11 Types of Shaming LGBT People Need to Stop Doing

The LGBT community has been fighting for equality since we can remember, but it’s sometimes the prejudice from within that hurts the most.

Shaming takes shape within a wide variety of discrimination, and as members of our community we must work to rid ourselves of these biases. Here are 11 shaming actions the LGBT community help eliminate.

1. Age-shamingThis stigma lives within many different facets of the gay community, but the most prominent is this idea that every older gay man is a creepy perv. In reality, they’re just like you, trying to have a good time.

2. Victim-shamingRape is a subject that requires more attention from the LGBT community. Same-sex rapes are a very real, very damaging thing that should be taken 100% seriously, 100% of the time.

3. Body-shamingFor men, it’s being a chiseled muscle god. For girls, it’s an hourglass figure with a tiny waist. These idealistic body types should be appreciated...but so should EVERY OTHER body type as well.

4. HIV-shaming[iframe https://giphy.com/embed/e7BGQ7ZluBjoc allowfullscreen="" class=^{{"giphy-embed"}}^ frameborder="0" height="310" scrolling="no" width="633"]People suffering from this life-threatening disease should only be surrounded by love and support, ESPECIALLY from our community.

5. STD-shaming[iframe https://giphy.com/embed/O2FQL2uXznJMk allowfullscreen="" class=^{{"giphy-embed"}}^ frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" width="633"]For obvious reasons, HIV tends to get a lot more media attention than STDs and STIs. But just because STDs aren’t talked about more often, doesn’t mean it’s a topic everyone should be afraid of.

6. Femme-shamingEnough with all the "Masc 4 Masc" nonsense!!

7. Slut-shamingSleep with as many people as you feel personally satisfied with. Play safe, have fun, and don’t listen to the people judging your sex life.

8. Race-shaming[iframe https://giphy.com/embed/b5rOqXRvP7cVG allowfullscreen="" class=^{{"giphy-embed"}}^ frameborder="0" height="340" scrolling="no" width="633"]By making it a point to exclude an entire race from your dating or personal life based on a stereotype, racism and discrimination take shape. 

9. Bottom-shamingBottoming is an integral part of intercourse. Why are we shaming people for this?!

10. Addiction-shamingAddiction is a disease that plagues our community more than most and more than we know. We must work to help people kick their addictions, and never judge those suffering from it. 

11. Bi-shaming[iframe https://giphy.com/embed/bdVUxSQU0JrB6 allowfullscreen="" class=^{{"giphy-embed"}}^ frameborder="0" height="470" scrolling="no" width="633"]A lot of people don’t believe in bisexuality, and they feel that it’s just a gateway to eventually "becoming" gay. Those people are perpetuating bi-erasure in a way that’s so far beyond not fair because, well, they’re not them. They do not feel the sexual attraction bisexual people feel, so how dare they say that it's not valid?