Refusing acceptance

I'm sorry, since when did it become a perfectly legitimate mental construction to tolerate or not, to accept or not, someone's sexual orientation? (If you're wondering where that blatant opening sentence came from, read this.) Because I know that people say that gay marriage (which, to be fair, isn't the same thing as what I'm talking about here) makes the institution of marriage illegitimate. Since when was the institution of marriage EVER legitimate? Why is anything that anyone has ever done ever been legitimate? Who are any of us to not only tell someone how to live their life, but to cast them aside and destroy everything that makes them who they are when their beliefs don't align with ours? Why is there a stigma attached to being gay? Why is there a stigma attached to being overtly religious, or an atheist, or ANYTHING THAT MAKES YOU WHO YOU ARE?! Why does this have to be a thing that people "accept?" There's absolutely nothing you can do about the fact that you are not like me. Or anyone else, for that matter.

Regarding the post title. I'm not saying that I don't accept people who are gay, or straight, or left-handed, or have webbed feet. What I am saying is that this is something that shouldn't even have a conversation come with it. We're obviously not at that point in society yet, and it will take a lot to get there. I'm refusing the idea of acceptance, because it's not something that should even be in the conversation. You shouldn't get bonus points because you're accepting of others. You should be deducted all your points if you are unaccepting of others.

I don't know how to end this. This doesn't end. Because as long as there are people who think that it's not okay if you associate with [insert something you associate with], this isn't over.