Michael Craw Analysis

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.

In the 65-year history of LGBTQ activism in the United States, the present moment stands out on the basis of gay marriage being legalized. At no other time would an observer have imagined that the LGBTQ movement was likely to succeed in such a manner that any gender can marry any other gender with the permission by the law (Stewart-winter

In the early days of the American government, there was a long struggle between the federalist, and the anti-federalist about the ratification of a constitution for a young nation. During that time, slavery was a source of labor, and commerce for our thirteen states, but this didn’t sit well with these human properties, because they wanted their grievances to be answered. Once it was clear that African-Americans were people who deserve the same rights as others too, it sparked the voices from women who were properties of their spouses. In continuation of all these dilemmas, there was a hidden developing conflict for homosexual rights. The rights that Americans think they are entitled too, must be answered,

‘Strand distinguishes between support for civil rights and support for civil liberties, arguing that heterosexuals are more supportive of civil liberties for gay men and lesbians, which are concerned with protecting individuals from undue government interference in their private behaviour, than they are

In this article Michael Koziol discusses the conflict of the church when it comes to enacting legal protections for the LGBTI+ community. It particularly focuses the fact that both major political parties carry a fear of getting on the wrong side of church lobby groups and the effect that this has had the development, or lack there of, of the rights of the LGBTI+ community. He directly references times where this has been an issue for this community like the fact that the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act exempts private schools from the section on homosexuality and when this issue was brought to parliament by Alex Greenwich it had to be shelved due to the lack of support from the coalition.

While there have been many successes for promoting and enacting laws to help support gay and lesbian rights there still much more to be done to ensure such. In reading the Saylor text the first thing discuses is the “unique obstacle” in helping attain civil rights (Saylor 179). Civil rights for gay men and lesbians, is something that has been greatly opposed by religious groups where it sex marriage and in all homosexuality is deemed “flawed behavior” and not an “innate characteristic” (179). In regards to exit polls it is also regarded that only 4 percent of public voting is made have up so lesbian, gay men, and bisexuals. Other opposition for gay rights came in the 1950s with the anti-communist scare where gay people where “harassed” and mocked by politicians and police departments. Latter opposition that is extremely current today would be same sex marriage, which has brought in huge opposition between the federal and state courts. In all, while there have been many accomplishments in gay rights there is still more that must be accomplished regarding equal rights for

Same-sex couples are becoming increasingly popular in our society and advocates have been pushing for social justice to abolish sexual discrimination. America has been misled by opponents of the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts who claim a business' right to religious freedom to turn away gay customers is discrimination and bigotry, and we need to return to the biblical view of homosexuality as what it really is: sin. This paper will cover religious freedom and the advancement of gay rights in society today as it pertains to the opposing arguments of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed recently in Indiana.

Discriminatory action against individuals who identified or were labeled as non-heterosexual began to be brought to light during the twentieth century and is still prevalent today. There are arguments by certain individuals that claim that discrimination of those who identify as non-heterosexual have disappeared. I would argue that such discrimination is still alive and present in our modern society. Very noticeable today with the values of our Vice-President Elect Mike Pence who thinks that homosexuality can be “fixed” through electric shock therapy. Values like this are similar to that held during the twentieth century - which Margot Canaday deeper examines in her book The Straight State: Homosexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth Century America. Canaday’s argument throughout her book is that of homosexuality considered undesirable. Canaday starts off her book by delving into the stripping of citizenship rights from individuals who were labeled as homosexual. A topic Ian Haney Lopez explores in his book White By Law: The Legal Construction of Race: How individuals pertaining to a particular group of racial or ethnic groups were deprived of their citizenship and personhood rights. In this essay, I will explore the concepts introduced by Lopez of law as ideology and law as behavioral control and how those concepts relate to Canaday’s book in the oppression of non-hetersoxual individuals within the realms of immigration, the military, and welfare (Canaday).

A series of events have been set in motion globally to thwart the progress of one of the most consequential cultural shifts in human history. The gay rights movement, particularly in the Western World, has made progress at an exponential rate and has remained a contentious source of argument in the contemporary social and political landscape. Although significant strides have been made, right-wing religious groups have taken ideologically charged action both legislatively and rhetorically. In a collection of Eastern European and African countries, anti-gay legislation and sentiment has garnered support from regional governmental factions and right-wing religious coalitions. The force driving these anti-gay initiatives are not at the behest of the citizenry of each respective region, but by American forces that until recently have been working in the shadows in their proxy war against the gay rights movement. American evangelical groups have been operating with collaborators abroad in order to preserve their notion of natural and traditional values. Most notably, a series of anti-gay propaganda and anti-gay adoption laws have been enacted in Russia by national legislators and American activists. The American right-wing evangelical coalition has had tremendous influence on the Russian anti-gay movement legislatively and politically over the course of the last decade.

In Journal of Human Rights published in 2014, after the Equalities Act of 2010 enacted, the United Kingdom sees sexuality and gender identities as “protected characteristics,” with legal imperatives to address discrimination, and in Canada in the early 1990s, there were an opposition against gays and lesbian rights, but after sexual orientation recognized in 1995, gradually by 2013, gays and lesbians have equality rights. (Browne, 2014)

LGBTQ social movements have evolved over time from liberationist politics of the 1970s to an enormous contemporary focus on gay and lesbian marriage rights, a controversial and arguably assimilationist priority for mainstream LGBTQ advocacy groups. Different forms of activism have approached assimilationism versus societal reformation or preservation of unique constructions of queer identities with a myriad of arguments. In “The Trouble with Normal” by Michael Warner, the author focuses primarily on a criticism of gay marriage rights activism in which he posits that all marriage is “selective legitimacy.” He points to other LGBT movements and issues as more worthy of pursuing, particularly intersectional pursuits of equal rights for people regardless of coupled status. In “Marital Discord: Understanding the Contested Place of Marriage in the Lesbian and Gay Movement” authors Mary Bernstein and Verta Taylor give a snapshot history of LGBTQ activism since the 1970s and offer similar arguments as Warner about the heteronormative and neoliberal nature of placing the fight for legal marriage rights at the forefront of LGBTQ activism, although they do also introduce emerging improvements with the increasingly intersectional awareness of modern advocacy efforts.

Jack Donnelly suggests that denial of human rights for gays and lesbians is a form of invidious discrimination. Critically analyse his claims with respect to the denial of same-sex marriage.

Collins compares gay rights to abortion and compare them to “the three hot button issues”. She discusses how gun control movement is rather considered in many states and the only way the social right can gather many in politics in through the topic of gay rights and how people are

The realization of the homosexuality in the modern western world as a cultural, sexual and a social category has been a result of complex power relations that surround sexuality and gender. The acceptance of homosexuality in the society has met its fair share of resistance and skepticism. The view that homosexuality can be in the same league as heterosexual has led it to be viewed as a normal behavioral and moral standard (Gallagher & Baker, 2006). Inasmuch as the skeptics may not want to accept the existence of homosexuality studies show that the habit is rampant today with many gay people coming out in the open. Of interest is the political acceptance of homosexuality with passing gay rights so that it can be recognized by law. This move has given homosexuals the ability to engage in legal entities like marriage (Gallagher & Baker, 2006).

In the Boston Globe newspaper editorial For Gay Marriage the editors argue that gay marriage should be legalized in America. Throughout the newspaper article the is topic of the expanding circle of rights (“Globe” A18). Movements include the civil-rights movement, gender equality, rights for the disabled, 18 year olds to vote, single mothers and adoptive parents have occurred it is apparent that the right for gay marriage should occur (“Globe” A18).These advances have occurred with the help of court cases. The 1967 supreme court case Loving V. Virginia Court rulings ruled that marriage should not be restricted because of ones race (“Globe” A18). Others ruled that adoption could not be denied on the basis of sexual orientation. The Globe states that under the Massachusetts constitution, “Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed or national origin”to argue their point gay marriage should be legalized(A18). Along with the presidents The Globe uses Hillary Goodridge as an example of how her rights were abridged when she was unable to see her newborn daughter in a neonatal intensive care unit because she was not married to her partner of 15 years. (A18). The Editors discuss opposing reasons to why gay marriage should not be legalized by Massachusetts Attorney General. One argument the attorney general makes is that marriage is, “…A social institution designed to promote child bearing and rearing” (A18). The Globe the refutes this