<p>I am having so much trouble deciding on a personal statement topic. The truth is i am a gay caucasian male and i have gone through many hardships with complete strangers, friends, and most importantly, family. All regarding my sexuality and being judged primarily on sexual orientation. Should i discuss how this has made me a stronger independent person? Or do you think i will be discriminated against by the admission rep's if they are homophobic? Please help!!</p>
<p>I think that would make a really good topic. Discrimination due to orientation is clearly a violation of the law, so if you really were a qualified applicant and turned down, you may be in good position to appeal.</p>
<p>with prop 8 passing it shows that there are more people out there in california that don't like gay people than you would have thought</p>
<p>the readers are professional. They cannot discriminate you and in fact, I wrote something similar (not about gay, but something else that is very controversial in this country) in my PS and I got in berkeley. So, go for it!</p>
<p>im not gay...and i haven't always supported gay rights, but prop 8 was garbage...just like the people who funded and voted for it...(no offense to you whoswithwhatsnow, just trying to make a point) </p>
<p>write the essay, most of the UC's are known for their liberal reputation (cal, sc to name some of the most.) LA and Cal are the only ones that read the essays for transfer applicants (am I wrong about that?)</p>
<p>lol why would I be offended? I was saying the same thing...you think something like that shouldn't be an issue in california but obviously it was. I too think it was ridiculous. I'm just saying it's a risk to base your p.s on something many people clearly have personal issue with.</p>
<p>^^good point</p>
<p>I'm no professional or anything, but I think your hardships as a gay male could make for a good essay topic. If you've suffered discrimination, all the better- it gives you more of a springboard for a topic to write about. According to some workshops I've been to and my counselor, the UCs like to see people growing from adversity. You can write about the discrimination you've suffered, but it's void of meaning if you can't really describe exactly how that has shaped you or how that has changed you into a presumably better, stronger, or more capable person.</p>
<p>Basically, it's more impressionable if you write about your personal growth rather than your actual experiences. Your experiences can be anything- they won't judge you against someone who has prestigious titles or experience. It's how that affects you that counts.</p>