Discrimination of the LGBT Community: Religion, Fear and Unnaturalness

717 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Homosexuality: nature or nurture

I grew up in a semi-religious but open household and have a lot of religious fanatics on certain sides of my dad’s family. Though, I still never officially came out of the closet to the rest of the family, I’ve stated gender means nothing in love multiple times or that I don’t care about a person’s gender or previous gender. I know for a fact I would be shunned away from certain parts of family because of my outlook on love. My story isn’t as bad as some families get. Teens are thrown out on the street because they like the same-sex or relentless bullying from peers or family leaves suicide as the only option young teens can think of. Often times, the LGBT community is discriminated because of religion, fear, and others believe it is unnatural. Religion is the biggest factor in the discrimination towards the LGBT community. Religious people against homosexuals often quote homophobic passages from the Bible, defending their religion and right to be against their LGBT neighbors. Some groups are more tolerant and accepting of their neighbors. According to an interview by Redman (2006), a reverend stated “While some of our toughest adversaries come from faith, so do some of our most profound supporters” (pg. 198). Religion often plays a part in the politics and right issues in the court. Even though our country is supposed to separate church from the state, it doesn’t stop the judicial system from allowing religion to play a big part in the decision making of a bill. Freedom of religion shouldn’t trump the life, liberty and happiness our forefathers decided upon for the foundation of our country. However, because people fear the unknown and refuse to take part in educating themselves, the cycle continually circles around. Discriminati... ... middle of paper ... ...ause they are different or ‘deviant’ from the apparent ‘natural’ world. Works Cited Bennett-Smith, M. (2013, July 09). Homophobia, sexual prejudice driven by fear of unwanted sexual advances by gays, lesbians: Study. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/09/homophobia-fear-unwanted-advances-study_n_3566556.html Byfield, L. (2002). In a few more years the Bible will be banned. Report / Newsmagazine (BC Edition), 29(13), 9. Douglas, K. (2009). Homosexual selection. New Scientist, 204(2737), 48-51. MacFarlane, G., & Markwell, K. (2004). HOMOSEXUALS, NATURALLY. Nature Australia, 27(12), 52-59 Newman, E. (2011). LGBT fear treatment in long-term care. Mcknight's Long-Term Care News, 32(5), 22. Redman, D. (2006). "Where All Belong:" Religion and the Fight for LGBT Equality in Alabama. Berkeley Journal Of Gender, Law & Justice, 21195-212.

Show More
Related

  • Conformity and Rebellion in Two Kinds, by Amy Tan and The Ones Who Walk Away

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout American history, we have seen the United States become more progressive in their social issues, such as the abolishment of slavery, women’s suffrage, and the Civil Rights Movement. But as time has passed, we have encountered another group that is being discriminated against: homosexuals. Some states try their best to give equal rights to homosexuals so that they are respected as equally as everyone else. But in many states, such as Kansas and Arizona, private companies and businesses are given the right to turn down homosexual couples if it interferes with their religious beliefs. These two states also included places like hospitals where homosexuals can be denied from medical attention. These laws are very inhumane and are very hurtful to a large population of people today. But what if the people in states such as Kansas and Arizona think it is okay to have these laws instilled?

    Read More

  • Homophobia as a Societal Construct

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society, we face a lot of challenges in addressing, conforming to, and adapting to changes in cultural and social norms. What some refer to as normal human behaviour in one society, can usually be regarded as taboo in some other. One of the most controversial issues facing today’s society is the subject of homosexuality. There are over four-hundred and forty species that engage in homosexuality; only one is homophobic. Homosexuality is not a disease; people do not call in sick because they are feeling 'gay'. We all know people oppose homosexuality because in their view, it would give society’s and the law’s imprimatur to a deviant lifestyle. Fortunately for people like me and my generation, those numbers will diminish with time and the oppression of homosexuality, being a widespread concern, should not be tolerated on any level.

    Read More

  • Attitudes towards homosexuality

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...re central to the agenda. The conference underlined the fact that the rights of gays had become one of the most vexed and challenging issues facing contemporary Christianity” (Hunt, 2009). Traditionalists alongside the world’s more prominent religions generally disapprove of homosexuality and often cite religious arguments to support their views. Since 2003, the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church have opened their doors to gay bishops and clergy, even as most other denominations keep their teaching against homosexual behavior intact. In relation, overall support for same-sex marriage has jumped to 53 percent in 2013. During this time, same-sex marriage became legal in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Also, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, that restricted federal recognition of legally wed gay couples.

    Read More

  • The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ruling of Baehr vs. Lewin was a victory for gay rights activists, hope for other states searching for the same freedom, and disappointment for opponents of same-sex marriage. Yet this victory was short lived (until complete legalization in November 13, 2013) since the state appealed the lower court’s decis...

    Read More

  • CCR-Block: Internalized Homophobia In The LGBTQ Community

    404 Words  | 1 Pages

    Within the LGBTQ community, internalized homophobia is an extremely prevalent occurrence. One in which members of the LGBTQ community believe that the negative connotations and stigmas towards LGBTQ individuals are true. This, in part, is due to anti-gay and heteronormative social environments which have mental health effects on gays and lesbians. Ilan H. Meyer, a psychiatric epidemiologist, has referred to these negative social environments as a form of minority stress and has done extensive research on describing its effect on mental health. Gregory M. Herek states that “At the core of minority stress is some kind of conflict or disharmony between the minority member and the dominant social environment.” The most insidious attribute of internalized homophobia is that the people who experience it may not realize that it is directly related to the person’s low self-regard

    Read More

  • Psychology of Homophobia/Sexual Prejudice

    1382 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society began to rethink homosexuality in the 1960’s when heterosexual psychologist George Weinberg coined the term “homophobia.” Weinberg used the term to label heterosexuals’ fear of being in contact of homosexuals as well as the self-loathing of homosexuals, meaning that homosexuals hated themselves for being gay. As of the new millennium, there has been a new special term that has been born to define the fear, hate and disgust that people show towards anyone’s sexual orientation called “sexual prejudice.” Like other types of prejudice, there are three main principals that surround sexual prejudice: it is an attitude, it is directed at social groups and its members, and it is negative as involving hostility or dislike. As time goes by there has been differing perspectives on sexual prejudice (homophobia).

    Read More

  • Coming Out of the Closet

    2272 Words  | 5 Pages

    At the start of the 1960s homosexuality was referred to as primarily a private affair, supported by the universal belief that homosexuality was a disease or a sin. The majority of Americans indicated that homosexuals were considered harmful to American life. A fear, dislike, hatred, or prejudice of gay men and lesbians, known as homop...

    Read More

  • Sexual Orientation Controversy

    285 Words  | 1 Pages

    “Same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviours are normal and positive variations of human sexuality” (Glassgold et al., 2009). It is 2018 and a majority of people still do not share this opinion. Sexual orientation continues to be the source of much controversy and a large amount of abuse and discrimination directed toward members of the LGBTQ community. These individuals experience various forms of abuse and discrimination that their heterosexual counterparts do not experience. Their sexuality is the source of inequality. For example, gay teenagers are very often the targets of bullying, physical assault, and other abuse that sometimes it drives them to commit suicide or at least to experience severe emotional distress

    Read More

  • Lgbt Discrimination Research Paper

    1242 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most people wouldn’t believe that a community of individuals who are already commonly discriminated against would have much more to worry about than what hits the surface or what is covered by the media. Unfortunately, for the LGBT community, having to face problems such as homophobia are only the beginning of their adversities. Within the gay community, internalized discrimination (racism, homophobia, etc.) and pressures confront its members each and every day. With the tolerance of sexual racism, the rising number of substance abusers, and the pressures to partake in unsafe sexual practices, members of the gay community often feel as though they’re competing

    Read More

  • Essay On Homophobia

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a culture, we put so much pressure on our other to conform to a certain mold. Society seems to be forcing other people to try to measure up in all areas of life, even trying to tell them how to act and how not to act. Those gays and bisexual people living within communities where anti-gay sentiments are not only common, but also accepted, have, on average, a shorter life expectancy in comparison to their peers who are fortunate enough to live in more open-minded communities. A common way of hurting these homosexuals emotionally is through stereotype which then leads to low self-esteem. Homophobia can be used to stigmatize, silence, and, on occasion, target people who are perceived or defined by others as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but who are in fact heterosexual. Homophobia affects some gay people and causes them to be in denial about their own sexuality or forces them to mask their homosexuality for the fear of other homophobic people finding out they are homosexual. It is tragic to know that some people feel they have to deny their sexual orientation. The effects of hearing homophobic remarks and hatred towards homosexuals cause them to not like who they are and hide it by sometimes trying to live a heterosexual lifestyle. The television show “Will and Grace,” frequently illustrates representations of homosexuality mainly to reinforce negative, cultural stereotypes about gay men (2016).

    Read More

  • LGBT Community And Discrimination In The United States

    628 Words  | 2 Pages

    The LGBT community has struggle with work discrimination in the U.S. and around the world for many years. Currently in the U.S. there are 29 states without any laws protecting LGBT workers from discrimination just for being who they are, in addition, there are no federal laws that clearly prohibits or make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT individuals, in the case of sexual preferences, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act from 1964 only prohibits in terms of hiring and/or employment discrimination on the basis of the employee’s race, religion, color, sex, or national origin, but there is a lack of adequate moral and legal protection to individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (Liptak, 2015).

    Read More

  • Essay On Discrimination Against Lgbtq

    887 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the United States there are many types of people that are discriminated against, one of the types of people are people in the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer) community. There are quite a few people that are very much against the people that do claim a non hetero sexualuality. Some of these people say and do things to both harm LGBTQ people physically and mentally. There are also people who do not do these things, they are supportive and in some cases they do not care in the slightest. Nonetheless there are still LGBTQ people being discriminated against and discrimination is not okay.

    Read More

  • Homosexuality And LGBT Culture In The LGBT Community

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Homosexuality” was the main term used in the late 1950s until a new “gay” culture came about. This new gay culture not only meant same-sex desires but also gay selves an...

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Collaboration In Multicultural Therapy

    711 Words  | 2 Pages

    I was very pleased at the inclusion of the case of Felix (Glassgold, 2009). It was refreshing to see affirmative LGBTQ+ therapy in action as opposed to stated in passing reference. I liked the author’s concise explanation of 1 of the 16 American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients (2000) that stated the guidelines encourage therapists to accept client’s “sexual orientation and their same-sex desires and behaviors.” I have attached the revised 2011 guidelines. For over half of the clients I currently see at IHI, disclosure of their orientation has impacted their relationship with their family of origin (covered in Guideline 10). This has varied from being asked not to speak openly about their sexuality to complete disownment or rejection from communities.

    Read More

  • LGBT Community and Discrimination.

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.

    Read More

More about Discrimination of the LGBT Community: Religion, Fear and Unnaturalness

Open Document