This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As a 15-year-old in a modern city, I don't give a second glance to gay people. I see them every day: They smile, they laugh, they cry, they like the same sex, they live. I go to school with them, know them and, most important, respect them. Nearly everyone I know feels the same way.
The population that despises gays is the older generation. Here's their problem: They are old. They are old and they are stubborn. They refuse to accept change because they aren't used to it.
When their generation expires, gays will be openly accepted by the rest of the community. Before their time ends, and it is coming to a close, they should fix at least one of the problems they created for us: Just let the gays be married. To each his own. Everyone is happy.
Will Ryan
Salt Lake City