Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. Lesbian. How can your own family turn against you? How is it more horrible to love another man or woman than to love a different skin color? When did love become about what a person is rather than who a person is?

Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. Why do people think words hurt so much? Why do words hurt so much? After all, they have as much power as we give them. Why do we try and find the most hated words to throw at each other? Nigger. Spic. Rag head. Words on a page, words out of your mouth, words with no meaning at all until we give them meaning. And yet we start fights, shed tears, and draw lines over them.

Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. What is it about someone else’s personal life that we feel we have to attack them? We do not attack their color schemes in their bathroom, there inability to sing, or anything else dealing with their home and household. But we attack who they are. And why? How does who they are effect who I am? How does their love effect my love? How does their relationship effect who I want to be with, how I love, and what I do?

Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. Why is it the more accepting of people are the ones who are criticized themselves? Because they understand the abuse? They know what it is like to be judged and chastised for something they have no control over? Or is it because they know that who you are is not run by who you ought to be? Because they know what it is like to be true to one’s self? Or because they know that what you do has nothing to do with what I do or who I am?

Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. The words cut not because of what is said, but because of who says it. Mother, father, brother, sister, friend…lover. Nothing is wrong with being a lesbian. Nothing is wrong with being a dyke. Nothing is wrong with being a fag. What is wrong is how the terms are used. Anything used with the intent to harm is never good.

Lesbian. Dyke. Faggot. Whore. Bitch. Slut. Nigger. Spic. Fairy. On paper, they are what they mean. As words, they are letters put together. But spoken to someone else, they are a knife in the soul. And why? Who are these strangers to us? Who gives them the power to belittle us? Who gives them the right?

Lesbian. Dyke. Fag. Why should the connotation change just because of who says it? We cannot control what people say, but we can definitely control our reactions. It is not about inaction; it is about proaction.