He is not asking for legality changes. He just wants respect— open-mindedness.

Senior Christopher Naquin, a man of controversial sexual orientation, faces daily discrimination and criticism from peers, strangers and even nameless teachers and substitutes because of who he cares to admire. People whisper and voice inappropriate jokes and slurs behind his back with few brazen persons tastelessly announcing their disapproval directly to his face. After a particularly upsetting event— during which an entire class stared him down and whispered to each other about the known gay entering the classroom— Naquin decided to act upon the expressed need for education and understanding at school by utilizing Character Day during Spirit Week. “GOD HATES GAYS,” Naquin’s t-shirt read, which he paired with a camouflage jacket and a whip— he was the stereotypical south. And it gathered the desired attention.

“There’s no possible way anyone could be that ignorant on a topic. I think we should all be able to appreciate anything and there shouldn’t be this need for such biases. So I decided to make a message with this [opportunity],” Naquin said.

He had no idea what to expect, but he knew what he wanted to come of such a statement. He wanted people to ask about it, so he would have the chance to explain how others disrespectful actions and harsh phrases affected him. Much like during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, Naquin demands to be treated as an individual, as a real person with the same respect one would receive had they been of heterosexual orientation.

“I hoped that if you knew me, you’d get it, and if you don’t know me, you’d ask about it. Or if this is how you feel, you’d see its effect on those persecuted by these opinions. A lot of people were just confused initially. But nobody was really shy to ask about it. When I told them my intentions, they started to loosen up, and they usually understood, at that point, what I was going for. Usually,” Naquin said.

Though he received malicious comments, Naquin was surprised to discover that many students disagreed with the statement blazing across his shirt.

“I was actually really encouraged. Some people came up and said, ‘Not everybody feels that way,’ or, ‘That’s not true. The Bible says love everyone, regardless,’” Naquin said.

The one thing Naquin questioned, and used the handbook to answer, was whether or not it was acceptable for him to make such a controversial message with his clothes. He read through the Student Code of Conduct booklet front to back and back to front “at least five times” to make sure absolutely nothing he wore that day could have him sent home.

“There were those people who were like, ‘That’s inappropriate today,’ but any other day of the school year, it’s appropriate for people to express their beliefs on this topic. It’s okay to mention them to criticize me in conversation, but all of a sudden, it’s unacceptable to wear the criticism I receive on my shirt?” Naquin said.

Similar to Tinker vs. Des Moines, Naquin pushed his First Amendment rights at school to the limit for this symbolic protest for rights he believes are easily shot down or ignored in the Bible Belt.

“If people don’t agree with me on this, I’m fine with that. There are people that feel as though it’s intrusive on families. I’m okay with that. With the phrase, ‘You should have this belief because the Bible says so,’ my belief is that there should be separation of church and state within government buildings, so, school. If the Bible is one of your reasons [against homosexuality], I’m fine with that. But there are instances, the Bible is used against me in a way almost like when people tried to use the Bible to support slavery, and it just doesn’t work that way. That’s not how religion works. That’s abusing the words in the book to support hatred, which the Bible preaches against. If you have a legitimate reason, a valid reason, it is fair for you to continue in your beliefs. I can accept that. If you don’t have a valid reason, why are you discriminating against me,” Naquin said.

Naquin has had more than his share of discrimination within the schools’ cinderblock walls, with teachers, more proudly, speaking to Naquin as if his sexual orientation is his fault. A choice, rather than an instinct. Though they are expressed less crudely than that of students— who voice the word “fag” and other slurs, sometimes within earshot and other times not—they have a more resounding effect upon Naquin’s pride than that of a peer because they are his elders, and he was taught to respect them.

“I have had one teacher in particular who ignored me. I would ask questions and they would act like I wasn’t there. They would pretend I was nonexistent. I’ve had teachers, being paid by public money, telling me that it’s not okay, how God disapproves on that, how terrible of a decision that is, how I should be ashamed. My all-time favorite is when I go to the bathroom, the first two weeks of school especially. Sophomores see me, and their eyes get really big as if they’re afraid. They quickly walk to the sink and quickly walk out. As if I’m about to attack them. And that’s a big misconception. Guys don’t have the fear that every girl likes them. It’s the same thing. Not all gays like every single guy. There’s still standards,” Naquin said.

While rummaging through the Student Code of Conduct booklet, Naquin found within the discrimination section that text on sexual orientation was missing from the list.

“I was actually really surprised that our handbook specifically says that, according to Madison County school board policy, we do not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, creed, income, homelessness—literally every possible scenario. But it said nothing about sexual orientation,” Naquin said.

After Character Day was over, Naquin reflected upon the information he was provided through his demonstration, realizing a simple truth.

“I found that people wouldn’t be offended if they didn’t see a part of that belief within themselves. If you take it as being a message, you are just like, ‘Okay, I get it.’ But if you take it personally, it’s because you hold those opinions,” Naquin said.

Naquin does not wish to throw his situation into others faces as conservatives would expect from a liberal man. Only if asked would he begin to talk of such personal beliefs, so do not expect him to be at the front of a gay pride parade any time soon. But he refuses to let others push him down for something he cannot control.

“I wore the shirt reluctantly, but proudly. I wasn’t going to just flaunt it, but on the same hand, I did make the decision to wear it. I was going to wear it. I’m considering moving out of the South after high school to rid myself of the constant criticism. But people shouldn’t have to move somewhere else to be treated with respect,” Naquin said.