Are You Born This Way?

This is an oratorical speech of mine. I presented it on our final exam in our Speech class. Nothing. I just felt so empowered to say these lines. I was just inspired. Glory to God and to my Mother - Lady Gaga. I just want to share my thoughts.

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Folks, it is a superb opportunity and a great pleasure of having you here, as we celebrate the liberation of our minds from all the corruption.

            Forty-eight years had passed since the great Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed his sentiment about racial discrimination. His speech emancipated so many doubts, not only of the black Americans, but also those races all over the world. They were no holds barred from then on. Moreover, today, we must start gender deliverance and concession. If they say that, there is already freedom and justice, then let us all feel that there really is.

            God created us, in accordance to His will, equally. Now, why is there partiality? Why is there discrimination? Why is there a feel of superiority over others? These questions I consistently ponder these past few days. In addition, as I critically analyze and search for answers, I asked myself again, “Is it just most mouths are that afraid to voice out such issues or there are just ears who are not willing to listen to, if not appreciate, the premises to be presented?”  But as I heard two lyrically-brilliant songs, Fucking Perfect and Born This Way, sung by Pink and Lady Gaga respectively, I became inspired and empowered – empowered, in a sense, that I realized that there’s more to life than running, hiding, and doing nothing even before you die.

Critics may bash me with all the words that may come out from my mouth now, but I just do not care. If the world is scared, then I swallow my fear. As Turnus, a character from Virgil’s Aenid, quoted, fortes fortunate adiuvat – fortune favors the bold. I am that brave to present you three propositions for you to think of. First is the homosexual discrimination. Gays and lesbians alike were always discriminated with the way they look, with the way they act. Their morality is likewise questioned. The Catholic Church is not at ease, if not totally against, with them. They are condemned. However, what do we know about them? Their predicaments? Do they know something about the things they’ve been through? Are they a disease everyone must be afraid of? Are they of convicted person’s level? Think. In fact, how do they fight something that’s out of their control? Some theories hypothesized that it is caused by some genes, but, honestly, psychosocial factors greatly affect one‘s mind. Even in the animal kingdom, or with plants, homosexuality occurs. They are normal; they are human. If you condemn them, you’re just belittling yourself. Therefore, who are we, especially the Church, to judge them? Isn’t it what you contribute is more important than what you possess? To all the gays and lesbians all over the world, stand up and be defiant. Be defiant enough to be yourself without harm. Be defiant enough not to be outcast, bullied or teased by anyone. We are born to be ourselves, not to be what others want us to be.

My second point is gender stereotyping. It is the struggle between men and women. Men should not typecast women from what they usually do. Ever since the civilization began, women are always under men’s powers. Men always claim superiority, though they are damn wrong. Both parties can do what the other can. God made us uniformly, and so with our abilities. Thank goodness, for those women with unwaveringly contribution to our progress these past few decades. Henceforth, they must be acknowledged. I am saying this not because I am a feminist, but because I want to set the records straight.

On the other hand, as part of men’s so-called superiority, some tend to be abusive. Once they are mad, they are becoming violent. However, we are not bound to hurt anyone, in any form. Every one of us has no right to hurt anyone – whether human, animal, or the environment. We are born to be equal, in all sides, in all forms.

My third notion is the gender acceptance. Homos may not be discriminated, men and women may not be stereotyped, but do all these and other premises be accepted and harmonized? The society is always cruel to those new to their eyes. People who do not belong to the norms of the society must painstakingly prove their worth just to be accepted. For instance, the bisexual community. They are the most misunderstood people on earth. They are always overlooked by others. They are those people who have to prove to those straights that they are not gay, yet they must prove to homos that they are not straight. People may get aloof of their presence, knowing that they are of different circle. Either or, they are trying to hide their true selves in front of others, regardless of others’ orientation, due to the fear of rejection. Rejection, in a sense, that can be insulting. It is because some may hate you for being who you are and try to change you. Remember that it’s always hard to deny and to be denied. On that note, both worlds may screw you up and leave you alone. Being bisexual is not being a faker, a schizoid, or just after having sex. Most likely, they’re just confused of being who they are or they’re just capable of attraction towards any orientation. To promote true freedom and fairness in our society, these people must be given a chance to penetrate into a world created by some than letting them creating their own – as ostracized civilians. We are born to be recognized and to be upheld.

When it all happens, when we allow true freedom to abode in our hearts, minds, when we let each other and every country live accordingly, and happily, we will be able to die free from any hurt. No matter what gender you are, in God’s eyes, we are all the same. To Him, there's no high or low position. Let us live His way, because God makes no mistakes. Just follow your track, be brave because you were born that way.