Yes, they hurt us. That word is the worst word someone can use against us. What do they get out of it? We’re still gay and always will be. We were only celebrating a week dedicated to encouraging people to not be afraid of being themselves and honoring who they are. Looking at what happens when we do freely express who we are, it’s not surprising that so many people are afraid to “come out.” We don’t care what others think of us, but they do not need to go out and let everyone else know what they think. I don’t care if people agree with my lifestyle or not. I may not agree with theirs, but I don’t go out of my way to flaunt how I feel about them. What a waste of energy it must be to have so much hate for people because they are different. The quote “why do people with closed minds always open their mouths?” comes to mind every time I see such hateful acts.