Is It A Victim Of Persecution?

This proves that there is a higher risk of destructive behavior and victimization among the LGBT community. But why are these destructive behaviors present? Dr. Michael Benibgui, PhD, notes in his dissertation that, “if early experiences regarding the LGB community are negative, they may arouse internalized homophobia and self-devaluation” (18). As an effect of these attitudes toward the LGBT community, these “self-devaluating” feelings are exposed.

Then, Warren J. Blumenfeld goes on to list the many ways homophobia hurts, not only the LGBTQ community, but everyone. Some being, it restricts the ability of heterosexuals to form relationships with people of the same sex out of fear of homosexuality; it creates strict gender roles that people must abide by, which creates unfairness; it makes herterosexual people treate people of the LGBTQ community badly which corrupts their humanity; and it strains family relationships.

Based on the discussion from the Williams Institute, it is evident that there continues to be a prevalence of discrimination among groups that are not viewed as culturally acceptable in our county. In this article, it is reported that people are more likely to experience hate crimes based on their sexual orientations. For instance, 44% of people reported experience physical violence (without a weapon) because of their sexual orientation, and 80% had been verbally harassed (Herek, 2009). Although the Hates Crimes Statistic Law became effective in 1990, the stigma surrounding the LGBTQ community continues to affect their everyday life. It may defer a person by identified their sexual orientation for the fear of being discriminating in the workplace,

Homophobia is the concept in which people are hateful or fearful towards lesbians and gays (Dictionary.com, 2014). Fear and revulsion of the LGBT population commonly emanate from religious concepts or traditional ideas of society. In 2011, 18% of hate crimes based upon sexual orientation were reported, however, the number proved to be higher than expected due to the fact that many more individuals are reporting these crimes to the authorities (Northhumberland View, 2013). This further demonstrates the progression of LGBT rights in Canadian society due to the fact that lesbian, gay and transgender individuals alike feel comfortable enough to report these matters to the police and receive justice rather than allowing the issue to go unnoticed out of fear of being judged. Also, though many laws have been implemented to prevent discrimination, it is a reality in which many members of the LGBT community still face today. In terms of bullying, 25% of homosexual adolescents reported being physically harassed by heterosexual peers in 2009 (CBC, 2010). However, in 2002 approximately one third of homosexual students were harassed based upon their sexuality (Riese, 2014). Although discrimination and bullying based upon sexual orientation is prevalent in today's society, Canadians have become more accustomed to the idea of homosexuality which is reflected through the decrease in the amount of harassment that occurs. However, with adequate education and continuous learning about the matter, discrimination based upon sexuality can be virtually eliminated in the

The issue of the different impacts of offenses based on different factors whether be sexual orientation or race has been a topic of discussion. “Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people might be particularly vulnerable to negative effects of hate crimes….because sexual prejudice is still acceptable in some parts American society and antigay discrimination remains legal in some jurisdictions (Herek, 1997). The main goal of the study done by Herek was to compare the levels of psychological distress among gays, lesbians, and bisexual victims of hate crimes with victims of other types of crimes.

Victimization of LGBT community members is elevating as time passes. Researchers attempt to determine the prevalence of the violence committed against members of the LGBT community (Rothman, Exner, & Baughman, 2011). Many people that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender that are victims of hate crimes have participated in studies where they insist that the crimes committed against them are based on their sexuality; not class, color, gender, or any other factor. In a qualitative study, Meyer (2009) conducted open-ended interviews with people who were victims of hate crimes. The participants were recruited at LGBT advocacy organizations. Those who presumed that their hate crime was due to multiple systems of oppression such as class,

Various interventions implemented within the school setting have shown to improve the social environment for the LGBTQ population. A report by the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University traced the effects of LGBTQ bullying in a school setting included unintentional statements like “that’s so gay,” or more direct verbal harassment, and physical violence in school hallways (Russell, Ryan, Toomey, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2011, p. 225). The data from the project’s survey of 245 LGBTQ adolescents links bullying to long-term health and developmental problems. It was discovered that LGBTQ targeted bullying related to gender expression or sexual orientation during school years led to increased adolescent depression, suicidal thoughts, social adjustment issues and risky sexual behavior (Russell, Ryan, Toomey, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2011, p. 225). LGBTQ adolescents that reported high levels of anti-LGBTQ victimization as teens were 5.6 times more likely to report suicide attempts than those victimized less frequently. Those who reported suicide attempts were more than double as likely to be diagnosed clinically depressed, and they were more than twice as likely to report having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease by young adulthood. In the paragraphs to come we will examine how bullying impacts

Types of discrimination has on effect on LGBTQ. People on the daily have negative comments to say to the LGBTQ community. Especially those who are young who are and out or are being

The current literature explains that the impression of anti- gay violence is socially acceptable and long- established when perpetrators who prey on victims of the LGBT community receive weightless verdicts or escape punishments altogether. Perpetrators recognize authority figures such as: parents, police, political and religious leaders who believe gays deserve such heinous treatment and will not treat the violence accordingly (Herek, 2004, p. 160). According to Wills (2004), hate crimes have origins that lead to intimidation, bullying, teasing, physical assault, rape, and murder causing victims to ultimately suffer the consequences of depression, psychological disorders, and suicide. Adults have, by now, further experienced the pressures of society because of their diverse sexuality. However, the stress placed upon teens and young adults, especially college students because of their sexual preference has lead to tremendous life-threatening

Throughout history, members of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer community (LGBTQ) have been persecuted because of their sexual orientation. There has been a tremendous struggle for power, within the LGBTQ community. Throughout the years, people have tried to suppress the rights of these individuals, because of their own moral beliefs. Some methods they pursue are more aggressive than others. Certain individuals will stop at nothing to keep this community down, and will even act with ruthless aggression to do so. There are a multitude of cases within the last decade to prove this true. When someone does decide to this, they are considered hate crimes.

Throughout history we have seen people degrade and abuse humans. In Grapes of Wrath we see the “okies” being used by the owners and abused by the people in power. They are dehumanized, in the way they are treated and how they are spoken to. This act seems outdated and ancient but it's not. Today we see many people being dehumanized because of sex, race and sexual orientation. An example of this is the way some gay people are sent away or forced to attend places or programs where they are told how to feel and what to feel for whom. The methods these places and programs use can be described as abusive and destructive. These methods have many names ranging from slang names such as “praying

Amid the previous decade antigay viciousness has turned into a conspicuous social issue (Berrill, 1990). The National Gay and Lesbian Team reported 7,008 grievances of brutality and badgering against gay people in 1987 contrasted and 4,946 in 1986 and 2,042 in 1985 (Herek, 1989). Over various overviews Berrill (1992) discovered badgering and viciousness to be boundless and developing. Learns at the Colleges of Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania State, Yale, Rutgers, Oberlin, and Oregon have chronicled antigay scenes extending from verbal affront to physical roughness.

Harm inflicted on gay people is sometimes caused when people try to force people to fit gender roles.Violence can be influenced when people are around peers, causing these acts to usually occur in front of or with friends who are also homophobic. These unruly behaviors stem from people who want to have close relationships mixing with an over exaggerated sense of masculinity. One attacker stated that they feel as though LGBT people should be ashamed of being different, and another abuser targeted gay people for not conforming to his idea of masculinity (Franklin).

After, the authors explain how peer victimization has various mental health outcomes in LGB youth. They found that when controlling for previously reported levels of each psychosocial outcome variable that homophobia victimization anticipated concern, misery and a lower sense of school belonging to the boys and extraction in girls. After this finding, it indicates that homophobic victimization had a great mental health impact on sexual minority youth more than heterosexual peers. In addition, the authors discuss that in the Netherlands, 13-15-year-olds found that who have same-sex most likely to get destructive treatment by other students than those without same-sex. In the Netherlands in which the social expectations for women and men are very similar than different. Therefore, where homosexuality is less denounced and gender roles are less harshly observed. An article is trying to prove different consequences of homophobic name-calling and the effects of mental health on teenagers where the authors also discuss about different risk factors such as negative treatment by peers, same-sex attractions, gender non-conformity, and psychological distress.

Prejudices and discriminations are based on sexual orientation tend to increase the likelihood of depression, stress, and a decrease in mental health state. Within the paper, it discusses how the discrimination that many people within the LGBT community experience affects the likelihood of the person developing issues with their mental health; such as, depression or anxiety. The paper discussed the constant fear of discrimination could have been the cause of the mental disorders. I evaluated that with archival research, the stressors associated with the difficulties of being LGBT, were likely causes of depression and anxiety