Looking into the Mirrior: Homosexuals' Human Rights in the USA

In our society, we have many different issues that we are opposed to. Our different opinions on these issues, separates us into two different sides. Homophobia has been one of the most occurring issues that has been happening over these recent years.

Homophobia is the irrational fear and misunderstanding of people who identify themselves as part of the LGBT community. Along with homophobia can come irrational and heinous acts of hatred, to instill fear and panic amongst LGBT members. This irrational fear and misunderstandings leads to the first cause of homophobia: Religion. Religion plays a key role in black communities. According to blackdemographics.com, “87% of Blacks (vs. 83% of all Americans) are affiliated with a religion. It also found that 79 % of Blacks (vs. 56% overall) say that religion is ‘very important in their life.’”

[The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) organization at my high school, which meets twice per month, generated a list of concerns that they shared with school administration. The focus was specifically about gender identity, the lack of support from school staff, and the daily scrutiny they face as a result of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Through collaboration with my colleagues it was evident that there had been an increase in teacher and student referrals surrounding gender identity. The feedback from GSA clearly identified that as a school we are not meeting the needs of our LGBT students and those struggling with sexual orientation. Members of the GSA clearly feel that teachers ignore negative comments like “gay” and “faggot” when they hear them in class, that teachers may not clearly understand gender neutral language, and that our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) students do not feel safe and protected in school. Students needed support advocating for their right to use a restroom, correct pronoun, etc., requiring district, community, parent, and colleague

The No Child Left Behind Act, which passed Congress with overpowering bipartisan backing in 2001 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Jan. 8, 2002, is the name for the latest redesign to the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965. The NCLB law which was implemented out of worry that the American educational system was no more globally focused, significantly expanded the government's role in holding schools accountable for the educational achievement of all children. Furthermore, it put an exceptional spotlight on guaranteeing that states and schools help specific groups of children to be academically successful, for instance, English-language learners, Students with Disabilities (SWD), and socioeconomically challenged students, whose academic

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is just an extension of the ESEA of 1965. NCLB was passed by the House of Representatives and Senate almost unanimously and signed into effect January 8th 2002 by President George W. Bush. The Act is the first time in the history of the federal government’s association with

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was introduced March 22 2001, and enacted January 8th 2002. NCLB was enacted after the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was determined to be out of date, and underperforming by the majority of US legislatures. The goal of NCLB was to improve the overall success rate of students in The United States compared to other developed nations. The initial act was supported bipartisanly and was the First bill passed by the 107th Congress, but was soon opposed by many politicians and educators.

Acts of homophobia are an everyday occurrence in American schools. Sometimes acts of homophobia are very overt such as bullying or committing violence against a person you know or perceive to be a homosexual, but more often acts of homophobia are more subvert, comments, looks and body language that is exhibited around people believed to be homosexual. There are also times when homophobia maybe unintentional, such as assuming that all couples at a dance are going to be heterosexual and consciously or unconsciously allowing there to be a double standard on how same sex and hetero

2. What is homophobia? - The term homophobia translates to fear of homosexuality. This fear can manifest in many forms; it can include violence, harassment, exclusion, or discomfort.

“Homophobia is an extreme or irrational aversion to homosexuals.” (Little 2017) Homophobia can be best described ad fear and hatred of homosexuality and homosexuals. This is a belief in traditional gender roles. This also includes attitudes and behavioral patterns that people have against the homosexuals.

As time has changed, a new wave of discrimination has taken shape in the United States. This new discrimination comes in the form of homophobia and heterosexism. Walls (2008), suggested that heterosexism, racism, sexism, and class privilege are systems of advantage that provide those with the “right” sexual orientation, race, gender, and class with opportunities and rewards that are unavailable to other individuals and groups in society. Homophobia and heterosexism come in various forms that include both overt and subtle forms of discrimination. Choi, et al. (2011) has suggested that the effects of homophobia and heterosexism are more pronounced in African American communities. Those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT),

This is because in modern America, there is a blurred line separating the continuum of homo-sociality and homosexuality, and this line is the product of homophobia (Mullhall 317). “Homophobia simultaneously denies and exploits the continuity between homosociality and homosexuality: in so far as the point at which highly valued male bonding turns into highly disvalued homosexual bonding is difficult to locate” (Mullhall 317). Homophobia provides an ever present threat of social rejection and even physical violence upon those who approach the imagined line and those who in fact cross it. This creates anxieties based upon feelings of vulnerability caused by “homophobic pressure,” (Mullhall 318) and leaves men unable to have close bonds with other men without the fear of being seen as homosexual, and consequently a victim of violence and rejection. Despite homosociality and homosexuality being continuous with each other, a line has been drawn in attempt clearly define what is homosexual in attempt to keep themselves safe from violence (Mullhall 317).

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, signed into law by President Bush on Jan. 8, 2002, was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the central federal law in pre-collegiate education. The ESEA, first enacted in 1965 and previously reauthorized in 1994, encompasses Title I, the federal government's flagship aid program for disadvantaged students.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President George W. Bush's education reform bill, was signed into law on Jan. 8, 2002. The No Child Left Behind Act says that states will develop and apply challenging academic standards in reading and math. It will also set annual progress objectives to make sure that all groups of students reach proficiency within 12 years. And the act also says that children will be tested annually in grades 3 through 8, in reading and math to measure their progress. The test results will be made public in annual report cards on how schools and states are progressing toward their objectives.

Educators will face many elements of same sex relationships, intersex and transgender aspects of gender diversity throughout their careers through both students and their families or the community. Taylor (2007) speaks about same sex relationships, homophobia and their effect on Australian society, she says that homophobia appears to be due to assertions of cultural incompatibility rather than a biological superiority (p. 210), she continues to explain that the gay and lesbian cultural beliefs, lifestyles and values are seen as a threat to Australian society and are the primary reason for exclusion (p. 210). It is important for teachers to understand the challenges same sex families may face and support students in same sex, transgender or bisexual families and relationships. Transgender children and

In the modern era, people of the United States of America have increasingly become more tolerant and accepting of differences in race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. However, the new liberal mindset of people regarding characteristics such as race and sexual orientation would not be possible without the relentless protesters and dedicated activists who fought hard to make their views heard through a movement that would greatly impact and shape the future of this country. The gay rights movement which started in the late 1960’s aimed at achieving human rights for homosexuals; the phenomenal empowering poems and widely acclaimed literary works of Audre Lorde significantly promoted gay rights and provided a unique point of view of the life of a homosexual.