Personal Narrative: The LGBT Community

It was within seconds Bethany Hamilton’s life changed forever, for the better or for the worse she would have to deal with it for the rest of her life. Everyone in Hawaii knew about it, everyone in the US practically knew about it. It’s the faith and trust she had in God and how positive she was that surprised so many.

In the last 20 years, American society has changed exponentially from being dominantly conservative into a liberal powerhouse. This liberal normality of today would be nothing if it weren’t for our predecessors who rallied the streets for the purpose of becoming part of society, and be viewed equally. Now, a society filled with diversity one might think that all the sacrifice done in past years would have created a united community where future generations could live comfortably without any pressure of race or sexual orientation. Disappointingly enough this isn’t true, social media, and the explicit content in music and movies have altered the perception of the younger generation into believing that the lifestyles seen onscreen assures status

The United States of America was founded as a secular sanctuary for ideals like freedom, equality, and tolerance – few will argue against that. Over its history American culture has radically evolved as it strived to meet the ideals its nation was based upon, making changes like ending slavery and providing legal equality for women and minorities, changes that at the time seemed absurd but today are unquestionable merits that define what an “American” is. The quest to reach the ultimate utopian society continues today as true Americans fight the evils of ignorance, stubborn bigotry and the fear to change that still manifest themselves in a large portion of U.S. citizens, preventing this nation from moving forward. One of the outstanding minorities still left to be granted the ideals of freedom, equality, and tolerance are homosexuals trying to obtain the right to marry the person they want to spend the rest of their life with, regardless of gender. Same-sex marriages should be recognized in the eyes of the U.S. government in accordance with its responsibility to provide all American citizens equal freedoms.

This past year, I have been apart of Naperville Central’s brand new Special Spaces club. When my friend approached me and asked me to join, I agreed even though I had no clue what I was involving myself in. In retrospective, I can honestly say that becoming a part of Special Spaces has been one of the most meaningful, fun, and fulfilling experiences I have had in high school.

The subject that is still being discussed between the congress. The biggest conflict is the bathroom bill and same gender marriage, which will allow Transgenders use the Bathroom from the gender that they identify with now along with a single gender being able to marry each other. Although there are many places that allow them (both female and female or both male and male) to get married there are still many people out there against this right.

Throughout history, society’s views of homosexuality and of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) have changed. These views have changed how the members of this community feel about their personal identity as a whole. Over the last ten years, homosexuality and the LGBTQ community have become more accepted in society. In fact, a recent victory for the LGBTQ community occurred in June of 2015 when gay marriage become legalized in all fifty states. Despite the immense torture that members of the LGBTQ have received over decades, they are slowly becoming more accepted in today’s society. As society begins to become more tolerant with different ideals, the new and younger generations will continue to become more accepting of the people who identify as members of the LGBTQ community. These members will become more comfortable in their own skin and be allowed the same opportunities so other members of society.

When observing other generations, all one can do is find the negatives. Our generation is technology reliant, spoiled and our problems are a product of the entitled according to previous generations. When broadening the spectrum of our vision, we can see causes of our issues and effects of the world that we live in. In 1950, it was the duty of a man to support his family while his wife stayed at home and cared for the children. A young boy like Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger who does not conform to society’s standards does not belong in the unforgiving closed-minded time of that generation. Today, cities are built upon the idea that all people, gay or straight, transexual or bisexual,

We look at the generation before us and seem to forget how much ideas have changed. Radical concepts are constantly developing, and my generation has a peculiar open-mindedness to this. Lately, there has been a lot of controversy about the LBGT community due to marital legislation that was in the process of getting passed. Growing up when this is much more accepted, I hardly blink an eye at the mention of it. My parents grew up in a time where this kind of thing was an uncomfortable/unaccepted topic, and it happened to come up at dinner one night. Although choice of sexual freedom is exemplified in the case of the LGBT marriages; it transcends further than that. It epitomizes allowing people to live their lives in a manner that makes them happy

They called me an apple. Since I was supposedly red on the outside, but white on the inside, I was automatically a walking bullseye. Being one of the many oppressed Aboriginals, I understand their need to hurt someone else in an effort to release some of their internal pain. I understand why so many give up or turn into raging alcoholics in an effort to numb their pain. Coming from a reservation, my greatest challenge was proving to everyone that all the stereotypes about my people were fallacious. However, the need for a government and an education system that won’t keep on failing us repeatedly is imperative. The only way that I can make my voice heard is to break these stereotypes and to reach a higher education; hence my application for

Have you ever been so desperate for something that you modify your motive in its entirety? Throughout my life I’ve found myself placed in this frightening situation multiple times; the most confusing of which would be what I’ve endured this year. People in their 20s have it rough. We’re old enough to feel like we’re supposed to know what we’re doing, yet young enough to roll in the tide aimlessly and clueless and it still be acceptable. Then there’s those of us who believe we’ve got it all figured out only to be proven tremendously wrong. I have learned, however, that being tremendously wrong can lead you right where you need to be.

My coming out went really smoothly. My grandma is totally chill with it. I first told her in 3rd grade when I liked Kennedy. I honestly can not remember a thing about it, but I do know now that I talk to her about it quite often, and she does not care. She supports me.

For the most part when people think coming out, they think of an all at once announcement telling the whole world that you're gay, then, having a lot of long emotional talks with your family. They think of it as everything changing. For the most part, that's from the eyes of people who will never really have to come out as anything. As for myself, coming out was none of those things and nothing seemed to have really changed at all. For me it was something that took a lot of learning, but in the end it was well worth it.

How many different “hats” do we each wear on a daily bases. From our careers, to our family and friends we all have different identities that we claim and live out day to day. These identities help us define who we are. “When we identify ourselves, we draw on a host of different characteristics associated with various social groups to which we belong” (King 2012, pg. 429). My ornament is explaining the social identity through a snow-women and her many hats.

The struggle for equality has been intense, and still continues to this day. With this being said, much progress has been made in establishing respect and external acceptance for all individuals sense of identity. For example, in 2015 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Same Sex Marriages, marking a pivotal point in the civil rights movement for the LGBTQ community. For many, this act helped to support their sense of self, a right that been denied for so long. The United States effectively validated the LGBTQ community, giving this group all rights granted to all other citizen’s, However, the creation and acceptance of this community has not had positive benefits for all members. The Gender Binary has been changed, but many distinctions

It’s widely known that the LGBT life is spreading. There’s Pride month, same sex marriage is now legal, and more people than ever are starting to show who they really are. Even though it’s starting to be more accepted, I still struggled for months to find a way to tell people. I was scared my mom wouldn’t let me be happy and embrace who I really wanted to be. Then I had to consider how my friends would react, and it was an awful feeling losing some of the people that I thought was my friends through everything. Good definitely came out of the whole process though. Although, there are definitely still people who discriminate and banish people from their lives. All because others cannot accept who people choose to be. According to Morris (2017), in the 1950s, there was an investigation into homosexuals holding government jobs. This in turn, led into the first American demand for equality. In 67 years, we still cannot find a way for the life styles to be nationally accepted. “In 1965, as the civil rights movement won new legislation outlawing racial discrimination, the first gay rights demonstrations took place in Philadelphia and Washington, DC.” Also, in 1970, is when the pride marches started taking place in June every year Morris (2017). Acceptance is a hard pill for many to swallow, and it may even be