Aubrie Boner: HMS
Top Overall Winner - Hoech Middle School
Aubrie Boner
Hoech Middle School
Grade 7
LGBTQ+ Rights in Our World
Although social justice topics have gradually improved over the years, we still have many pressing issues to fix. The most important issue to me is queer, or LGBTQ+, rights. I will be focusing on the laws in Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and the United States and their effects, as well as how this has affected me personally..
In Iran, there have been many reports of execution for being part of the LGBTQ+ community. People that were suspected of being queer were arrested as of 2022. Six years ago, in 2020, a gay man in his thirties was hanged and died. A lot of violence has been happening over the last few years, including murder, assault, harassment, and refusing basic rights and services.
In Russia, you can be arrested for simply having a rainbow on your social media profile picture. Then, you would get fifteen days of jail time and a fine. In 2022, they prepared a law that no one could look at LGBTQ+ propaganda.
In Afghanistan, sometime between October first and October thirtieth 2025, a woman and her transgender friend attempted to flee and were arrested before they could do so. In 2023, at least 38 queer people were reported dead. In 2022, a gay man was kidnapped by the Taliban. A video of his murder was sent to his family days later. In 2021, multiple reports said that a gay man was raped, assaulted, and outed to his family by the Taliban.
And finally, in the United States of America, our country has the least amount of issues but they are still important to discuss. Many states will not allow transgender people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their correct gender. Some states will allow teachers to deadname and misgender students. In some places, they refuse to let transgender people participate in sports. Some places will inform parents of the child's sexuality or gender paying no attention to whether or not it would endanger the child. In Missouri, they require teachers to deadname transgender students.
As a pansexual genderfluid person who uses he/they pronouns and has queer family members, I feel very strongly on queer rights. It affects me in multiple ways. In America, I will not be allowed to use the correct bathrooms that correspond with my gender. Nor will I be able to play sports if I wish to. If I wish to move to Afghanistan, Russia, or Iran, I will be killed or imprisoned. Plus, I face discrimination and negative points of views.
I have interviewed one teacher and one student for their opinions on the matter. I asked the same four questions while interviewing everyone.The questions are the following: What are your thoughts on queer rights? How important do you feel equal rights are? In the grand scheme of things, does it matter who loves who or what someone's gender is, and why do you feel this way? Would your opinions differ if you were part of the LGBTQ+ community, straight or cisgender (whatever word works for them) and why?
My first result comes from Mason Brendel, twelve. I think they should have the same rights as everyone else as long as you don't try to force your belief onto others. I feel everybody has [rights] and everybody needs them. It's a basic human need. Everybody should have them. I do think it´s important what someone's gender is, you gotta identify as something. You can't just be nothing. I don't think the opinion would change but my view of what's going on might change. I'm keeping my opinion that everyone should be equal, but I would see things differently if I'm straight or if I´m gay.
This is what Ms.Vie, the Hoech middle school orchestra teacher, believes. Queer rights are human rights. I believe everybody has the right to choose how they want to have a family. [Rights] are very important and I think that humanity should always be striving for equality. I think it matters in the sense that people should be free to form their own identity. No, my opinions would not change because I feel that freedom for one group means freedom for everyone.
I also interviewed others informally, and they agreed.
The human species as a whole needs to realize that we are living, breathing, valid people with feelings. Small things like who we love and if our gender is different from our assigned one does not matter in the long run.
Works Cited
“Afghanistan”. Human Dignity Trust, 16 Dec. 2024, www.humandignitytrust.org/.
“Anti-LGBTQ+ School Policies and LGBTQ+ Young People.” The Trevor Project, 2 Oct. 2025, www.thetrevorproject.org/research-briefs/anti-lgbtq-school-policies-and-lgbtq-young-people/.
The Facts on LGBT Rights in Russia - Council for Global Equality, 2025, www.globalequality.org/component/content/article/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia.
“Iran”. Human Dignity Trust, 16 Dec. 2024, www.humandignitytrust.org/.
“The Map of Criminalization”. Human Dignity Trust, 16 Dec. 2024, www.humandignitytrust.org/.
“Roundup of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation.” Human Rights Campaign, www.hrc.org/press-releases/roundup-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation-advancing-in-states-across-the-country. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
Shashkov, Andrey. “How Far Will Russia’s Wartime Anti-LGBTQ+ Campaign Go?” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2025/06/russia-new-lgbt-repressions?lang=en. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.