Arturo: Age 17, Queens

I think gay rights are the same thing as straight rights. I think a gay person should be able to walk down the street holding hands like a straight person and not get harassed.

If I could change the world, homophobia wouldn't be the norm. Unfortunately, it's still acceptable to be homophobic. If a person calls another person a "faggot", nobody says anything. In school, students say homophobic things all the time and the teachers don't say anything. I think that's wrong. It's not right and it's not fair.

Gay rights mean not being discriminated against and not being put into an uncomfortable or dangerous situation because you're gay.

Hetrick-Martin opened a lot of doors for me. It was the first place where I could be open. Before, I just pretended to be straight, because I was all by myself. I can be who I am now.

I'm going to go to the Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade this year for the first time. I think it will be a lot of fun. It'll be one of the most comfortable places I've ever been because it's a chance to celebrate who I am.

To those youth who are reading this, I want to say that being gay is normal. It's not wrong. You just need to get some support so that you're not alone. Don't try to change yourself, just be who you are.