Personal Narrative: The Gay Straight Alliance

The history of LGBTQ+ rights in the United States is long and complicated. LGBTQ+ identities that are accepted by people outside that community change with time, as some identities establish themselves as commonplace while others are just being introduced to non-LGBTQ+ people. However, rights and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community are nearly always tied to legal recognition. Lawrence v. Texas questions whether or not a Texas statute that bans homosexual sodomy is constitutional. Although LGBTQ+ rights issues are controversial, everyone deserves to be equally protected under law regardless of sexual orientation. Likewise, the Fourteenth Amendment’s

A troubling issue for schools now is how to deal with the issue of homosexuality. The struggle for gay rights often causes heated opposition, particularly on moral grounds from members of religious groups. (Essex, 2005, p. 43) Schools have an obligation to maintain a peaceful environment free of significant disruption, while supporting students' rights of free speech. Schools should ". . . create an environment that is characterized by respect for individual views and divergent forms of expression within reasonable limits. The challenge seems to involve achieving a reasonable balance between an orderly educational environment and respect for the free speech rights of students. Precisely, where do they draw the line?" (Essex, 2005, p. 44)

In a recent podcast regarding a transgender high school student being forced to change in the nurse’s office instead of in the locker room with other students addressed the controversy regarding the treatment of members of our society who identify as LGBTQ. Throughout the podcast, multiple individuals have voiced support for the school’s decision to isolate the transgender student when changing. Do to the opinions voiced in the podcast regarding this case, I realized that the treatment of the high school student is only one example of the existing discrimination towards those who identify as LGBTQ. As such, I intend to explore the controversy of LGBTQ and our obligations that we have as members of the same society. Throughout this paper, I

It was a hectic morning for one of Orlando’s top queer bars, Pulse Night Club, on June 12th 2016. An armed gunman entered the premise and shot 49 people dead, injuring several others in the process. Despite the obvious tragedy, a positive result arose. Less than 12 hours after the mass shooting ended, President Obama addressed the nation on national television about the horrific event. To many, his speech was a completely normal response from a Head of State regarding a national tragedy, but many have taken the seemingly basic response for granted. In the past, major tragedies affecting minority groups, such as queer people, would not have even made the front page of the newspaper, let alone cause the president to give a speech immediately following the devastating event. For a large portion of American history, queer individuals were seen by the majority as immoral people who needed to solve their own problems with little help from the dismissive and oppressive government that ruled over them. When the AIDS epidemic hit the homosexual male community in the 1980s, gay men across the country reached out for help and slowly received it. Given that homosexuality was a taboo topic in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan recognizing the AIDS epidemic was a notable milestone for the queer rights movement.

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.

As Johnson writes, Stutzman and Freed and Ingersoll’s case “addressed sweeping questions about public accommodation, artistic expression and free speech.” The issues of free speech, freedom of religion, and protection from discrimination dominate the modern civil rights movement. With the election of President Donald Trump and the ascension of the Republican party in government, LGBT+ rights may be increasingly challenged, more-so than they have been in recent

On June 26, 2015 the Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a fundamental right. This historic ruling opened up a world of opportunities to America’s gay and lesbian communities, but there are still many organizations that resist this change in culture. There are some people in America who are morally against the practice of homosexual relations and they do not wish to support a life style that goes against their religious beliefs. These people invoke the First Amendment and desire to be exempt from serving the gay community. However, religious exemption cannot be extended to allow people to deny their fellow citizens their right to practice their own religions and their fundamental rights to life, liberty and property. We must be color blind

After 13 years at a private, Christian school, walking onto campus each morning begins to feel like stepping in front of the camera with a mugshot placard reading, “Queer, Agnostic Socialist. Approach with Caution, Attack on Sight.” I’ve worn the sign proudly, refused to cover it up or put it away and even shoved it in peoples’ faces as a sort of challenge. As a boy twice my size confronts me in the doorway to class, I only turn my rainbow-painted cheek. Homophobic teacher? I’ll write and sign him a letter even after he’s gone. Rude questions about my identity slinging through the halls, and I’ll answer with a challenging smile.

It was 5 days before summer break at Ladue Middle School in St. Louis, Missouri. My friends and I were eating lunch at our usual place discussing who it would be to ask our Counselor Mrs.Worthington for a Gay-Straight Alliance. They all agreed that I should be the one to request it seeing as I was the one that was the bravest of the group when it came to Administrators, so I marched right up to the Counselor “Mrs. Worthington I was wondering if we could have a GSA next year”

B. Abstract. In this paper I will discuss modern issues surrounding the LGBTQ community in U.S. Politics. I will review the major historical LGBTQ political movements in regards to education, image, law, health, and protest. I will then discuss their effects on identity politics, the economy, citizenship, and nationalism. I will conclude with an overview and a discussion of the current state of LGBTQ issues in American politics.

The intentions of this Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at Fort Madison High School will be to build a progressive front that fosters diversity, acceptance, and educational growth. This constitution will lay the foundation and guidelines for these missions.

While watching the news coverage of Obergefell v. Hodges it became evident that we had very different opinions concerning gay rights. Megan considered the ruling to be an abomination that would “ruin America”, while I generally considered a person’s sexuality to be their own business, and that they should be able to marry whom they please. The conflict grew into an argument. We had more work to do than just our chores.

Imagine four teenagers: Craig, Lucy, David, and Gina. Really think about their appearances and personalities. I’m going to say that you imagined all of them as heterosexual, cisgender, white, average-sized boys and girls. If you did, it’s okay. It’s our brain's default. It’s what is “normal”. What if I said that Craig was gay? What if I said Gina was African-American? Or that David used to be Diana? And Lucy was Buddhist? Most minds of our generation wouldn’t care. It wouldn’t harbor negative feelings now that these people have “breached” if you will, the societies perception of normal. America’s gift to our generation is acceptance.

Michael’s use the way of the first-person narration let me feel deeper about gay’s daily life. From this gay’s view, it reflects the problem of society discriminate to gay’s life. According to this article, I fine they love each other very much. However, because the traditional vision, this couple have to hide their true love to cater to the traditional’s ethics. In my opinion, everyone’s love is equal, there isn’t difference about gender. In the modern society, lots of country’s governments advocate freedom, but in the reality, because of some history factors, it’s really hard to make the real freedom come true. If the world want to make progress, we need to pay more attention to whose hold the different ideas and habits with you rather than

Professor Johnson’s lecture sparked conversation about whether or not the Supreme Court ruling accomplished enough for the LGBT community. At the time, I was unaware of how the ruling could be something that wasn’t an all-around win for the community, but after being introduced to queer politics