Is It Pink? By Robert N. Minor

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.

This book Pray the Gay Away by Bernadetta C. Barton discusses about certain areas in the United States called Bible Belts were they have made absolutely no progress in securing rights for gay people. They lag behind the rest of nation were people are accepting homosexuality (Pray the Gay Away 15). Barton argues that in small towns were Christian institutions serve as a foundation for both passive and active homophobia in these areas (Pray the Gay Away 19). This article is related to the play because the two dominant religions discussed in the play was Judaism and Mormonism and both religions strongly oppose homosexuality and this lead to homophobic attitudes and themes within the play.

In this article Roxane had lead me through a pathos appealing reading that aroused many feelings and emotions towards the aspects of her lingering thoughts and perspectives of privileges being different and that the way people used the word it is seen as it has become white noise. My goal in this paper is to analyze her discussion, as Gay begins with her credibility; with personal facts; reputable sources; citing convincing opinions, and successfully employing emotional appeals. However, her

American rhetoric about LGBT+ issues underwent major changes in the late 60s and early 70s. While for years homophile groups such as the Mattachine Society dominated queer rhetoric, in 1969 Carl Wittman’s “Gay Manifesto” redefined the LGBT+ rights movement’s voice and goals (380). Using shocking language, his authority as a gay man, and emotional appeals to his queer audience, Wittman and his “Gay Manifesto” utilized a confrontational, liberationist tone to communicate his views on sexual identity and heteronormative culture. While opponents may argue that Wittman’s profane language and emotional appeals weaken his argument and alienate the audience, his rhetorical choices prove perfect for engaging queer readers. Wittman’s “Gay Manifesto” spoke to queer people and offered a new perspective in LGBT+ rhetoric.

The second chapter, “Writing the Homophile Self”, describes the struggles many homosexuals face in Christianity. White analyzes the relationship, or lack thereof, some individuals have with religion due to the damning nature of homosexuality. In contrast, others did choose to continue to follow God and find comfort in more accepting congregations. Regardless, many homosexuals pushed for a social reform rather than the therapeutic methods. Doing so, the homophile movement brought same-sex relationships to light within the modern world and modern

Susie O’Brien’s article ‘It’s time to honour gay couples and allow them to marry’ (The Advertiser, November 20, 2010, p. 27) is an argument that surrounds the unfair inequality of gay couples and the issue of gay marriage. O’Brien uses argumentative devices such as appeals to pathos, logos, repetition, rhetorical questions, tone and considered words and concise sentences. These devices provide the audience with a clear direction that remains focused throughout the entire article.

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 starts by building his validity with commendable points and reliable sources, quoting to persuading points and information, and effectively utilizing emotional appeals to persuade readers that the LGBTQ community are in danger. Stack sets about his work of persuading readers that was going on in the world is not acceptable by presenting strong logical and ethical appeals. In his writing he points out that

Have you ever had that one friend who seems to be really attracted to a person of their own gender? Have you ever seen two male or female individuals walking together holding hands? Those individuals that you see are criticized for what they believe in and who they love. During the World War II, “In many camps, prisoners wore badges. These badges were colored based upon the reason for imprisonment. In one common system, men convicted for sexual deviance, including homosexuality wore a pink triangle. The icon has been reclaimed by many in the post-Stonewall gay rights movement as a symbol of empowerment, and, by some, a symbol of remembrance to the suffering of others during a tragic time in history” (The History of the Gay and Lesbian Experience

Whilst explaining that there has been an on-going battle over gay rights and even comparing them to the rights of other overlooked populations such as the African American one, they explain that this fight has been fought most intensely at the subnational level; in legislatures, courtrooms, and direct democracy campaigns—yielding a complicated policy montage. Although some states have adopted numerous pro-gay policies; others have very few or none. The article stresses the struggles over various minority rights and how they have played an immense part in history and are among the main conflicts in any diverse democracy. Believing that possibly over time such struggles may have moved from race to sexual orientation, it is clear that basic tensions remain unresolved. Their analysis sheds insight into how these tensions play out for gay rights, and, in particular, their research allowed them to assess the degree to which majoritarian responsiveness has dissatisfied the objectives of the gay rights movement. The article also contains the argument of conservative religious voters and how they exercise an unjustified influence on policy making and through political activism and interest group pressure, have been able to successfully block popular laws that extend and grant government protection to the

In today's society, there exists a myriad of issues which, when discussed, tend to raise the temperature of the citizens' proverbial blood. There are a handful of topics that always seem to escalate this temperature to the boiling point among individuals who earnestly participate in discussion, debate and argument. Some examples of such delicate subjects are the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia. An issue that has in recent years, begun to command the intensity of the foregoing, is the acceptability of homosexuality in mainstream society. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, this revelation was considered a grave

Being raised in a small town, it is easy to get accustomed to a societal view of how people should be. Everyone fits into a stereotype, whether it be the old Caucasian woman in the big house or the Mexican lunch lady at the local elementary school. These stereotypes are also enforced onto the gay community; Parents tell their young boys to avoid the new student who “acts gay,” and of course, everyone in the town knows about the high school girl who dresses like a tomboy. Coming into the city, these stereotypes are broken, and as time passes, it is clear to see what type of gay individuals there really are in the world.

2According to The Roots of Gay Oppression, gay oppression hasn’t always existed. Oppression of gays, lesbians, and all sexual minorities was caused by modern capitalism. Capitalism created material conditions for men and women to lead self-governing sexual lives, while still imposing heterosexual norms on society to supposedly maintain economic, ideological, and sexual order. In recent years they have used to sell fashion while homophobic laws defend the discrimination of the very same gays. Gay oppression under capitalism only serves to divide working class people in their fight for economic and social justice. The left is fighting for world where sexuality is simply a personal matter, without legal or material limitations. Homosexual behaviors are thought to be as old as humans but it wasn’t until capitalism came along did it become a problem to live outside the traditional nuclear family. As gay historian John D’Emilio put it, “What we call "homosexuality" (in the sense of the distinguishing traits of "homosexuals"), for example, was not considered a unified set of acts, much less a set of qualities defining particular persons, in pre-capitalist societies.... Heterosexuals and homosexuals are involved in social "roles" and attitudes which pertain to a particular society, modern capitalism” (Wolf, 2004).According to The Roots of Gay Oppression, under capitalism sexuality went from being a private matter regulated by traditions of the community to a public affair of the

What once would have been taboo, or at the least, controversial, a decade ago, same sex marriage has now become a norm in our society. It is not uncommon to find a television show or movie that has at least one character from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. The social acceptance of the LGBT community has created conflict within the religious community. “As gay rights expand, some religious conservatives worry that their capability to live their public lives in keeping with their faith is being disregarded.” (Richey, 2016) The LGBT community feels like they are victims and are being attacked. “Religious conservatives, meanwhile, look at the rapid expansion of gay rights during the past decade and wonder if their desire to continue living their lives in accord with long-held concepts of marriage and sexual morality are being swept away.” (Richey, 2016)

At a glance at modern society most would say that it is a close to perfect world. On the contrary, it is far from perfect; this world is full of war, poverty, and disease. But there more problems on a social level like stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination causing oppression within society. “… as official policy decision appear to redefine the importance of human interaction in terms of economic relationship… Ruiz and Mínguez (2001) observe that such environments prompt immoralities such as ‘poverty, inequality, and exclusion’” (qtd. in Lucey, Agnello, and Hawkins 2). Homophobia can be described as an antipathy towards homosexual individuals. Those individuals are subjected to prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination in their social and political lives. From the foreword of The Bluest Eye by Toni Moorison, Moorison states “There can’t be anyone, I am sure, who doesn’t know what it feels like to be disliked, even rejected, momentarily or for sustained periods of time… It may even be that some of us know what it is like to be actually hated - hated for things we have no control over and cannot change.” Homosexuality has many misconceptions surrounding the lifestyle; from disease to personality traits. The social life of those individual was not the only thing affected; their rights as a human being have been restricted. Laws have been made in certain countries that says a man that has sex with men

Over the last year, I have felt like there was a trend among the personal feelings towards LGBTQ+ communities as well as legal issues for the human rights for the individuals within those LGBTQ+ communities. Even as an optimistic person within the LGBTQ+ community, I feel that with every victory, we lost two other battles. I know that without failures or setbacks, there would be no success in life. However, seeing the application of that reality ultimately frustrates me and makes me feel powerless sometimes. The major three events that personally enhance my feelings of disheartenment are the Tennessee’s Anti-LGBT Counseling Law, as well as Trump’s Vice President, Mike Pence’s open support for conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ persons as well as his denial of human rights for LGBTQ+ persons.