We Need to Continue to Fight for LGBTQ, Racial, Women's and Religious Rights.

Things have gotten better for the LGBTQ community, but we still have work to do. I was saddened to learn of the suicide of another transgender teenager. Her parents did not accept her as she was. I cannot understand parents who do not love their children unconditionally. She left a suicide note online. She had felt like a girl in a boy's body since the age of four years. Her mother said that God did not make mistakes. To me it seems similar to other birth defects that needs to be corrected. Thankfully there are more parents who are supportive of their transgender children, but even one suicide caused by the lack of parental support is one suicide too many. Another thing that needs to be changed is that in some of the states in the U.S.A. people can be fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. (In some states, like North Carolina, an employer does not have to give a reason for firing someone.) In too many countries members of the LGBTQ community face the death penalty. We need to fight for human rights for all people all over the globe. Members of the LGBTQ community, women and members of religious minorities are facing severe inequalities and sometimes punishment in too many places.

We cannot stop fighting for an end to racial profiling by the police. The killing of black youths by the police has to stop. Police officers who commit these crimes need to be brought to justice. Racial and religious profiling of any kind needs to stop.. Too often people who are thought to or are Muslim are assumed to be terrorists. Have people forgotten that many terrorist acts have been performed by white supremacist groups? We need to continue to speak out until their is true justice for all people.