Although pride month is coming to an end, sexuality remains an important topic. It is one of the many things that makes a person who they are. Sexual identification can range from homosexuality to asexuality and everything in between, so it can be quite a daunting task to navigate. Students should accept who they are, as it will lead to greater happiness. 

“For a while, I was questioning my sexuality, and I was stuck between is it right or is it wrong,” senior Melanie Munie said. “I was raised in a religious family that told me I couldn’t be that way. It took a long time for me to finally say that this is who I am, and that’s okay.”  

Self- love can be very rewarding. It is important to accept one’s self in order to achieve better mental health and well-being, according to owlcation.com. It can open up many other opportunities in life, such as meeting like-minded people.

“[After accepting who I was] I was able to breathe again, and I didn’t have to feel guilty for my feelings I couldn’t control,” Munie said. “It was a huge relief to finally admit to myself who I was and realize that I was okay with it.” 

Acceptance can bring relief; however, some people may not see these positive effects right away. Hate against the LGBTQ+ society is still prevalent. Seventeen percent of 8,828 attack victims in 2017 were due to sexual or gender identification, according to nbcnews.com. 

“It’s important to accept yourself because there’s already so much hate in the world and so many people will say you’re wrong or invalid if you’re different,” Munie said. “If you don’t accept yourself it makes life just that much harder.” 

Finding support from those in a close circle can make all the difference. Being open with sexuality helps students to become more confident and open to the idea of their preferences. Students are not alone in their fight and finding support from friends or family can make it much easier. 

“It’s more important than ever for all of us to start accepting and loving ourselves,” Munie said. “With so many awful, dark things happening in the world, we need to find comfort in ourselves and the people around us. We need to come together and accept each other for who we are so we can all make it through the difficult game we call life.”