The amount of times I hear the word “fag” thrown around on WKU’s campus, especially within greek life, is truly disgraceful.

Bigotry has been permissible for too long in Kentucky, and I’m so tired of it.

The word itself is so heinous, but to sling it around to demean LGBTQIA+ individuals like myself that contribute to campus is just beyond me.

I feel so terribly for the LGBTQIA+ youth in KY, because it is driving out queer leaders to inspire queer youth.

So we begin a cycle of queer leaders and activists fleeing Kentucky for areas where they’re more widely accepted and there aren’t slurs thrown around, and the queer youth are left to deal with it all over again.

I may not have a point here or even a solution, but just be kind. Be respectful. And think before you speak, because slurs hurt and cut deep. If I wasn’t a senior, I’d be considering transferring because it has truly gotten to be so unbearable. Be better.

And NO, a fraternity that accepts LGBTQIA+ and actively gives them a platform to grow and succeed is not “a bunch of fags,” they’re a bunch of decent humans. It’s 2020, get with it.