I REALLY NEED ADVICE ABOUT MY DIVERSITY STATEMENT, PLEASE :)
Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:44 pm
Being a young homosexual male coming of age in a tiny rural town in Massachusetts was a metaphorical death sentence. My peers focused on my sexual orientation with razor-sharp precision, paying little or no attention to my odd Greek last name or my Puerto Rican ethnicity. Though I was not the only gay student, I was the only one open about my sexuality. The others were too scared to be honest about their sexual preference, especially after watching our peers denigrate me daily. As the years progressed, the social transformation was predictable: I evolved from “the girl” in elementary school, to the “the gay kid” in middle school and finally graduated to “the [homophobic language redacted]” in high school. The perpetual taunting, mockery, hateful rhetoric, and physical violence would have been sufficient to drive a weaker person to suicide. Being dismissed based solely on my sexual orientation, without regard for my intellectual ability or my character, was demoralizing. I was reduced to “the fairy freak” in the circus sideshow act that was secondary eduction. I never responded to the verbal or physical attacks; instead I was resolved to embrace my faith and keep my head held high in stoic, magnanimous silence. Sir Winston Churchill once proclaimed: “Kites fly highest against the wind, not with it.” I am living, breathing proof of this.
I hoped, in vain, that the bigotry would subside – perhaps dissipate – as people grew older. As I became politically aware, I realized that discrimination in schools and in the broader social context always concealed itself behind words, albeit rhetoric or unjust law. Due to these unjust laws, I have found myself in many painful situations. I have consoled an elderly woman after she was prohibited from visiting the hospital bedside of her female partner who lay helplessly dying of brain cancer. I was heartbroken to see the dream of parenthood crumble as an adoption counselor informed a close family friend that they were being denied adoption rights in favor of more “traditional families”. I have shared the anger of acquaintances that were discharged from the U.S. Navy under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Soon it became clear to me that not all justice is equal. There are laws that are not founded upon equality, much to the detriment of our country.
Upon my first visit to Washington D.C., I remember standing in the entranceway of the U.S. Supreme Court building, and staring up at the venerated engraving, “Equal justice under law”. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the power in that simple phrase. If law is the basis on which societies are built, then equal justice serves as the foundation and the guiding light to legal theory. If laws serve to equally protect people, then those laws must be founded upon equal justice – laws that apply only to some have no place in our legal system. My experiences with discrimination based on my sexual orientation have helped me to realize the importance of equal justice to the law, for I have witnessed how people lose faith in the justice system when laws are perceived to be disproportionate. I am cognizant of the intricate connection between the law and people and how law impacts society, which will help me to succeed in the legal field. My history, and that of those I have known, has helped inspire my pursuit of a law degree. Their stories have bolstered my determination and confidence in my ability to help bridge the credibility gap between the gay community and the justice system. I also believe with the enactment of strict anti-gay bullying laws, young gays and lesbians would have the freedom to come to terms with their sexual identity openly and honestly, reassured by the fact that they will always have equal justice under law. I will use my legal education to be a strong force behind this change.
I hoped, in vain, that the bigotry would subside – perhaps dissipate – as people grew older. As I became politically aware, I realized that discrimination in schools and in the broader social context always concealed itself behind words, albeit rhetoric or unjust law. Due to these unjust laws, I have found myself in many painful situations. I have consoled an elderly woman after she was prohibited from visiting the hospital bedside of her female partner who lay helplessly dying of brain cancer. I was heartbroken to see the dream of parenthood crumble as an adoption counselor informed a close family friend that they were being denied adoption rights in favor of more “traditional families”. I have shared the anger of acquaintances that were discharged from the U.S. Navy under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Soon it became clear to me that not all justice is equal. There are laws that are not founded upon equality, much to the detriment of our country.
Upon my first visit to Washington D.C., I remember standing in the entranceway of the U.S. Supreme Court building, and staring up at the venerated engraving, “Equal justice under law”. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the power in that simple phrase. If law is the basis on which societies are built, then equal justice serves as the foundation and the guiding light to legal theory. If laws serve to equally protect people, then those laws must be founded upon equal justice – laws that apply only to some have no place in our legal system. My experiences with discrimination based on my sexual orientation have helped me to realize the importance of equal justice to the law, for I have witnessed how people lose faith in the justice system when laws are perceived to be disproportionate. I am cognizant of the intricate connection between the law and people and how law impacts society, which will help me to succeed in the legal field. My history, and that of those I have known, has helped inspire my pursuit of a law degree. Their stories have bolstered my determination and confidence in my ability to help bridge the credibility gap between the gay community and the justice system. I also believe with the enactment of strict anti-gay bullying laws, young gays and lesbians would have the freedom to come to terms with their sexual identity openly and honestly, reassured by the fact that they will always have equal justice under law. I will use my legal education to be a strong force behind this change.
are you already in law school or are you applying this cycle as well?