Equality between sexual orientations - Essay Example

? Equality between sexual orientations In the recent times, there has been an unprecedented growth of the gay and lesbian community. This growth has transformed people's culture and consciousness. In the process, new possibilities for men and women to come out and live more openly as homosexuals emerges. The increasing growth of Lesbian and gay community in America and Western Europe has claimed the attention in politics and the media, culture and the arts. Previously, lesbian and gay adolescent were felt not to exist or seen as a social problem. However, there are about three million gay and lesbians in United States alone today (Terrell and Veronique 115). The Principle that all people are equal before the law is the corner stone of many societies. However, many do not follow this principle to the letter. For example, for a long time women were always regarded and given the second class status in the United States and until the 1920s, they were not entitled to vote during federal elections. Similarly, blacks in the United States had no guarantee to equal rights under the law until the passage of Civil Rights Act in 1964. The main provision of the Act stated that all persons within the Jurisdiction of USA have the same right in every state and territory. The Act gave everybody the right to enforce contracts, to sue, give evidence, and any other right that was enjoyed by the whites (David 44). The Act declared that no person in the United States shall be discriminated on the bases of race, color or nationality of Origin. According to the act, no individual shall be discriminated in or be denied the benefit of any program or activity receiving the Federal Financial assistance. This declaration of equal rights was extended to people with physical and mental impairment that substantially limits a significant life activity. This was through the enactment of people with disability Act in 1990 still in USA (Leslie 24). Nevertheless, as society tries to attain the principle of equality under the law, one significant group has been left out for a long time: lesbians and gay men. Individuals’, agencies and organizations in most places still discriminate against gay men and lesbian in housing, employment, access to public accommodations, and other fields of life on the bases of their sexuality. For instance, in many states of United State, landlords refuse to rent a house to same-sex couples simply because they are either gay or lesbians. Nevertheless, several countries including some states in the US have banned this form of discrimination that bases on sexual orientation and gender expression (David 56). Discrimination in housing, employment and access to public accommodation is seen as the three basic rights issue that concern them since they are so relevant to the daily life of every gay or lesbian. Gay and lesbian people also face discrimination from the straight people in areas such as a hate crime where crime is motivated by the virtual of the victim’s gender, race, national origin, sexual orientation or some other characteristics. Gay and lesbians further face discrimination on the issue of marriage. There has been controversy over the legality of the same sex marriage and the institution. In the developmental stages of the homosexual rights movement, few individuals would have predicted that marriage would become a significant objective of the movement. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of effort by the movement to give the gay men and lesbian the same rights associated with legal marriage that is currently available to straight people couples. The issues constitute the core of the discussion over the gay and lesbians’ rights today in many societies (John 250) The gay and lesbian rights movement that was introduced in the United States was a product of economic, social and political changes that took place in the United State in early 20th century. In the 1960s, there was the growth of Civil rights movement in the US. During this period, the first hint of the presence of the lesbian and gay right movement was heard. During their inception along the same period, there was little indication that gay men and lesbians were interested in disrupting the society. Gays and lesbian agreed to try and fit into the general culture, obtain popular acceptance for their way of life and hope for relief from the oppression and disapproval from the straight people that largely defined their lives (David 76). Nevertheless, some did not approve this view and hence it was not universal among the gay men and lesbian. The opponents of the idea believed that strong actions against social standards and institutions were the only way for lesbian and gay men to achieve true freedom and equality. One of the proponents of this idea was Franklin Kameny, an American astronomer who had been fired in 1957 from his position as an Astronomer in the US army map service in Washington because of his homosexuality. This made him spend the rest of his life fighting against policies and institutions that deny equal rights to every citizen, without regarding one’s sexual orientation (Peter and Beth 38). The period between 1960 and 1970 saw several movements that were aimed at fighting for the rights of gay men and lesbians in US. Example of these movements included the Gay Liberation Front (GLF). This was a classical revolutionary organization that was aimed at not only ending the oppression of the gay men and lesbian, but also the broader objective of fighting social economic and political injustices whenever they might occur. Another group that was formed was the Gay Activist Alliance. This was a politically more moderate organization which had the agenda of promoting the social economic and political life of gay men and lesbians (John 250). GAA existed for a period of 12 years, and during this period, the group made a remarkable number of activities that were aimed at improving the social economic and political lives of gay men and lesbians. The group succeeded in hosting social activities such as dances, film, musical events, fashion shows and conscious raising meetings. Such events were not previously available to the gay and lesbian people. They provided a social setting in which they could come together and interact on an informal level. The group also held endless rallies and public demonstrations to push to an end of police harassment and elimination of discriminatory policies in housing and employment. They also pushed for the repeal of state and local laws that prohibited same sex related crimes. Gay and lesbians rights movement continued to rise in New Yolk and other cities and towns in USA. Estimates are that, by the mid 1970s, there were more than one thousand gay and lesbian groups throughout United States and other developing nations (John 258). The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce (NGLTF) was formed, and among its members was Franklin Kameny, the gay rights activists. The task force has had a principal role in fighting all the social and political issues of interest to gay and lesbians in the United States for over the last 35 years. The task force convinced the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from among its list of mental disorders in the United States in 1973. The task force also persuaded the U.S civil service commission to remove its ban on employing lesbian and gay men in federal position. In 1981, the NGLTF led a successful campaign that was aimed at defeating the anti-gay lesbian bill that was called the Family Protection act. Along with the Human Rights Campaign, the Task force has been one of the largest, highly respected, highly funded and most effective national agencies working for the civil rights of lesbian and gay men (Michael 62). Nevertheless, despite the continued achievement by the gay and lesbian movements to fight discrimination, lesbian and gay men continues to be occasionally or systematically to be treated less favorably compared with the heterosexual. However, difference in treatment may not be automatically worse, and even may be justified, therefore, besides different treatment, discrimination implies that the way an individual receives any form of treatment is less favorable for unjustifiable reasons. The hub of discrimination is that those discriminating are attributing a negative connotation to irrelevant criteria, for instance, sexual orientation or sexual life style. Discrimination against gay men and lesbian finds its justification in the persistent negative views many society members hold about homosexuality. Many have the perspective that, homosexuality is sick, sinful, perverse, unnatural, dangerous, shameful to the family, contagious for children and so on. Discrimination against lesbian and gay men takes many forms; it may be direct and explicit discrimination. This means that one is discriminated against purely for purely for reasons of sexual preference. This may range from ‘bashing’ to the exclusion from jobs or military service and denial of certain goods and services. In addition, it may involve imposing a limitation on the freedom of expression and the right of assembly (Toni and Kathleen 75). The most prevalent form of discrimination is the indirect form. This is where lesbian and gay men experience less favorable treatment because of the interwoven network of legal and social rules presented. These rules are perceived and upheld by many as the moral foundation of the society. Consequently, efforts to change this rules usually face massive opposition. These moral values that are deeply embedded in habits and tradition usually dominate various gender roles attached to marriage, sexuality extra. These neutral rules are equally applied to lesbian and gay men who usually experience them as not only inappropriate but also discriminatory (Toni and Kathleen 75). As a way of protecting the individual and collective rights of this minority group of people, human rights legislation have been put in place recognizing that all people have equal rights and dignity, gay men and lesbian have a right to private life and this right should be protected by the law. The Universal declaration on human right explicitly states that each person can claim all the rights and freedom set forth in the declaration without distinction of any kind whatsoever. This logically follows that even the lesbian and gay men are accorded. Therefore, they should be able to enjoy the rights and freedom as enriched in the declaration. However, deeply rooted structures in the society such as the religious morals and other values and traditions are invoked to justify the privileges ascribed to heterosexual. Nevertheless, it is not everybody who is obliged to follow specific religious morals. The Universal declaration on human rights recognizes and gives freedom of worship and belief, and it is the high time the society adjust and accept gay men and lesbians as part of the society and stop the discrimination (Terrell and Veronique 119). Works Cited David, Newton. Gay and Lesbian Rights: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC CLIO, 2009. Print. John, Dececco. Navigating Differences: Friendships Between Gay and Straight Men. London Routledge, 2013. Print Leslie, Moran. Sexuality and the politics of violence and safety. London: Routledge, 2004. Print Michael, Kimmel. The gendered society. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print Peter, Nard and Beth, Schneider. Social perspectives in lesbian and gay studies. London: Routledge, 1998. Print. Terrell, Carver and Veronique, Mottier. Politics of Sexuality: Identity, Gender, Citizenship. London: Routledge, 1998.Print. Toni, Calasanti & Kathleen,Slevin. Gender, Social Inequalities and Aging. England: ALTA MIRA Press, 2001. Print. Read More