Heterosexist Discrimination In Society

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.

Throughout the years, the acceptance of homosexuality has been a widely debated topic between common citizens and with America's laws. Should society welcome or outcast them? This was the question on everyone's mind, to which most people before the late 1960’s would favor the latter. In fact, during the mid-1960’s, it was against the law to provide service to someone of gay orientation (Clendinen 22). People of homosexual orientation would not allow others to restrict their rights because of religious belief or hierarchy ideals. To disrupt the somewhat successful oppression that the law was assisting in, they would fight back when police came to raid a bar in search of illegal activity. This often caused the media to get involved and report their findings, assisting in spreading the word of gay persecution.

Homosexual people have been misrepresented and refuted their basic civil rights in America over the years, especially during the late 1970s. During this time, Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, was one of the most prominent spokesman on the issues surrounding gay rights. In 1978 he gave a speech impacting the gay citizens of San Francisco and America, the anti-gay right wing movement supporters, straight allies of the gay movement, and politicians in general. His speech known as the “Hope Speech” resonates with people even today as Milk attempted to address gay rights and the importance of electing gay officials in office, using various rhetorical strategies such as pathos, logos, and elevated diction.

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.

Heterosexism, according to Warren J. Blumenfeld, is the system of advantages given to heterosexuals based on the social construct of gender roles and heterosexual norms, while marginalizing and oppressing homosexuals and others who do not fit into the heterosexual culture (373). The enforcement of this system is known as heteronormality. This is seen in the binary system, which is a social construct that divides people into different strictly bordered categories organized by “social roles, values, stereotypes, and behavioral and attitudinal imperatives, expressions, and expectations” (Blumenfeld 373). Those who stick to the binary system, maintain power and privilege. People who may live in the binary system, but also intentionally

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer community also referred to as LGBTQQ is no stranger to oppression. “In 1600-1800, colonists discovered buggery (sex between men or between women) among Native Americans. In 1869, Dr. Karoly Benkert coined the term “homosexuality” to describe same-sex acts. In 1870-1910, homosexuals

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

The LGBTQ community has struggled for decades to receive equal treatment but despite many advancements, this group of people is still not treated justly. The prevalent discrimination and prejudice enacted against the LGBTQ community can be witnessed on accounts of the Stonewall Riots and laws that affect the community such as not allowing gay men to donate blood, sexual orientation in connection to the military, et cetera. The gay rights movement has united to eradicate these issues through support of the LBGTQ community and to help people understand the process, timing, advantages, dangers, and pitfalls of coming out, as well as recent local and international rulings of the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage and the methods, laws, and attitudes of having children.

Harvey Milk once said “it takes no compromising to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no survey to remove repressions.” He lived in a time when there was discrimination of homosexuals and he experienced it; being the first gay man elected to Board of Supervisors in San Francisco. In the 1940’s and 50’s homosexual people were discriminated it was viewed as a disease and was described as “sociopathic personality disturbance. Homosexual activities were illegal and people were imprisoned for having consensual sex with another man. Despite the dangers and difficulties, homosexual people found a way to meet and confide in themselves. Most wrote books as a way to express themselves; it gave

Heterosexism, is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. The United States

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

Sexual orientationism is best described as discrimination or prejudice against homosexuals on the assumption that heterosexuality is the dominant, or normal, sexual orientation. Within society there are many barriers, assumptions, and stigmas placed upon the queer community, numerous of which steam from this heterosexist stance that has become the dominant ideology. This stance has historical significance in trauma, and oppression of those within the sexual minority, and how this can play on representation.

Every day as a society, we come across some kind of discrimination or prejudice against others or towards us. One specific discrimination we come across is heterosexism. Although there are laws and rights that protect us from these kinds of discriminations/prejudices, it still occurs on a daily basis. The definitions of heterosexism vary from text to text, but we find it true that people in heterosexual relationships have more privileges than people who are in same sex relationships. In comparison to two other definitions of heterosexism, my textbook definition says, “Heterosexism describes an ideological system that denies, denigrates, and stigmatizes any nonheterosexual form of behavior, identity, relationship, or community” (Whitley

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.

In recent years, sexuality, specifically homosexuality, has become a large issue in America. Not to say that homosexuality is something relatively new, considering it was first noticed in the early twentieth century. After World War I, many men and women were dishonorably discharged due to their sexual status of homosexuality. Persecution of homosexuals became rampant. They were brutalized by the police, and often ostracized by family members and their communities. It even went as far as the president at the time, Dwight D. Eisenhower, even declaring that homosexuality was a just enough cause to terminate someone’s employment. However, through a series of events, such as the founding of the Mattachine Society, the first homosexual political organization, homosexuals have been able to acquire more of their rights (“Allies”). However, there is still a large amount of people who believe that homosexuality is indecent, and that it should not be allowed to happen. I say who are we to get in the way of another’s happiness if we so readily defend our own? I do no believe that others have the right to judge based on their own personal, religious, and emotional views on life.