What is equality? Is it just a political nomenclature or an ideological concept? Or is about working towards creating a fairer society in which each individual can enjoy his/her rights and freedom without any judgement considering that “[w]e will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others.” Will Rogers (1924, p210).
The task of this is essay is not so much to find the bona fide implications of the word “equality”, but rather to clarify its meaning towards individuals. It will seek to analyse how oppression and discrimination are related to inequality and will gradually develop into exploring how an individual’s sexual orientation can lead to social exclusion. Towards the end, the essay will provide steps to help organisations/professionals support equality and fair opportunities for all by denouncing oppression and discrimination.
Discrimination, at its most basic level, is about distinguishing differences. It seems like such a menial matter, but when we start to attach negative connotations to differences, negative discrimination appears and people are discriminated against (Thompson, 2003). Therefore it creates a situation where people are treated less than favourably just because they do not fit the social norm or they do not oblige CONFORM??? to social rules (provided that they do not harm other individuals). Difference is seen as a problem rather than an asset and instead of being valorized, it unfortunately opens a gate for exclusion or rejection - for instance, a lesbian’s application for promotion would be refused on the grounds of some her new colleagues being homophobic.
At the far end of discrimination, stands oppression. Although many seem to think that the terms are simil...
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...eople’s Commissioner for Wales (2011), Equality and Sexual Orientation Factsheet [Online] Available at: http://www.olderpeoplewales.com/Libraries/Factsheets_E/Equality_and_Sexual_Orientation_Factsheet.sflb.ashx [Accessed 24/11/13]
Stonewall Scotland (2009) Understanding the Housing Needs and Homeless Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) People in Scotland, A Guide for Social Housing Providers and Homelessness Services: Scottish Housing Regulator [Online] Available at: http://www.stonewall.org.uk [Accessed 24/11/13]
Stonewall Scotland (2009) Recognising and Addressing Homophobic and Transphobic Harassment, A Guide for Social Housing Providers and Homelessness Services: Scottish Housing Regulator [Online] Available at: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/documents/stonewall_housing_report_2__harassment__final.pdf [Accessed 01/12/13]
Equality appears to be the ideal factor that can perfect a society. It eliminates the need to feel envious of any human or their qualities. Nevertheless, with impartiality comes lack of diversity and ambition. Inequality is the entity that provides individuals with the passion to strive for a better life. If everyone has already reached their full potential there is no purpose for living.
For many generations, especially in North America, homosexuality was not accepted in any way, shape, or form. Many believed that it was a medical illness that was curable, when in reality, people were, and still are, ignorant and could not come to terms that everyone in this world is different from one another. For many instances of being treated unjust, many individuals in the gay community did not want to “expose” themselves and remained in the “closet”. As means to make gays and lesbians proud and take a stand for who they are, a movement spread across internationally. This movement is known as “The Gay Liberation” movement which occurred between the late 1960s and the early to mid 1970s (“Gay Liberation”). The Gay Liberation movement urged individuals of the gay community to “come out,” revealing their sexuality to their loved ones as a form of activism, and to counter shame with gay pride (“Gay Liberation”). The Stonewall Riots are believed to have been the spark that ignited the rise of the Gay Liberation movement; it influenced the way the gay community is viewed socially and how their rights are politically present day.
Those who become marginalized can lose control of their own lives and the available resources they can access; they can become nothing more than stigmas and often negatively treated in public. Because of this, their social contributions are sometimes hampered and this, consequently, causes them to become socially isolated and/or sufferers of low esteem. Approximately, in America, thirty percent of LGBTQ youth were often abused by their parents over their orientation or gender, with an estimated forty percent of homeless youths identifying as LGBTQ themselves. (Chatterjee) These statistics and stigmas can affect those who haven’t fully comprehend their feeling and those who stay closeted (keeping their sexual orientation or gender identity as a secret) because they fear the possible negative reactions from family and
The Stonewall rebellion has been considered the birth of a new wave of a liberation movement that changed the world for millions of lesbians, gay men, drag queens, and drag kings of all races, ethnicities, and ages. Yet, it was certainly not the first raid nor the first moment of protest for homosexuals. The raid at Stonewall was preceded by decades of police harassment of gay establishments. The first recorded raid of a gay bathhouse was in 1903, at the Ariston Hotel Baths at 55th and Broadway in New York where 26 men were arrested. Seven of them received sentences ranging from four to 20 years in prison (Chauncey, 1994). Countless raids, arrests, and imprisonments occurred in the decades that followed.
Tatchell, Peter (1992). Europe in the Pink: Lesbian and Gay Equality in the New Europe. London: GMP.
Discrimination refers to the act of making a distinction or segregation that undermines equality. Typically used referring to the violation of equal rights by race, nationality, politic, gender, or sexual orientation which is the subject I will be explaining in this essay.
Discrimination is discrimination regardless of what type of form it takes. There is truly only one kind if discrimination and that is where an individual's rights are infringed upon due to traits in which they have no power to control. Each and every one of us deserves to have the right to freedom and equality given to us by our forefather's.
Grant, Jaime M., Ph.D., Lisa A. Mottet, J.D., Justin Tanis, D.Min., Jack Harrison, Jody L. Herman, Ph.D., and Mara Keisling. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Rep. National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2011. Web. 22 May 2014.
Overall discrimination is an awful thing. It is like a STD, it can be passed from parent to child, or someone can become infected if you don’t watch out. Discrimination is also like the plague. It sweeps over a large amount of people, infecting most, and most don’t survive. Though today much of the discrimination is gone, just like the plague, but it is still there. Unfortunately for some people, they have to deal with people discrimination from others. Whether it be discrimination of one’s race, age, disability, or gender. Discrimination has numerous damaging effects to someone’s life. In Of Mice and Men the unlucky victims of discrimination also suffer from the same effects. They allow for people to have control of them and walk all over them. Discrimination is like a fire... It hurts.
Equality is about an individual’s rights, giving people choices and respect. It is about ‘creating a fairer society, where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential’ (DoH, 2004).
The Stonewall riots demonstrated just how powerful and steadfast the gay community is capable of being and set a precedent that e...
Discrimination is known to exist in all workplaces, sometimes it is too subtle to notice, and other times it is exceedingly obvious. It is known that everyone subconsciously discriminates, dependant on their own beliefs and environments that surround them. However, discrimination can be either positive or negative in their results, and sometimes discrimination is a necessary part of life.
Over all discrimination is not just what you may think it is. It is not just saying or jugging someone due to the race. However, it is how their culture believes discrimination is. Being social different is one major thing that I did not even full understood until I read this article. Now being around different race should not be like you are walking on glass, however you may want to understand one way of belief before you start judging their way of
Throughout Western civilization, culturally hegemonic views on gender and sexuality have upheld a rigid and monolithic societal structure, resulting in the marginalization and dehumanization of millions of individuals who differ from the expected norm. Whether they are ridiculed as freaks, persecuted as blasphemers, or discriminated as sub-human, these individuals have been historically treated as invisible and pushed into vulnerable positions, resulting in cycles of poverty and oppression that remain prevalent even in modern times. Today, while many of these individuals are not publicly displayed as freaks or persecuted under Western law, women, queer, and intersexed persons within our society still nonetheless find themselves under constant
Gender and sexuality can be comprehended through social science. Social science is “the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society” (free dictionary, 2009). The study of social science deals with different aspects of society such as politics, economics, and the social aspects of society. Gender identity is closely interlinked with social science as it is based on an identity of an individual in the society. Sexuality is “the condition of being characterized and distinguished by sex” (free dictionary, 2009). There are different gender identities such as male, female, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual that exists all around the world. There is inequality in gender identities and dominance of a male regardless of which sexuality they fall under. The males are superior over the females and gays superior over the lesbians, however it different depending on the place and circumstances. This paper will look at the gender roles and stereotypes, social policy, and homosexuality from a modern and a traditional society perspective. The three different areas will be compared by the two different societies to understand how much changes has occurred and whether or not anything has really changed. In general a traditional society is more conservative where as a modern society is fundamentally liberal. This is to say that a traditional society lists certain roles depending on the gender and there are stereotypes that are connected with the genders. One must obey the one that is dominant and make decisions. On the other hand, a modern society is lenient, It accepts the individual’s identity and sexuality. There is no inequality and everyone in the society is to be seen as individuals not a part of a family unit...