Perhaps my grandchildren's generation will see people as people — regardless of their lifestyle, writes Dwayne Tuck. (Andrew Sampson/CBC)

Pride week in St. John's is being held from July 12-21, with the Pride parade scheduled for July 14.

The Pride movement is one that aims to break down gender stereotypes and promote inclusion and respect for people who might be gay, lesbian, transgender, asexual, and everything in between.

If you are not familiar with any of this, feel free to head over to the St. John's Pride website and have a read.

You might ask yourself why people feel the need to have and participate in a pride parade. The simple answer is that it is necessary. Unfortunately, many people who live outside the perceived "normal" male/female lifestyle have been ostracized in the past and continue to face discrimination in today's society.

There are a multitude of reasons why people aren't open about their sexual orientation or gender identity, not that it's any of our business to begin with.

This 1989 file photo provided by the Matthew Shepard Foundation shows Matthew Shepard in San Francisco. Shepard's brutal murder in the 1990s became a rallying cry for the gay rights movement. (Dennis Shepard/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP)

There are many countries where homosexuality, for example, is punishable by death.

How many deserving people are skipped over for that promotion? How many people are on the receiving end of jokes, humiliation, and harassment?

In 1998, 21-year-old gay man Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence, beaten, and left for dead near Laramie, Wyo. He died six days later from massive head trauma.

His murder is just one of the many senseless acts perpetrated by homophobes who place no value on the life of an LGBT person.

The golden rule

I'm at a loss for words to explain how I feel about this. I'm not a religious person but there is one lesson I learned in Sunday school when I was a child that I always carry with me: the golden rule.

Simply put, treat others as you would like to be treated. Period. There is no grey area. We are all human beings and we all deserve to be treated equally.

Perhaps my grandchildren's generation will see people as people — regardless of their lifestyle.

Things are changing in many parts of the world. Some countries have repealed laws that made homosexuality illegal. LGBT personalities are more visible and outspoken than they ever were. This is a good thing.

Remember Rock Hudson? A handsome "ladies man" who was a darling of the silver screen in the 1950s and 60s. He was gay. He died of AIDS-related complications in 1985. Had he been open about his sexuality, I can guarantee you his career would have met a swift end.

People hold a giant flag during the Pride parade in Toronto, Sunday June 25, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch (Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press)

We still have a long way to go — a very long way. I'm 47 years old. Perhaps my grandchildren's generation will see people as people — regardless of their lifestyle. I truly hope so.

I'd love to see people shouting from their rooftops — "I'm gay!" — and have no one bat an eye.

I have friends, coworkers and family members who don't fit within the conventional male/female roles. I'm cool with that. It's not a big deal. They aren't going to kidnap and sodomize you. They aren't going to make their children gay.

They have no motive other than to live a happy, productive life like everyone else. Equality isn't about you giving up anything. You have nothing to lose. It's about ensuring others aren't forced to do without all of the same rights and privileges that you have.

Two men walked hand in hand in the 2018 St. John's Pride Parade. (Andrew Sampson/CBC)

If you drive past my house, you'll see my garbage receptacle at the end of the driveway. It's painted in a rainbow of colours. It's my way of showing people that my home is a safe place for anyone, that we accept anyone at face value, that we respect and value everyone.

Sure, I didn't have to do that but I wanted to. It was a choice. The same way you can make a choice to be an ass or to not be an ass. The former takes much more effort than the latter. I don't have lofty goals in life. I think my main purpose is to leave this place just a little bit better than it would have been without me. I think that's something we can all do.

"Get down off your bloody soapbox!" you might be saying. Well, I'm certainly not without my faults. I'm no expert on this subject but here's the thing: you don't have to be. You don't need a doctorate in sociology to know how others should be treated. Perhaps some of you do, I don't know. If that's the case, I hereby bestow upon you an honorary doctorate.

Now go forth and be a good person.

Students in Springdale who were turned down by the town's council when they asked for a rainbow crosswalk were grand marshals of the 2018 St. John's Pride parade. (Andrew Sampson/CBC)

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