Sexuality And How Inequality Is Reproduced

Abstract: SMY (sexual minority youth, which refers within this paper to youth who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer) are at risk for trauma in particularly high numbers. When SMY become homeless, their risk for exposure to trauma becomes even higher, presenting the helping professions with a population that faces unique problems in clinical settings that may seek to treat homelessness without considering minority stress and repeated exposure to trauma. We reviewed literature concerned with trauma, homelessness and SMY issues to determine which EBPs (evidence-based practices) have been deemed most helpful for this population and found very few. Our investigation into local resources available to homeless SMY was similarly discouraging. Since previous trauma and marginalized sexual orientation are the primary factors for continued risk, we can suggest that Trauma Informed Care and Gay Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are currently our best choices. This paper will seek to explore why.

The mental health of individuals in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community is something that is a serious problem. For most of the history of the United States and many different parts of the world LGBT people faced much persecution and in some cases even death. This constant fear of discovery and the pressure that one feels on oneself when “in the closet” can lead to major mental distress. Research has shown that people who identify as LGBT are twice as likely to develop lifetime mood and anxiety disorders (Bostwick 468). This is extremely noticeable the past couple years in the suicides of bullied teens on the basis of sexual identity and expression. The stigma on simply being perceived as LGBT is strong enough to

LGBTQ adolescents, also called sexual minority youth, have a higher risk of developing mental and emotional problems than heterosexual youth, and also face more bullying, harassment, and victimization due to homophobia (Craig, Austin, & McInroy, 2014). In order to address their needs, the researchers used group therapy that was based on

LGBT is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender. It is intended to highlight a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures. Historically, LGBT people have had to deal with being brutalised and misunderstood because of the misconception that being gay is different and deserves different treatment. However, there are efforts being made daily by the community in order to educate people and ease their fears. The purpose of the following analysis is to deconstruct how people who fought back while growing up realizing they are apart of community help shaped and/or will shape them to become strong roles for LGBT people around the world.

One of the most significant discourses on race and sexuality revolve around socio-economic position within society. As Chad Heap has aptly discussed, upper class elites defined their own heterosexual and patriarchal position by contrasting themselves with people in the slums, red light districts, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. These elite white men stood atop the racial and sexual hierarchies that they themselves created through the moral reform campaigns, the lack of funds to certain geographic spaces, and the policing/regulation of nonconforming bodies. By doing so, they essentially created a fiction in which they controlled sexual and racial norms. This held true for gender nonconforming elite men as well. Although some would venture into the slums to find sexual satisfaction, many simply created private and hidden institutions; these clubs often masqueraded as “athletic societies, chess clubs, and dramatic societies.” If one had enough money and influence, they were protected from the dangers of living an openly nonconforming life.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgendered (LGBT) youth population is one of the most vulnerable groups in our community. Being gay does not lead to risky behaviors or bad decision making, rather, societal stigma and discrimination can lead LGBT youth to seek emotional outlets. Today’s society has improved immensely towards the LGBT community, although it has not always been this way. Society can affect a person in shocking ways, influencing one’s unhealthy and unsafe physical and mental behaviors. This current vulnerable population deserves a voice and the simplicity of someone listening to them in order for both sides, accepting and non-accepting, to find a common ground and settle the violence.

The issue of the different impacts of offenses based on different factors whether be sexual orientation or race has been a topic of discussion. “Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people might be particularly vulnerable to negative effects of hate crimes….because sexual prejudice is still acceptable in some parts American society and antigay discrimination remains legal in some jurisdictions (Herek, 1997). The main goal of the study done by Herek was to compare the levels of psychological distress among gays, lesbians, and bisexual victims of hate crimes with victims of other types of crimes.

Victimization of LGBT community members is elevating as time passes. Researchers attempt to determine the prevalence of the violence committed against members of the LGBT community (Rothman, Exner, & Baughman, 2011). Many people that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender that are victims of hate crimes have participated in studies where they insist that the crimes committed against them are based on their sexuality; not class, color, gender, or any other factor. In a qualitative study, Meyer (2009) conducted open-ended interviews with people who were victims of hate crimes. The participants were recruited at LGBT advocacy organizations. Those who presumed that their hate crime was due to multiple systems of oppression such as class,

Whilst facilitating an enrichment project for KS4 learners, it was my pleasure to work in collaboration with a ex-pupil of mine (who had left the school two years previous.) in order to explore the issue of homosexuality, homophobia and briefly touch on stereotypical views in society.

Out of the 316 million people in the United States of America, nine million of them relate as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning collectively known as LGBTQ. This makes up about four percent of the population and while this may seem like a small number, the LGBTQ equal rights movement is as big as ever. While there are many fronts to fight in the war for equal rights, the major points I will be discussing are the history of LGBTQ fight for equal rights, marriage rights and equality, and the mistreatment of LGBTQ youth in regards to bullying in schools, homelessness, and depression/suicide.

Bias-crime victimization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) minorities, based on sexual orientation has a negative physiological impact on the victims mental well-being. Depression, traumatic stress, anxiety, and anger have been found to be positively correlated with prolonged bias-crime victimization. Victims of these sort of crimes have a higher risk of depression, suicidality and substance abuse.

With the elimination of the class system, talked about in Marx and Mantsios, would bring down the walls of inequality. Race, sexuality, gender, etc. would be irrelevant in the means of social status and the economy. When you eradicate a system that controls wealth of a country changes the economy greatly. Changing the flow of money to create a more equivalent distribution with decrease the striking gap between rich and poor. So not only will you affect a social outlook, but a financial one as well.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning individuals are almost 3 times more likely than others to experience a mental health condition such as major depression or generalized anxiety disorder (National Alliance on Mental Illness). That is around 55% of LGBTQ people who will develop a mental illness. While some mental illnesses can be genetic, prejudice and stigma have created a higher rate of mental illness in LGBTQ youth because mental illnesses and disorders develop due to prejudice resulting in hate crimes, the stigma of mental health, and the homophobia and transphobia in the United States - all of which that efforts to change are slowly being implemented in schools and homes around the nation. Prejudice and hate crimes such as sexual assault, murder, and torture are not something uncommon for LGBTQ people to experience. For instance, in 2016, 27 transgender people reported to have been murdered, that is more than two people murdered a month (Schmider). However, we can trace it back to much earlier than that.

Marginalization may also be the explanation for the high risk of self-harm in gay, bisexual, transsexual teenagers who are 2 to 3 times more likely to self-harm than heterosexual young people, this groups results in regular absenteeism at school due to homophobic harassment. 50% of those reported bullied at school had contemplated self-harm, 40% of those had self-harmed at least once. A survey in 2000 to 2002 interviewed 2,430 lesbian women, gay men and bisexual men and women in England and Wales and concluded that there is a greater link between discrimination and mental health issues. (Truth Hurts, Mental Health Foundation 2006).

The task of this is essay is not so much to find the bona fide implications of the word “equality”, but rather to clarify its meaning towards individuals. It will seek to analyse how oppression and discrimination are related to inequality and will gradually develop into exploring how an individual’s sexual orientation can lead to social exclusion. Towards the end, the essay will