he wants to have a wedding. Being his friend has really made me realize the discrimination that surrounds us