Gay Rights, Gay, Lesbian, And Society

Since the beginning of their existence and in today’s society, the community of LGBT workers are not being treated fairly or getting their fair share that they deserve in the workplace. They are victims to high rates of workplace discrimination. Instead of being judged as workers and what they bring to their jobs and how they work, they are being judged by their sexual preferences and appearance. Being a gay or transgender worker causes them to be mistreated, not judged for the actual workers they are, and most importantly, halts a majority of them in better career and job opportunities. Although under federal law it is illegal to fire someone who is either gay or transgender, they are still either being denied employment or being terminated from their jobs because of their gender category or sexual orientation.

When it comes to the gay rights movement, the structure and the history of how it got to where it is today is a huge factor in today’s society. There have been a lot of things that negatively influenced gay rights. In some ways, things have happened in a positive way as well. The gay rights movement today and legalizing gay marriage has struck some people the wrong way because of their beliefs. For the gay community, though, it has been a very positive thing. Some of the big key moments in history went the way they did because of important events and important people causing it to go that way. These include Jeremy Bentham, Magnus Hirschfield, Henry Gerber, the making of the Mattachine Society, Stonewall Riots, Clela Rorex, the Ryan White

Crosby Burns wrote “The Gay and Transgender Wage Gap” for Americanprogress.org, and the view of the article is clear from the beginning. “Unfortunately, many gay and transgender workers receive unequal pay for equal work in the United States today”

According to the Center for American Progress, “studies show that anywhere from 15% to 43% of gay people have experienced some form of discrimination and harassment at the workplace. Moreover, a staggering 90 percent of transgender workers report some form of harassment or mistreatment on the job.” (Burns & Krehely, 2011) This doesn’t just affect the individual, it affects the worker’s productivity and confidence on the job, in some cases it may affect the pay which ultimately throws off the individual’s income for stability within their responsibilities, this can affect the business in a negative way. The list can go on and on of the consequences brought on by employment discrimination. According to USA Today’s Jennifer Calfas, “it is legal to fire someone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. While there is some federal recourse through civil rights and equal employment claims, there's no national anti-discrimination law to protect LGBT workers from state whims. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits job discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion and nation of origin, but does not extend those protections to LGBT people.” (Calfas, 2015) Luckily, USA Today’s Jennifer Calfas also states that “Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting employers from firing employees due to just their sexual orientation or gender

Representative Jared Polis “In 31 states, it is still legal to fire an employee because they’re gay or transgender.” It’s shocking to know a nation considered one of the leading nations in the world has not granted its basic human rights to the people residing on their land––people who have devoted their lives to thrive in this country. Through research, there was one study I found that stood out to me titled “INJUSTICE AT EVERY TURN:

It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed – ‘we hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal’.”

According to Shaun Pichler, “when an applicant’s gender or gendered characteristics are inconsistent with that of the gender type of job itself, the candidate will be perceived as a poor fit for the job” (pg. 2530). He also states that employees who are found to be homosexual are more than likely to be unfairly terminated over a person that is heterosexual. To add to that, gay and lesbians were once banned from being able to serve in the military, but that ban was overturned just recently.

For 29 States in the US, it is legal to fire an employee for being gay, lesbian or bisexual. 38 States in the Union have no laws on record preventing discrimination against gender identity or expression—commonly known as transgender. While these statistics may be disheartening for many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals, it is not all doom and gloom. Employment protections and rights for GLBTs have grown exponentially in the past two decades.

Homosexuality has always been a controversial topic in the United States, and the twenty-first century has brought about many new rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender group. The American Gay Rights Movement has a long history, but the LGBT community is now starting to have more rights and protection.

First and foremost, the American dream of earning an income through hard work has repeatedly proven itself to be a challenging task for those in the LGBT community. This is due to the lack of acceptance shown to LGBT members struggling to attain a fair paying while openly expressing their sexual orientations, which conservative individuals continue to view as unorthodox. One example of is seen in the case of Brooke Waits. Waits, along with thousands others, was wrongfully denied the right to work towards achieving the American Dream by being employed due to bias workplace discrimination. Waits recounts the day her American right of opportunity was wrongfully denied simply because of her sexual orientation, “ when my boss discovered I am a lesbian... In a single afternoon, I went from being a highly praised employee, to out of a job” ( Burns). Sadly, the story of Brooke Waits is not an unusual a story, it is a real life experience that prevented one individual from completing the American Dream,

Gay rights are a civil rights issue although unrecognized on a par with women or Africans. As the definition of civil rights states “those positive rights, whether political, social or economic, conferred by the government on individuals or groups that had previously been denied them” (Yalof, 108). Homosexuals have been discriminated against historically, by both religious and political groups. There have been cases where they have been discriminated at work, clergy, and the military.

The New world was of great wonders discovered by the Vikings, inhabited by the natives ,and stolen by a bitter elite, that punches the great world with an iron fist; the explorer, Columbus starting the brick of colonization, an open path for Europeans to take the land and call it their own to grasp a new life, a dream that is to be savored and fulfilled as growth and prosperity continues to emerges out of the westernmost winds, and south of the Mediterranean sea, dominating the land, free to do whatever they please.

Do you honestly, know the top five hate crimes that happens in society? Well, the main community that many American oppose of is the Gay Community. There has been numerous of stories where Homosexual couples were brutally attacked due to their sexual preference and how they live their life style. Many American who are against Gay rights say that this will affect the society of America. The reason why they feel this way is because they feel it can bring huge financial and emotional stress. Then many Americans feel that their health risk are enormous to themselves and others. Even many Americans feel if Gay marriage begins to expand this means having the morals of the minority forced on the majority. Moreover, gay marriages reduce the number

Trans liberation is not trans liberation if it is not intersectional. Trans people are not a monolith, as we come from different backgrounds that have led us to have different experiences. In order for there to be a cohesive trans movement, all of these different experiences need to be considered. However, this has not been the case in the past. From the mid- to the late-20th century, the issues that have inhibited a broad based transgender movement would be racism and the erasure of trans people from the gay rights movement.

Without federal defense against workplace discrimination, LGBT workers face day-to-day challenges in finding and keeping employment. Instead of being evaluated on their qualifications, skills, and work ethic, LGBT workers too often face discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. These workers face inequalities in hiring, obstacles in professional advancement, and even job loss, simply because of who they are or whom they love. Although discrimination based on LGBT identity is currently legal in a majority of states, 9 out of 10 voters mistakenly believe LGBT workers already have federal protections.