Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DanielaQuiza
English2010025
Instructor:JimBeatty
August032016
LGBTRights
(PositionPaper)
ThroughttimeAmericahasbeenknownforhavingequalityforpeopleofallraces,
origins,religions,andfaith.Beingadreamstopforimmigrantslookingforabetterlife,butthe
argumentofequalityofrightsandcommunityacceptancebringsadisagreement.UnitedStates
hasalonghistoryofdenyingbasicrightstosomepeopleandasareactionforsomeAmericans
discriminationiswrongbutitisanissuewhichstayedinsomanywaysforexample:LGBT
peoplecanbefiredforhavingdifferentsexualorientation,theyarenotprotectedunderhate
crimestatutesinmorethan20statesandgaymenarestillnotallowedfromdonatingblood
(JaredPolis).
Since1924whenthesocietyforHumanRightsinChicagobecamethecountrysearliest
knownrightsorganizationuntilthemostrecentinJune26of2015wheretheSupremeCourt
declarethatsamesexcoupleshavetherighttomarry(JaredPolis),LGBTcommunityhadsome
achievementsandadvancesindefendingtheirbelievesbutuntiltodaythiscommunityare
deniedofsomebasiceverydayrightsthatmostofAmericansenjoyforexampleatschool,at
work,whentheytryingtopurchaseahomeoreventogetaloan.
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In28statessamesexcoupleshavenolegalresourcesiftheygetevictedbytheir
landlordsfromtheirhome,in31statesitislegaltofiredanemployeeforbeinggayor
transgenderandin36statesthereisnolawprotectingLGBTstudentsfromanykindof
discrimination,(JaredPolis).
DifferentorganizationshavebeenbornduringthetimetoprotectLGBTrights,for
exampleACLU(AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion),whichhaveahistorydefendingtheLGBT
communitytheirfirstLGBTrightscasewasbroughtin1936andfoundedtheLGBTprojectin
1986.In1960theycametothedefenseofCityLightsBookstoreforpublishingAllenGinsbergs
HowlandOtherPoemswhichwasconsideredobsceneduetoitsunapologeticreferencestogay
sex.ACLUbringsdifferentcasesoflawsuitsinthestateandthefederalcourtswiththehelp
fromothercivilrightgroupstheirideaistofightforcivilrightsandchangethewaypeoplethink
towardsLGBTcommunity(ACLU,2016).TheexistenceofSecretlyGayAntiGayActivistwere
evencaughtbeingGayasanexamplein2014theRepublicanofNorthCarolinaSenate
candidateSteveWilesprovethatconservative,antigayactivistwasoutedashavingworkedasa
DragQueenunderthenameMissMonaSinclair(dailymail).
OneofthebiggestaccomplishmentstowardsLGBTrightsthatrecenthadshockthe
societyhasbeenthemostrecenteventmakingsamesexmarriagelegal,butstillignoringthe
realitythatLGBTrightsarenotequalyet.Tosayfrommypersonalexperienceinhavinga
familymemberwhoisgayistoseethedifferenceinthelaws,suremarriageisarightintheU.S
butwhenLGBTcouplesaredeniedservicesrelatedtoweddingsisntequality.In2015a
ColoradoJudgedeterminedthataLakewoodbakeryunlawfullydiscriminatedagainstagay
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couplebyrefusingtosellthemaweddingcakedeterminedasanoffensiveanddehumanizing
wherenooneshouldfearbeingturnedawaybecausewhotheyare(ACLU).
LGBTaregettingfiredfromtheirjobs,nothavingtherighttoacquiredemergency
medicalcare,onlybecausetheirsexualorientationisdifferentfromwhatpeoplethinkas
normal(JamesEsskes).About10%of66lesbian,gayandbisexualworkerswhowererandomly
surveyedsaidtheyhavebeenfiredwithinthelastfiveyeardualtheirsexualpreference.(CNN)
BringingtheissueaboutLGBTrightsinAmericathefirstthingthatsomepeopledoisto
avoidtheissuesandthinkthatthispeoplehadalreadyachievementequalityandtheirrightsare
beingrespected,wheninrealitythiscommunityfacesmoredifferentrestrictionoftheirrights.
SomeotherdifferentthingsthatLGBTcommunityarenotallowedtodoonlyforbeing
differentare:Donateblood,Adopt(insomestates),theyfaceEducationalEducationfortheir
sexualorientation,liveincertaincommunitiesandtheyarestillnotallowedtoserveonthe
military(Ranker)
MurderandpersecutionofLGBTpeoplekeepsbeingabigissueindifferentregionsof
theworldandcities.OnlyinBrazil310murdercasesin2012werereportedwhichhomophobia
ortransphobiawasthemotive,thereportoftransgenderhomicideslists1,612murdersin62
countriesbetween2008and2014,andtheinterAmericancommissiononhumanrightsreported
594killingsofLGBTpeoplein25countriesoftheOrganizationofAmericanStatesbetween
January2013andMarch32014,(guardiannews).IncontrastlivingintheUnitedStatesIbeen
abletoseehowpeoplearechangingtheirprospectedtowardstheLGBTcommunitynowIbeen
abletoseethatwhentwoguyswalkinintoabusinessholdinghandslesspeoplestaredand
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commentsaboutitoronlyontheSocialmediamoreandmorevideosofGaymarriageproposals
aregoingviralaswellvideosofsamesexmarriages.
Somepeopleseesexualorientationandgenderidentityassensitivethemetohandle,
generatingalackofproperlegalprotectionagainstdiscriminationofsexualorientationand
genderidentity,concernsthathavebeenexpressedbyHighCommissionerofHumanRights
ZeidRaAlHusseindeliveringthefirstmajorspeechforLGBTequalityandreferringmeasures
totackleviolenceanddiscriminationagainstLGBTpeople,(ohchr).LGBThasgrownconstantly
inoursocietyasnowanddaysexistemovieswithGaythemes,LGBTsocialNetworksandeven
someCelebritieshadcomeoutbeinggayandhadabigimpactinthemedia.
EllenDeGenereswhocameoutbackinFebruary1997andsincethenshehasbeensome
ofthemostinfluentialandsuccessfulGaycelebritiesandwhohasusedherTVshowtospoke
againsttheuseofreligiouslibertylawstodiscriminateagainstLGBTpeopleanddiscussedthe
antiLGBTbillwhichwaspassedinMississippiandallowedbusinessestorefusetheirservices
tothispeopleandotherswhooffendthereligiousbeliefregardingmarriage,genderand
sexuality(ElizabethDaley)
GivingthesefactsthefighttoprotectLGBTrightsstillinthemindofdefendersofthe
HumanRights,totryandkeepimprovingthetreatmentandqualityoflifeofthiscommunitynot
toacquireespecialtreatmentbuttobeabletohavethesamerightsthatanyotherAmericanis
abletoenjoyasaneverydaything.Therighttonotbeturnawayintheemergencyroombythe
nursewhorefusestotreatatransgenderpersonorthedoctorwhoturnsawayababywithtwo
momsandthefloristthatshecantprovideflowersforalesbianmarriage(JamesEsseks)givean
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exampleofservicesthatarebeingofferedtoeveryoneelsebutnotfortheLGBTcommunity
areshowingpureandsimplediscrimination.