Being gay isn’t a matter of choice – Newsday

Being gay isn’t a matter of choice

Pride displays in schools are no different than celebrating Hispanic, Black or any other groups [“Be fair to those who oppose Pride items,” Letters, Nov. 28].

They are designed to make gay kids feel accepted. Far too many kids suffer bullying and hate, sometimes from their own family.

Many years ago, a good friend committed suicide because he could not deal with the bullying. Before then, his parents discussed the bullying several times with school administrators, and they were told it’s “just something kids do.”

There’s no such thing as “recruiting” gay kids. One has no more choice in being gay than choosing the color of one’s eyes, hair or skin.

Sadly, many choose to live their lives with hate and bigotry.

 — Terry McPherson, Bellmore

 Those with this anti-Pride attitude seem to believe that the Pride flag has a Medusa-like quality, hypnotizing innocent children with its rainbow colors and turning them gay.

We are who we are, we love who we love, and we all deserve respect and acceptance. That is what the flag means.

I think the real child “recruiters” are parents who are so fearful of their child maturing to be anything other than their own vision that they would, it seems, prefer them to have a lifetime of unhappiness.

 — Tiffanie Kempf, Remsenburg

Millions of dollars killing team loyalty

If people wonder why some of us no longer care about sports, all they need do is look at the latest multimillion-dollar fiascos surrounding the Mets and Yankees [“Jake spurns Mets,” Sports, Dec. 3].

Guaranteed money for years and years regardless of future performance? What happened to loyalty to the team — and of greater import — to the fans who supported them?

There are no “teams” anymore, just a bunch of guys in a particular uniform for a while.

 — Richard M. Frauenglass, Huntington

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