I was raised in a profoundly Catholic household. Mass every Sunday, lengthy prayers before meals, where your food would literally start to get cold before it touched your lips, and a shrine in the kitchen corner. But the most significant message we got from our parents was always one of love, kindness and empathy.

The version of Jesus that lived in our home was the one who helped others regardless of their colour and creed. We were brought up in love to love others. We were raised to make the world a better place. As conservative as they could sometimes be, my parents never ever disregarded anyone for any reason and never spoke ill of anyone for being different to them.

That’s why when I read the article detailing how a couple of Christian parents withdrew their children from school after learning their son’s new teacher was gay I was not only dismayed that such bigotry is alive and well in 2025 but I’m also appalled at how supposed religious values are being used as an excuse to try to make it sound like gay people shouldn’t have certain jobs.

I’m going to get on my soapbox and say it loudly again for the cheap seats at the back: sexuality is not a choice, nor should it be a hindrance. You don’t choose who you’re attracted to and repressing who you are only causes great damage to the self and anyone else you’ve saddled with you for the ride. Furthermore, this idea that straight people are somehow bastions of morality just because they were born attracted to the opposite sex is equally erroneous. Sexuality doesn’t define morality or lack thereof. Being gay isn’t a prerequisite for promiscuity.

If you’re a parent trying to avoid your children having any contact with gay people under the evident fear that they too might ‘turn’ gay, then perhaps keep them at home and never let them outside because gay people are everywhere and always have been. Are parents going to vet the hospitals, too, and ask that a gay nurse or doctor doesn’t tend to their needs? As long as people do their job in a professional way, why do you care so much about who they love? What difference does it make to you?

There are a lot worse things than being attracted to the same sex, such as being self-righteous and judgemental towards someone who has done absolutely nothing to you but dare to exist. Where’s the charity? The love thy neighbour part of the equation? Or can you only love your neighbour if he’s exactly like you?

And what’s all this noise about protecting children? Protecting children from what exactly? I’m sure that I had several gay teachers over the years but it’s not negatively impacted me in any way. All of the worst teachers I ever had were straight.

Every single person alive is different and unique in their own way and we should be telling our children to focus on finding the beauty in others, not giving them tools to destroy and alienate. This isn’t about being “woke”; it’s about being able to live in the world with others with love, empathy and understanding. That should be the only legacy you pursue. Life is cruel enough without creating divides that are simply not needed.

Everyone deserves a place in the world. You don’t have more right to be here just because you’re straight.