What Does Equality Mean To Me Essay

In the late 1950’s to mid-1960’s, the transgender community faced discrimination such as physical and verbal harassment, denial of social spaces, and alienation in the media. This matters to us today because transgender individuals are still existing and are a part of our human population today. The community is also still struggling to find their representation in the media and in society. The transgender community is still facing a wide array of types of discrimination, from nasty looks to denied access of education. Gender identity should not be taken into consideration when determining another person’s worthiness of respect.

Scholars have been critical of the medical establishment’s and state’s involvement in constructing and policing of transgender identity. These kinds of pressing issues have occupied the small existing literature. There is not much information and studying what is being done on transgender in traditional areas, family studies research, such as their dating behavior and formation of intimate relationships in adulthood. There is little research on the issues around being parents, their children’s experiences with having transgendered parents, as well as relationships in the family as a whole, and relationships in work and school.

In a lot of places around the world more and more people are coming out as “Transgender.” The term transgender means that the person’s gender identity does not correspond with the gender they were assigned as having at birth. From personally having a transgender boyfriend I have since realized that these people experience a lot of discrimination in and from society. Many people simply just do not understand what the term transgender means and they see it as someone just “wants to be a man” or “wants to be a woman.” While there may be people who present it this way, it is more so that the individual just “feels” different, and “feels” as if they are “in the wrong body.” Some people experience this feeling at a young age as my boyfriend did in his elementary age. We live in a world who put these people down for being who they truly are, and no human being wants or needs that.

After reading chapter 3: "Prejudice and Discriminations" and as well the article "Transgender African-Americans' Open Wound: ‘We're considered a Joke’”, I have a better understanding of the challenges that certain group undergo due to prejudices and discrimination that exist within their own racial group and other groups of our society. Although the LBGT community has made its social conditions a little more better, there is still those within their group that are even more marginalize, this is the case of a African-American transgender. African Americans transgender face twice as much prejudice and discrimination. They battle prejudice and discrimination from their own racial group and from society because of their skin color and their gender

Many changes have happened differencing the past years, one of the many things is Transgender (relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their gender given at birth) Inequality. It’s now a big thing including the LGBT community (stands for a grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) in the 21st century. The population consists of 115, 000 to 450,000 people. All those human beings who have been fighting for their rights in this country and all over the world, who try to be accepted for who they really are, those who should not be hiding their identity from others because of the discrimination most people give to them every time they come out of the shadows. They should not be afraid to go onto daily tasks and have the confidence of being themselves.

Kidd and Witten define the term transgender vaguely, stating it “describe[s] people who transcend the conventional boundaries of gender, irrespective of physical status or sexual orientation” (Kidd & Witten, 2007, p. 36). This term is a reference for the ‘other gender’ that is not particularly male or female. Currently, within the American society, there is a growing awareness of individuals who are transgender. Much of this awareness comes from LGBT movements and

The United States is a divided society. We like to categorize ourselves according to political affiliation, race, and religion. We are members of the middle, low-income, or wealthy classes. We choose what seats to sit in during a football game according to the team we are rooting for. It is oddly comforting to know that you belong. All too often, however, transgender youth are denied that sense of ubelonging because they defy society’s categories of male and female. The gender binary divides society into two separate, unequivocal categories that marginalizes transgender youth and directly impacts their emotional health and well-being. Society’s collective response of demeaning, shaming, and violence further increases the divide.

In Abby Ellin’s article, “For Transgender Women, An Extra Dose of Fear,” the experiences of Abbie Paige, along with a variety of other transgender women, are discussed. Most notably, it has been asserted that as a result of being transgender, not only do these individuals face an increased risk of being subject to physical danger, but they also must conform to what society deems as absolute. For example, even though certain individuals may not be cisgender, or have a gender identity that aligns with their sex, they still must use facilities which their surrounding society deems appropriate. Additionally, as a result of the lack of acceptance and equality in the political economical hemisphere, people who drift away from their assumed gender roles may face extreme difficulties when attempting to get healthcare services.

Equality can mean different things to different people; some people believe that equality means treating everyone the same. However you can not treat everyone as equal due to the fact that everyone has different backgrounds, life experiences, skills and knowledge. So no two people can really ever be the same. Individuality can be a positive attribute in all aspects of life. Equality can be more accurately described as when people are given equal opportunities giving them access to the same rights, choices and resources no matter of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious belief or cultural differences.

The transgender community makes up a controversial, growing culture in America. Promoting the idea of tolerance, self-love and acceptance, the Transgender community helps support a community that is statistically not commonly received well by the American people of 2015. Many view this uprising as a positive, revolutionary movement that aims to not only help the minority groups of America but progress mindset of all people from potentially

America is known as the land of the free, the land of justice, the land of liberty. It can also be looked down upon. But there are so many other aspects, so many other amazing things that make America such a great country. When people think of America, they think of many things. However, in my opinion, America means equality, diversity, and freedom.

The article starts off defining the term transgender, and different circumstances where others attempted to ‘normalize’ the homosexual and transgender movements. The article states that transgender people “are deeply troubled individuals who need professional help, not societal approval or affirmation.” (Traditional Values Coalition 1). The article continues, showing instances where the transgender movement won “major political victor[ies]” (Traditional Values Coalition 2), such as California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 which protected transgender children at public schools. The coalition states that the media is helping the transgender movement by portraying transgender people as “misunderstood and persecuted” (Traditional

Inequalities are hard to escape from in today’s society, and all genders and identities have setbacks that need to be sought out and resolved. When most people hear about gender equality, they automatically assume that the speaker is talking about women’s rights, but both men and women have struggles that won’t just go away on their own. On top of that, transgendered people have another weight on their shoulders, no matter which gender they’re transitioning to. The world is constantly moving in different directions, and no matter the gender of an individual, the fact that they deserve the right to equal pay, treatment, education, visibility, and healthcare still stands.

In the United States, at least 0.3% of our population is comprised of transgender individuals. Of whom struggle with numerous discriminatory laws. Although this is not a large number it doesn’t justify these acts.

We are all born the same way: as humans, and therefore deserve the same rights and acceptance as long as we all follow the laws and comply with the norms set to protect all individuals. But throughout history certain groups of people have faced discrimination, segregation, and injustice because they are of a specific race, skin color and/or culture that some of us consider to be part of a lower category of human beings, as well as the fact of holding different beliefs and ideals along with preferences when it comes to things such as gender and choice of lifestyle. My only wonder is how an individual or a society as a whole reaches the point of producing enmity towards others who do not hold the same sexual orientation as they do and how