Michael Thomas Ford has written a novel about homosexuality that still taboo in society. Homosexuality is a sexual attraction or sexual behavior of the same sex or gender. Homosexual behavior can be gay (man-man) or lesbian (woman-woman) but it is different from heterosexual. Despite biological research and social science is still not known what causes of homosexuals, it can happen in real life either genetic or environmental factors. In Suicide Note novel, the author has successfully written the controversial issue. He has created the protagonist character, a teenager named Jeff as a teenager who has a sexuality problem. Because being-gay is still taboo in society, Jeff covers it up from his environment. He does not even know what has happened to him until he is in the mental hospital.
Suicide Note began with a confusing introduction when a teenager named Jeff woke up in a mental hospital. He did not know what has happened to him until he is in that place. A psychiatrist (Jeff called him Cat Poop) told Jeff that he will be completing 45 days program to help understand and treat his mental issues and go back to normal life. Clearly, that all is a mistake when New Year’s Eve, Jeff tried to commit suicide by scratched his wrist. It all because of his problem with his best friend named Allie and Allie’s boyfriend named Burke. The problem is not because Jeff got jealous of Allie as she has a boyfriend. When they all went to the party, Jeff went to the toilet for some minutes. Burke entered the toilet and they ran into but only him and Jeff in the toilet. For no reason, Jeff kissed Burke at that time. Burke as a straight-boy, went out from the toilet and told to Allie what has happened between him and her best friend. Jeff who felt embarrassed for himself tried to forget what he has done by tried to commit suicide.
Jeff’s parents who brought him to the mental hospital wished their son will get better with the treatments. In the first treatment, Jeff did not want to tell what he has done. He assumed that he is a normal boy and does not have mental issues by his dialogue “I’m not crazy. I don’t see what the big deal is about what happened. But apparently, someone does think it’s a big deal because here I am. I bet it was my mother. She always overreacts”. Actually, he just felt embarrassed to tell anyone what the real problem. It because being-gay is weird, scary, and taboo in society. However, at the end of his treatment, he told the psychiatrist about the reason why he tried to scratch his wrist. In addition, the psychiatrist gave good-treatments and helped Jeff to talk to his parents what the real problem. Even though his parents were shocked when he told them, but they tried to understand and cared for him to go back to the normal life.
Like in Suicide Note novel, people certainly curious what the real cause and how to cure homosexuality. The causes of homosexuality are very complex but it can cause genetic and environmental factors. How to deal with homosexuality depends on the cause as Kathy Belqe said in liveabout.com “If homosexuality is caused by genetic or inborn traits, gay and lesbian people would be unable to change their sexual orientation, even if they wanted to. If homosexuality is caused by environmental factors, however, then gays and lesbians could change and become straight with therapy”. Nevertheless, how to deal with them? To deal with them can start from not interrupt and give support. They are the same as normal people and deserve to live in this universe. In addition, talk and listen to what is in themselves. If they talk and need help or support, bring them to the psychiatrist to get professional treatments. In the last, do not ever judge them of whatever the causes. Being-homosexual is such a dark side for some of them and if people judge them about their sexual behavior it can break their mental-health.
What has happened to Jeff in Suicide Notes novel, homosexuality is still weird and scary for some people, however, psychologists say that is normal and natural of human sexuality. Julie Gurner is a doctor of the psychologist who answered a question on Quora about homosexual “Psychologists do not see same-sex attraction as a mental disorder at all…and in our training (and mine was many years ago) same-sex attraction is presented as a normal and natural element of human behavior. We see it in many other species (usually in small amounts), and we do in humans as well”. She also added in her answer “The only individuals who *may* still hold the view that homosexuality is bad in any way, have beliefs not based on science – but based on their understanding of their religion”. In addition, Quentin Calvert as a Master’s Degree in psychology answered the question with “In general, Homosexuality is considered a genetic and inheritable part of the continuum of human existence. The research still is not definitive regarding absolute causation, but it is generally accepted (except for those with overriding religious beliefs), that it is a natural condition”. So homosexual is not a mental disorder and it should be normal that psychologists said.
To sum up everything, Michael Thomas Ford has written Suicide Notes as a good-novel about homosexuals in the teenage environment. In the story, Michael does not force everyone to accept homosexual in real life but try to understand and how to deal with. Furthermore, what has happened to Jeff it certainly happens to some people in real life. Homosexuality can occur either from genetic or environmental factors. The impacts of being-homosexual such as feeling embarrassed, feel weird, and even scary because it still taboos in society. However, psychologists say that being-gay or being-lesbian is normal as a human sexual.