Dr. Coy Flowers, president of the Fairness WV Board of Directors, wrote in a recent op-ed that there are 40,000 GLBT workers in our state. All of these workers could be legally fired or evicted simply because of their sexual orientation or their perceived orientation. That's right, an employer or landlord could evict or fire you if they just think you are gay.

 The cities of Charleston and Morgantown have amended their Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation as have the state's two flagship universities.

 I have been openly gay for most of my life, but I did not choose to be gay. I did choose to live my life as best I could, given the hand I was dealt. When I was growing up, no one asked me if I wanted to be gay or straight or bisexual, or transgender. Did someone ask you?

 Let me just pose this question to you: What person in his right mind would actually choose to be a member of one of the most hated minorities in the world? The short answer is that no one would.

 Despite living in a democratically based republic, where all people are "equal," there are thousands of people who cannot be openly gay. They live in fear that they will be fired from their jobs, rejected by their families, denied housing, or be physically and mentally abused. They live in dread that their "dirty little secret" will be discovered.

 The movement for full civil rights for the GLBT community began at a tiny club named Stonewall in New York City in June, over 40 years ago. The patrons of this club, mostly drag queens and people who were perceived to be gay, had been constantly harassed by the New York City Police Department. Since the Stonewall Riot, a true worldwide gay community has emerged and has gradually coalesced into a political and social force that has changed, and will continue to change, the face of society.

 We are a diverse community, a legitimate subculture, composed of men and women who are black, yellow, white, brown, red and all the other colors that make up the struggle to attain full citizenship.

 Within the GLBT community, men and women express themselves in a variety of ways. Some men and women are "indistinguishable" types, like your son, your brother, your children, your sister, your mom or your dad.

 Still, the media generally gravitates to the extreme sides of our community. The media are in the business of making news, and news is leather boys and drag queens, not the "indistinguishable" types. Nevertheless, be assured, that there are plenty of "indistinguishable" people in your community, maybe working with or living right next to you.

 Certainly, there have been major changes in the last 40 years, however, people who are perceived as being GLBT continue to be fired from their jobs, are denied housing, are physically and mentally abused, are denigrated by Congress, many organized religions and society in general.

 We do not ask for "gay rights" or "special rights." We ask for the same civil rights that all citizens of our country enjoy. We ask for the right to marry, we ask for the right not to be discriminated against when we look for employment or housing, we ask for the right to be protected from people who commit hate crimes. These are not "gay rights," these are civil rights, constitutional rights guaranteed to every citizen of the United States of America.

 We have done a good job over the past 40 years to show the worldwide community that we exist everywhere that humans exist and have since the beginning of time. We need to show that we bleed when we are cut, that we want to be respected, that we cry when we are hurt, that we yearn to love and be loved, that we feel pain, that we want to be a part of society and that, in fact, we are just like you. We are your brothers, we are your sisters, we are your mothers, we are your fathers and most importantly, we are your children. We are all part of humanity.

 Along with Dr. Flowers and on behalf of the 40,000 GLBT citizens of this state, I urge the Legislature to do the right thing and pass the Employment and Housing Non- Discrimination Act.

Severino is a member of the Charleston Human Rights Commission.