Homophobia as a Societal Construct

1193 Words3 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. Homosexuality should not be comprehended as a threat to others, while homophobia is far from the lone reason for resistance. I think one must widen the aperture and look at homosexuality in a context of a much larger cultural conflict over the nature of family, of marriage, and even in adulthood: a debate over what it is that constitutes, and should constitute, the template for “normal” in all of those countries. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. (U.S. Const. Amend. ... ... middle of paper ... ...port their church's views on homosexuality. This can range from quietly discouraging homosexual activity, explicitly forbidding same-sex sexual practices among people and actively opposing the social acceptance of homosexuality. Most who are opposed to homosexuality argue that homosexual sexual activity is a sin, not the sexual orientation. Christians think that sex was for procreation, not for pleasure; women and slaves were considered property to be owned by males, and many expressions of heterosexuality, like homosexuality, were considered unholy. Such tradition often continues to influence churches today. Many churches teach that women should be subordinate to human beings, continue to permit forms of discrimination against people of colour, and condemn homosexuals. They state that all homosexual acts are sinful, often referring to their rendering of scripture.

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