Argumentative Essay On Homophobia

The movement of the gay and lesbian population in the United States is one that has been in progress since the early 1900s, and is still facing overwhelming controversy and backlash today. The push for gay liberation in a country founded on Christian morals and beliefs has subsequently led to struggles over equality of marriage, adoption, jobs, and healthcare. One side of the controversy argues that every individual deserves the same rights, while the opposing mindset argues that being homosexual puts you into a group of people that is different, and will therefore be treated as such.

Twenty-four-year-old Daniel Zamudio was walking through a park in Santiago, Chile, when four men appeared and began to burn Daniel with cigarettes and beat him with rocks and glass bottles, injuring him in various ways (Saul). The men used the broken glass to cut off a part of his ear, as well as, cut swastikas into his skin because Zumudio was gay (Saul). Less than a month later, Daniel Zamudio passed away due to this violent hate crime (Saul). Although only few instances of homophobic crimes are reported, FBI statistics show that attacks on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, and pansexual (LGBT+) community, such as the Orlando gay nightclub shooting, are one of the common occurrences, right behind racial attacks (Saul). LGBT people have made outstanding progress on their goal to reach equality. For example, same-sex couples now have the right to adopt children in all the states of America and thanks to President Obama, federal workers cannot be discriminated upon sexual orientation or gender identity (Clinton). Although the LGBT+ community has civil rights that should be protected, due to society’s narrow-mindedness, the LGBT+ community gets treated as second class citizens.

It was a hectic morning for one of Orlando’s top queer bars, Pulse Night Club, on June 12th 2016. An armed gunman entered the premise and shot 49 people dead, injuring several others in the process. Despite the obvious tragedy, a positive result arose. Less than 12 hours after the mass shooting ended, President Obama addressed the nation on national television about the horrific event. To many, his speech was a completely normal response from a Head of State regarding a national tragedy, but many have taken the seemingly basic response for granted. In the past, major tragedies affecting minority groups, such as queer people, would not have even made the front page of the newspaper, let alone cause the president to give a speech immediately following the devastating event. For a large portion of American history, queer individuals were seen by the majority as immoral people who needed to solve their own problems with little help from the dismissive and oppressive government that ruled over them. When the AIDS epidemic hit the homosexual male community in the 1980s, gay men across the country reached out for help and slowly received it. Given that homosexuality was a taboo topic in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan recognizing the AIDS epidemic was a notable milestone for the queer rights movement.

Hate crimes amongst the LGBTQ community have been a product stemmed from prejudices for centuries. The Stonewall Riots were the true catalyst of the Gay Rights Movement, and without it, many laws that affect LGBTQs would still be enforced. The Stonewall Riots were a congregation of events that garnered much attention during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. As many people were fighting for equality for African-Americans and an end to racial segregation, LGBTQ people were inspired “throughout the country to organize in support of gay rights” (2). The Stonewall Riots erupted at a well-known bar, Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village as police were wrongfully discriminating against and harassing crowds.

All families face challenges in their everyday life. For some, the challenges are easier to handle while for others, surmounting those challenges can be more difficult. Over the years, the LGBT community in the US has faced many hurdles. Whether it’s the legalization of same-sex marriage to adoption rights to alimony, child support and child custody in case of divorce, legislation specific to gay and lesbian couples still has a long way to go.

“When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free” (U.S. President Barack Obama, 2013). As early as 1924 our country has debated the idea of gays. In 1969 The Stonewall riots sparked the gay rights movement. In previous weeks debates continue involving the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016. However, our nation has fought for the ability to be equal, to embrace differences, and to build upon different ideas and cultures. Although, prejudice and discrimination still lerk among the hearts of Americans who will argue negative consequences involving the ability of same-sex marriage; yet embracing same-sex marriage supports financially, will support children involved, and

Every day we see on the media about people being harassed, abused, or even murdered, it has become the America's normal. Hate crimes are committed every hour; three gays become victims of hate crimes every day. Current laws do not protect these three groups of individuals: women, the disabled, and the homosexuals. I believe a huge hate crime percentage in America today is against the LGBT society. As the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender society grows, we start to see more than ten percent in the population. In 1973, the shooting of New Orleans French Quarter gay par killing 32 people, 1997-150 people, 2000- 7 people, 2009- one victim, 12 staples to the head, 2013- one individual poured gasoline on a stair way and set the club on fire, there was about 750 people in that club, last, the most recent in 2016, killing 50 people and sending 53 to the hospital, the Orlando pulse gay nightclub was violently attacked. "68% of people favor including sexual orientation and gender identity in federal hate crimes law" (Libman & Marzullo, 2009).

The LGBTQ community are living a life in danger in America. Regardless of the acceptance of same-sex marriage, there are a number problems the LGBTQ community have to face, like the many obstacles to acceptance and equality. In The New York Times article, “The Challenges That Remain for L.G.B.T. People After Marriage Ruling” by Liam Stack, he goes by talking about info that can be reliable with sources that work, with quotes that match with what he needs to say, and usefully using emotional appeals to persuade his audience that the LGBTQ community are in danger. Stack sets about his work of persuading his audience about what is going on in the world is by using strong logical and ethical appeals. In his writing he points out that the LGBTQ community faces discrimination, lack of transgender rights, health care and Immigration and Criminal equity reform.

In My Murdered Cousin Had a Name (June 29, 2015), Charles M. Blow argues that he wants society and law to change their view on L.G.B.T.Q people and to not criticize a person’s dignity based who they are attracted to or who in communion with. He supports his claim by first stating how his cousin died just because of living as a gay human-being, then states that if you are a black gay male you have a higher risk of being attacked by homophobes, then states that a black person who is gay to society can be hunted just because he/she is black; it intrigues danger for all black people, and finally M. Blow wishes that all L.G.B.T.Qs could and should be gratified for their difference. Blow’s purpose is to persuade readers in order to clarify the problem between racism and homophobia. He creates a righteous tune for the media and the homophobes.

Approximately, 8.8 million United States citizens are considered to be apart of the LGBT community. With these numbers on the rise, homicide rates regarding LGBT people in the last five-seven years appear to be climbing and staying that way. Because of these statistics that are increasing every day, it is crucial that protection laws be put in place for the benefit of LGBT people.

For years the LGBTQA community has been fighting for equality in the social, political, and health spheres and the fight continues today. Johnson argues that due to homophobia being considered a “disease-causing

Firstly I’m going to open this topic with mass shooting that had been occurred, June 12 2016 in a gay nightclub. Killed 49 people and wounded 53, also considered a hate crime, which mean that a certain people that is dislike a certain group or ethnics can include but are not limited to: sex, ethnicity, disability, language, nationality, physical appearance, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Although the issue of LGBT+ has been thrust to the forefront of issues in contemporary society, this is a battle that has affected social, political and health-related spectrums of our communities for decades. For many years, homosexuality was thought to be a psychiatric illness. In fact, it was defined as such by the APA until 1974. Gay conversion therapy was fairly popular, subjecting numerous patients to horrendous acts of torture in the name of medicine(source 3). On top of these brutal and quite frankly inhumane acts, there were laws and regulations prohibiting homosexuality. Although very loosely acted upon, it was these documents that paved the way for discrimination of LGBT members of the society to be discriminated against. Men and women alike could be easily discriminated against when trying to obtain housing or applying for immigration(Source 2). Without being able to partake in society as a functioning person, the disparity between sexual minorities and their heterosexual counterparts grew immensely.

Homophobia Through the years it would be delightful to believe that society has gotten more accepting of minorities. While in many ways this is true, it is also a false statement as well. The United States has gone through leaps and bounds over the last century. Women were the first to win their rights, and after that African Americans broke through the barriers of oppression.

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people are discriminated against, terrorized, and protested against. They have barely any laws guarding their rights. All Americans are supposed to have all the rights needed for their pursuit of happiness, yet LGBTQ+ citizens do not. This needs to stop. And the U.S., while still quite far away, is slowly on its way to equity for all of its citizens. But good LGBT Americans are mostly treated unfairly.