Essay on Alternative Lifestyle in Society

You would think that today’s society would not discriminate against someone based on their race, color, or national origin. With the changes in lifestyle, people continue to discriminate against those, but also someone’s sexual orientation. Even with laws and regulations, it continues in all parts of the country. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, more specifically Title VI, stated that you could not discriminate against anyone in programs and activities receiving federal

“Prejudice and Homosexuality”, by Richard D. Mohr, is an essay about how gays and lesbians are subject to discrimination because of different beliefs. Mohr says that when we are evaluating the morality of behavior is to be prescriptive, or normative, not descriptive. In this essay, Mohr says that “Gays are discriminated against in several ways, including private-sector employment, housing, public accommodations, insurance of all types, custody, adoption, and zoning regulations that bar ‘singles’ or ‘nonrelated’ couples from living together” (Mackinnon 246). I completely agree with him.

Such relationships can lead to horrible health problems, childrens that are being raised in homosexual households, have a higher risk of being bullied and they encounter many social problems.

The massive amount of people who believe and support LGBT should have the same human rights and equality say, “it's only fair they receive the same liberty to love who they love.” (Texas, Democratic Party, 1) Throughout the years, same sex marriage supporters have been increasing; “81% of adults under 30 now support marriage equality.”(Texas Democratic Party, 1). People have been making an effort to fight this case even since the beginning of the gay rights movement in the 1960s-1970s. Even before that though, homosexuals have tried to be seen equal, and of course, have an aspiration to be able to obtain the same rights as everyone else, which is to win over the Defense of Marriage Act, which was signed in 1996 by Presidential Clinton to be able to marry the person they love regardless of what their gender

Homosexuality has had a long battle through America, the thought of homosexuality was a mental disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-II Code 302 Sexual Deviation Sub-Section 302.0 Homosexuality. It stays “this category is for individuals whose sexual interests are directed primarily toward objects other than people

From slaves and immigrants to women and gays, America has struggled with the principle of equality for all people. A principle that is clearly laid out in the 14th amendment of The United States Constitution, “No state shall make or enforce any law, which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” (14th Amendment Section 2) And yet the rights of millions Americans have be infringed upon from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s to even more recent history such as Gay rights. African Americans, Immigrants, women, and homosexuals toil till this day to achieve freedom from discrimination in a country that was built on the idea of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We, as U.S. citizens, are guaranteed basic equal rights, but do these rights extend to all U.S. citizens? Honestly, they do not. Homosexuals have had their rights have been minimized or depleted since U.S. citizens can remember. It should not matter what ethnicity, sexuality, or religion you have; you deserve equal rights if you are a citizen of the U.S. because you pay the same taxes as everyone else in this country and are guaranteed the same rights under The Bill of Rights. Homosexuals can be charged with the same crime as a heterosexual, and they have the right to a speedy fair trial. However, homosexuals have been suffering injustices for far too long ranging from being banned from joining the military to getting married, and they are not allowed to search for their pursuit of happiness because other U.S. citizens continue to shut this right down. This is unjust because everyone is guaranteed their right to the pursuit of happiness under their basic Human Rights unless you are homosexual, and that is flat out discrimination.

Whether we like it or not, discrimination is a problem that has been occurring for thousands of years and is one that will continue to occur for years to come. American history has seen its share of discrimination, perhaps none more evident than the mid-19th century. Political tensions between northern and southern states concerning states’ rights and slavery sent the country into turmoil. The bloodiest battle in American history soon began and the country would never be the same again. However, after the conclusion of the war at Appomattox Court House, the definition of American citizenship and personal liberties would be changed forever. Unfortunately, discrimination has continued to take place within the nation’s borders against other groups of people. Recently, discrimination against homosexual individuals has been quite an intense topic of debate. Although I do understand the logic behind people’s beliefs, it is astonishing to me that there are people in this world that aggressively disallow others to be who they are and live the life that they so choose to live. Persecution of others for religious or political beliefs, although understandable, is a devastating problem to the entire world. In my eyes, how can America be the land of the free and the home of the brave when citizens are unable to be free in their choices and are forced to be brave to act against these unethical doings? We have seen reforms take place to minimize discrimination throughout

However society 's perspective on sexual identity has changed tremendously over the years. It used to almost be a disease that no one wanted to admit to having or have to deal with because that 's not what society viewed as “normal”. It was even said that only homosexuals can contract HIV/AIDS. In some cities, people got attacked physically because of the disagreement on homosexuality. Homosexual denied it their homosexuality because they didn 't want to be judged, but more and more people are admitting to it. Historical perspectives have changed too, especially in the U.S military service when homosexuals were banned from serving until 1993 when the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy was passed which allowed homosexual to serve in the military but not admit to it if they were asked. After World War II gay life flourished in urban areas such as Greenwich village and Harlem.

Homosexuality was never favored upon and still isn’t to this day. Discrimination against homosexuality started a long time ago. It was pronounced illegal in many cultures and religions. Many homosexuals would face the death penalty for breaking the laws and many were blamed for natural disasters such as earthquakes, because homosexuality was not favored. It is said that in ancient Greek culture that the physical attraction was considered

I learned that gay oppression stems from capitalistic ideas and nature. When the industrial revolution came around in the early 19th century it brought with it the traditional ideals of family that we know today (Carlin, 2007). Capitalists didn’t like the ideal of homosexuality because it defeated the purpose of sex only being for reproduction (Carlin, 2007). They thought that gays were getting in the way of producing the next generation of workers (Carlin, 2007). They quickly deemed them unnatural in the eyes of the Christian church and society (Carlin, 2007). Gays were routinely harassed and physically assaulted by police (Carlin, 2007). Capitalists tried to justify this oppression by saying that homosexuality was blatantly abnormal and unacceptable

“Discrimination [dih-skrim-uh-ney-shuh n]: treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.” Right from the dictionary, the definition is clear. Look back 95 years to 1920, where women across America raised their voices and fought back for the right to vote. Now take a look back 48 years ago when in 1967, interracial marriage was finally legalized. These were all monumental events fighting against discrimination. However, the definition is still blurring in minds of some across America as a multitude of bills are being passed permitting people to act with bigotry towards members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts just being one of them. In discussions of bills such as the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, or RFRA’s, one controversial issue has been whether or not they permit discrimination. On one hand, those supporting the laws argue that they only reinforce the free practice of religion. On the other hand, those against them contend that with their vagueness it plays out as disguising legal discrimination. My own view is that the RFRA’s and other anti-LGBTQ+ laws should be repealed or at the very least backed with a state wide non-discrimination law for LGBTQ+ individuals. This is in order to prevent a large amount of service being denied to LGBTQ+

LGBT people continue to face real discrimination and there is no federal law preventing them fro being fired or denied work based on their sexual orientation. The military is notorious for their public discrimination of gays and lesbians They can lose their children for being gay or lesbian, and are even denied the right to marry in some states. In 1992 Colorado executed Amendment 2, which opposed the current state laws and blocked future laws protecting lesbians, gay men and bisexuals from discrimination. The U. S. Supreme Court case 1996 Romer v. Evans decision. We must conclude that Amendment 2 classifies homosexuals not to further a proper legislative end but to make them unequal to everyone else. Which Colorado could not do. A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws. (Justice Anthony Kennedy, Majority Opinion in Romer v, Evans I)

Culturally, this type of behavior had no definite wrong or abnormal connotation strapped to it. As Neil Miller describes, "In the 1870s, a concept of homosexual identity--or of gay and lesbian community--was barely articulated" (Miller xvii). In America, the idea of homosexual love was beyond societal understanding. Prior to the introduction of homosexuality people were free to care about each other on levels without the constraints of any insecurity base on a the possibility of getting a label.

Homosexuality is not a 20th century situation but has been in history from the age of ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and even China. The attitude toward homosexuality always has been a variable, depending on the social, cultural and morality, or even the political development (Barnecka et al., 2005). Back in Greek history the concept of relations between two men was seen as the highest form of love, whereas the Judaic view always was against and frowned upon these relations considering it immoral and illegal. However, when the Roman rule was destroyed and the Christians took over Europe, homosexuality was seen as perverse (Woodward, 1997).