I’m going to be honest here.

I’m tired.

I’m tired of fighting.

I’m tired of struggling to ensure rights are respected, tired of the battle against a tsunami of hatred and loathing and ignorance. I’m worn out.

You see, I’ve been fighting this battle since I was about twelve, almost thirteen. I can tell you the exact moment when it struck me that it was wrong to deny someone the right to love another human being because they are the same gender.

It was the day my father said something about one of my friends… a fourteen year old boy. A scrawny, happy, smiling fourteen year old boy named Stewart.

He said, “I hope that fucking faggot dies. I hope someone kicks his ass and he fucking dies.”

A fourteen year old boy.

My father was a police officer at the time, untouchable, arrogant, and armed. He is a…