Gay Marriage and Other Issues Surrounding the LGBT Community Essay

Life for most homosexuals during the first half of the Twentieth century was one of hiding, being ever so careful to not give away their true feelings and predilections. Although the 1920s saw a brief moment of openness in American society, that was quickly destroyed with the progress of the Cold War, and by default, that of McCarthyism. The homosexuals of the 50s “felt the heavy weight of medical prejudice, police harassment and church condemnation … [and] were not able to challenge these authorities.” They were constantly battered, both physically and emotionally, by the society that surrounded them. The very mention or rumor of one’s homosexuality could lead to the loss of their family, their livelihood and, in some cases, their

Many people from the United States hold the belief that being gay is something that has always been considered to be okay. They believe that it is just a given. Despite people’s current beliefs on the subject, for a very long time, it was something that was widely believed to be taboo. In the past, people were imprisoned due to their sexuality. Regardless, throughout the decades, people have pushed for the widespread acceptance of people who are part of the LGBT community. Today, homophobia still exists in some parts of the United States, but we have come a long way since the early 1900s.

“The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights

In a very real sense, it is reasonable to argue that the government should have no say at all in the processes of marriage, or decide which adults may or may not legally marry. State and federal governments play a role, of course, in that marriage is a civil union, and provides benefits and legal protections for the couple. Historically, marriage serves the interests of the society by promoting stability and future generations of citizens, and governments usually act in ways to promote this very vital element. At the same time, it is highly questionable whether this governmental authority should have any voice in who chooses to marry, provided those involved are adults and wish to do so. This is in fact, at the heart of the same-sex

“Sex was something mysterious which happened to married couples and Homosexuality was never mentioned; my mother told me my father did not believe it existed at all ‘until he joined the army’. As a child, I was warned about talking to ‘strange men’, without any real idea what this meant. I was left to find out for myself what it was all about.” Mike Newman, who was a child during the 1950s America recalls how homosexuality was perceived during the post-World War II era (F). This sexual oppression was not only in Newman’s household, but in almost everyone’s. While the civil rights movement began in the mid-1950s and ended late 1960s, the LGBT community started to come out of the closet slowly. The gay rights movement stemmed from the civil rights movement

While there have been many successes for promoting and enacting laws to help support gay and lesbian rights there still much more to be done to ensure such. In reading the Saylor text the first thing discuses is the “unique obstacle” in helping attain civil rights (Saylor 179). Civil rights for gay men and lesbians, is something that has been greatly opposed by religious groups where it sex marriage and in all homosexuality is deemed “flawed behavior” and not an “innate characteristic” (179). In regards to exit polls it is also regarded that only 4 percent of public voting is made have up so lesbian, gay men, and bisexuals. Other opposition for gay rights came in the 1950s with the anti-communist scare where gay people where “harassed” and mocked by politicians and police departments. Latter opposition that is extremely current today would be same sex marriage, which has brought in huge opposition between the federal and state courts. In all, while there have been many accomplishments in gay rights there is still more that must be accomplished regarding equal rights for

The privacy rights of two consenting adults was established through Griswold v. Connecticut, but it was for heterosexual and not homosexual married couples. In 1986 homosexual sodomy laws were outlawed as the result of Bowers v. Hardwick. In 2003, Lawrence v. Texas outlawed these sodomy laws because it deprives them of their liberty in sexual conduct (Article, Lawrence v. Texas, Week 7). Even though these laws were overturned homosexuals were still discriminated in employment, public services, and banned from teaching, and the military (Sandel, 253).

Homosexual marriage is one of the old but controversial issues around the world. Compared to the past, it seems to become a more open debate among people. At the same time, people seem to be more swayable than before, but towards the gay marriage, different voices have still been hovering in the air. Gay people and their supporters have been striving for their rights to get married legally, while others who against gay marriage have never stopped deterring it.

Same-sex couples are becoming increasingly popular in our society and advocates have been pushing for social justice to abolish sexual discrimination. America has been misled by opponents of the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts who claim a business' right to religious freedom to turn away gay customers is discrimination and bigotry, and we need to return to the biblical view of homosexuality as what it really is: sin. This paper will cover religious freedom and the advancement of gay rights in society today as it pertains to the opposing arguments of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed recently in Indiana.

During the 1960’s to be gay in the United States was essentially a crime. It was the time of the “Lavender Scare,” in which thousands of people were fired from the federal government for no other reason than their sexuality. The fear stemmed from Cold War concerns that homosexuals would be a “security risk,” exploitable by communists (Sherouse) (Sears). Dozens of anti-gay legislation was in existence, specifically prohibiting employment of “homosexuals and other sex perverts” in civil service positions, and subsequently creating a president of discrimination throughout the country (Sears).

In the past decades, the struggle for gay rights in the Unites States has taken many forms. Previously, homosexuality was viewed as immoral. Many people also viewed it as pathologic because the American Psychiatric Association classified it as a psychiatric disorder. As a result, many people remained in ‘the closet’ because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being discriminated against in the society. According to David Allyn, though most gays could pass in the heterosexual world, they tended to live in fear and lies because they could not look towards their families for support. At the same time, openly gay establishments were often shut down to keep openly gay people under close scrutiny (Allyn 146). But since the 1960s, people

In the recent years there has been a growing concern about the impact of homophobia. In the United States, few endeavors were made to make backing bunches supporting gay and lesbian connections until after World War II, albeit prewar gay life prospered in urban focuses, for example, Greenwich Village and Harlem amid the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The interruptions of World War II permitted earlier detached gay men and ladies to meet as fighters, war laborers, and different volunteers evacuated from residential communities and posted around the world. More noteworthy mindfulness, combined with Senator Joseph McCarthy 's examination of gay people holding government occupations amid the mid 1950s, prompted the primary American-based political requests for reasonable treatment in psychological wellbeing, open strategy, and vocation. Until the passing of the Sexual Offences Bill in 1967, male homosexual activity was illegal. Gay men were frequently imprisoned for consensual sex with another man. Lesbianism was not illegal, but was similarly subject to public disapproval, or ignored.

Despite the dangers and difficulties involved, gay men and women were able to find places to meet. The Minorities Research Group (MRG) was formed in 1964, and provided isolated lesbians with resources and information about female homosexuality and the opportunity to meet other women” (Allan Horsfall 2014). “Through the 1980s, as the gay male community was decimated by the AIDS epidemic, demands

Advocates of homosexual marriage say they are aiming to strengthen and become a part of the institution. Bennett disagrees and implores that if they were allowed to follow through, and be accepted as an active part of the institution of marriage, they would be, in turn, destroying the very foundations of marriage.

Gay marriage is a very talked about topic in are country that shouldn’t be ignored. I believe men and women should be able to love freely and not be shamed by it. Marriage is a great factor in the United States. To some people it’s what we live for; is to get married and start a family. To not give everyone the same opportunity to have a happy marriage and family is unlike us. This problem is bringing a lot of hate, the same hate that was used in racial discrimination so why not give gays equal rights like everyone else. Andrew Sullivan wrote a article that shares his experiences of coming out and being accepted. When puberty hit he started to realize he wasn’t the same. He knew that his marriage is not going to be the same as his

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, also known as LGBT population have experienced a great deal of oppression worldwide. These particular individuals undergo discrimination from society, whether for reasons of ignorance, fear or intolerance, this population faces challenges in multiple areas of social justice sexual. Although the LGBT culture has made some strides in the areas of state and federal legislation, there is still a wide range of criminalization that takes place within our culture. Understanding the LGBT community and the history of their oppression may be the first step in becoming culturally competent. For many years this culture was denied their basic constitutional rights that were afforded to their equal heterosexual peers. Basic rights such as, adoption and marriage were uncommon to this culture until the 20th century.