...LGBT Equality {Name} DeVry University LGBT Equality Rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people in the United States are comprised of a patchwork of laws in all levels of government. Currently, there are six states, plus Washington D.C., where same-sex marriages are legal. (Hamilton, 2012) Maryland has laws that recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, but does not allow same-sex marriages to occur in the state.(Davis & Wagner, 2010) Twenty-one states, plus Washington D.C., have laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.(Repa, n.d.) Adoption policies also vary greatly from state to state. LGBT rights have taken part of the fight that republicans and religious fundamentalists have waged against LGBT people and women’s rights that has swept the county in the last couple of years. Although some people believe that LGBT people should not receive equal marriage or adoption rights, there are many reasons to extend those basic rights to LGBT couples. In the United States, there is a patchwork of laws regarding LGBT rights. In fact, there is a Supreme Court judgment in 2003 that started the move towards equality. The landmark case was the Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down sodomy laws in Texas. This, by extension, invalidated other similar laws in 13 other states and territories. (Lithwick, 2012) In 2009, President Obama passed the Mathew Shepard act.(Weiner, 2010) This act brought about one of the largest...
Words: 1390 - Pages: 6
...America is largely accepting of all people, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the LGBTQ+ community still faces a constant struggle against bigotry, discrimination, and ignorance in our troubled nation today; the LGBTQ+ community deserves the freedom that has been given to us by the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence and the separation of Church and State given in the constitution. Many will argue that there is no protection for the LGBTQ+ community within the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, is it okay to deny services, fire, or even discriminate towards someone who is just simply being who they are. LGBTQ+ people have been wrongly treated in the workplace for many years now. In, Michaela Krejcova’s “The Value Of LGBT Equality In The Workplace”, she states “According to surveys, more than 40% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and almost 90% of transgender people have experienced employment discrimination, harassment or mistreatment.” Everyday someone who is a part of this proud community is being discriminated against. In an article written by Katerina Ang, she writes of people stories. Since transgender people using the bathroom has become such an issue, in today's world, it is nice to know what is really going on when transgenders used to use the bathroom that reflects who they identify as, there was never an issue or case in which they had done something that caused anyone harm. One story tells of a transitioned women who served in the Navy. She had transitioned...
Words: 1061 - Pages: 5
...treatment and access to all the same benefits of a heterosexual couple. In the following 4 Literature Reviews it will show the difference in opposing views on LGBT Marriage. In an article from The Journal of Social and Personal Relationships they reviewed a study done to examine how the LGBT men and women assign meaning to legally recognized same-sex marriage and its impact on their understanding of the LGBT community. This was an open-ended web survey that asked participants to consider the ways in which legally recognizing same-sex marriage could positively and negatively affect the LGBT community. 288 people participated in this study. It was a mix of both men and women ranging in ages from 19-66 years. They also had a mix of different racial and ethnic heritage. There were several open-ended questions followed by questions regarding demographics and other close-ended questions. The two main open-ended questions were, “In your opinion, how may legalizing same-sex marriage change the LGBT community for the better?”; “In your opinion, how may legalizing same-sex marriage change the LGBT community for the worse?” As a result this study showed four very clear and strong themes among the participants. The first theme was legal equality. This served as a surface theme for deeper understandings of same-sex marriage. Legal equality was seen as affecting the community for the better. Although it had 3 sub themes to help...
Words: 934 - Pages: 4
...and fair representation. It can be anything from equality between races, gender and/or sexual preferences. For example, on Twitter, there was a post that said there was going to be a Pixar movie in the near future with an LGBT main character. Someone replied that LGBT has already prevalent in society and doesn’t need to be forced into the lives of others. Sexual identity has become more and more apparent over the past few years. Having an LGBT main character is possible and in no way is it wrong. Having this would not seem out-of-place in society because varying preferences are becoming more popular. The ratio of LGBT main characters on television to the amount of members in...
Words: 1069 - Pages: 5
...Diversity in Workplace Sexual Orientation Professor Antionette Dee Currie Richardson Human Resources Management Andre Marcano Florida State College Jacksonville MAN 4301, SUMMER 2014 Abstract This paper looks at the impact of being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the workplace and if there are any limitations by various organizations. Most organizations often claim to value diversity, many Human Resource Systems are developed to encourage, reinforce and allow only similarities. Understanding the economic rationale for discrimination of LGBT and the implications contributes to improving Human Resource Discrimination policies that take into account workforce diversity. Employers should introduce diversity programs to educate employees and create an environment that is more hospitable to LBGT individuals and their allies. The goals and objective of the organizations training must be clearly defined and communicated. The challenge arises when forces within the organization operate to attract, select and retain an increasingly homogeneous group of people. This will suggest shifts in organizational policies, at the same time employees who are antigay or homophobic may dislike the shift in policy and begin to leave the organization. The net effect is to produce a workplace that is more accepting of change. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) an estimated gay and lesbian population at five percent of the U.S. population over 18 years of age...
Words: 1906 - Pages: 8
...identify as LGBT, which then concludes that 7.3% of the US population identifies as LGBT. Unfortunately, studies from CBS News and Pew Research surveys present that 53% of LGBT people still feel that they are being discriminated and 39% have been rejected by family and friends. As many may know, but for those who have not learned, June is Pride Month in the US. Pride Month is a way for people in the LGBT+ community to feel pride in the accomplishments they have created and the obstacles they have overcome from all the discrimination and hatred faced in order to feel free. While many outside the LGBT+ community assume that after the right for marriage equality in 2015 that the community has "finally won", this is not the case. There are a...
Words: 1041 - Pages: 5
...Women and LGBT Diversity in the United States Sharon Shewmake ETH/125 September 21, 2014 Maria Kithcart Women and LGBT Diversity in the United States It is fair to say that great strides have been made concerning equality for women throughout the United States. It is also fair to say that the fight is far from over. For nearly 167 years, women have fought tirelessly to gain equal rights. The Feminist Movement began in the summer of 1848. “The first women’s rights convention began, attended by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and other pioneers in the struggle for women’s rights. This first wave of feminists battled ridicule and scorn as they fought for legal and political equality for women” (University of Phoenix, 2012, p. 350). Susan B Anthony is probably the most widely recognizable participant from the suffrage movement. She was arrested while attempting to vote in the presidential election in 1872. It was not until 1919 that women finally gained the legal right to cast their votes. “Despite the opposition, the suffrage movement succeeded in gaining women the right to vote, a truly remarkable achievement because it had to rely on male legislators to do so” (University of Phoenix, 2012, p. 351). Unfortunately it would be many decades before a notable amount of progress was made. In the 1960’s, the Civil Rights Movement took up much of the attention. The anti-war movement did as well. Women’s rights seemed to get moved to the backburner. In the meantime, women...
Words: 1616 - Pages: 7
...articles was not random; I specifically chose articles whose titles and introductions were of particular interest. The three news sources, particularly the Times and The Advocate, published many articles related to LGBT issues—typically greater than a dozen for each weekly search—from which I selected only two per week. In sifting through the 16 articles, I identified three important themes that tie, by and large, the articles together: notions of inalienable rights (marriage), the normalization of homosexuality, and LGBT and frequently, by extension, women’s empowerment. I argue that the Times, by virtue of its wide distribution and generally positive portrayal of LGBT people, attempts to ‘normalize’ (nationally) sexual orientations other than heterosexual; that The Advocate, whose primary audience is LGBT people, attempts to promote LGBT empowerment (encourages LGBT people to stand up for themselves), contemplating a world in which LGBT people enjoy equal rights and equal protection; and that Newsweek, a national weekly magazine, highlights the political debate about rights, generally being more circumspect/judicious than the other two outlets in its approach to expressing support for the LGBT community (perhaps an expression of a little occasional discomfort with LGBT issues, which could reinforce discomfort in the public and male heterosexism). The news sources do not participate in the construction of attitudes exclusively in the ways I have suggested. For the sake of organization...
Words: 1658 - Pages: 7
...The LGBT Community face many inequalities when it comes to civil rights. LGBT couples or individuals are denied rights to adopt and foster children in some states. They are being judged as bad candidates because of their sexual orientation. Transgender parents battle for custody of their children on the terms that their transition will negatively affect the kids. According to Salek (2013), Since custody agreements try to satisfy the "best interest of the child," the transgender parent is often placed in a bad light because of their transition. Some states refuse to recognize same-sex parents with a legal parent-child relationship. American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Utah State Office of Vital Records for denying a partner...
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...Diversity Organizations Paper Dagenais' J. Garrett Eth/125 October 19, 2014 Maria Watts Diversity Organizations Paper Throughout most of history, women have endured so much. They almost always had fewer legal rights and career opportunities. The main professions tied to women were wifehood and motherhood. According to "Women's History in America" (1995), “Women were long considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and unable to perform work requiring muscular or intellectual development.” The common stereotype was “a woman’s place is in the home.” Women went through the struggles of not being able to get an education, voice their opinions, not having the right to vote, and being viewed as property. Gladly, the role women play in the United States has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Despite the thoughts of men being stronger than women, “physiological tests now suggest that women have a greater tolerance for pain, and statistics reveal that women live longer and are more resistant to many diseases” ("Women's History in America", 1995). In 1969, women made up only about one-third of the workforce. Like it should have always been, now more and more women have taken on new responsibilities outside of home by joining the paid workforce and they make up almost half of all workers in the United States ("The State of Women In America", 2014). However, although women have made big advances in every field, they still endure discrimination. If both male and...
Words: 1096 - Pages: 5
...population, about 12 million people, identify within the LGBT community. Further, of these 12 million people, 30% belong to the 18-29 age range - primarily made up of young college students, postgraduates, and professionals. This works out to, by very conservative estimates since these surveys depend on the "willingness of LGBT individuals to disclose their sexual orientation and gender identity", to about around 3,600,000 LGBT college students(PEW RESERACH). Considering that the U.S. Government estimates 20.2 million students to be enrolled in college in the Fall of 2015, it stands that almost 1 in 5 students on a college campus fall into the LGBT spectrum. However, we can't simply boil the LGBT population down to numbers, nor can we estimate the number of people whom support these LGBT students. Simply put, these are the students who are discriminated against - facing verbal insults, physical violence, and rape - and whom long for peace and equality. Some are very lucky, finding themselves on campuses which have LGBT support groups, equity centers, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Others, however, due to chance, financial obligations, or numerous other factors in the college decision process, are placed on campuses where they have to fear the prospects of...
Words: 449 - Pages: 2
...The Status of LGBT’s and Women While the United States of America is called the land of the free, it has not always been as such for many different members of the country. Depending on a person’s race, gender, or even their sexual orientation, some people have been deemed as not deserving to have the same rights and equality that the rest of us have enjoyed during our time here. While over time this has been reversed for the most part, women and members of the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender (LGBT) community still do not always get to have their rights respected. Following is a look at where women and LGBT started and where they stand today, as well as some concepts that are held about gender and some issues that are relevant to both women and LGBT. Women have not always enjoyed the equality that they share with men today. There was a time when women were considered to have a place, and that place was not in the work force, or voicing their opinions, but in the home where they were considered to have “belonged”. Generally, wifehood and motherhood were regarded as a woman’s most relevant professions (Women's International Center). Not only that, but they were also considered material possessions of their husband for all intents and purposes that the law was concerned. This philosophy over women did not originate in America, it has actually been held by many different cultures throughout the history of the world. For example, it was Eve who first took a bite...
Words: 857 - Pages: 4
...Who has the right to tell you who you are? Who has the right to tell you who you love? Who has the right to tell you that you're wrong for loving the wrong gender? Nobody can tell you how to live your life so why should lgbt people be told their living wrong. People shouldn’t be judged by who they want to be or love. Lgbt people are people just like everyone else. Maybe you should rethink how you view the lgbt community, because equality isn’t a special right. First and foremost, there is so much violence in this world especially around the lgbt community. According to a study by Holly, a Community Contributor, about 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT , 68% of those were kicked out of their home because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Also, 54% of those children reported being survivors of abuse from their families based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Very recently there was a shooting at an Orlando Nightclub named Pulse, that killed 49 people. President Obama said in an address to the nation from the White House, “This is an especially heartbreaking day for our friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.” Why should you be frightened to lose...
Words: 635 - Pages: 3
...about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) rights in the US. More specifically it will give an answer to the main research question which is ‘What differences are there in the acceptance of LGBT rights, concerning same-sex marriage, throughout the US?’. The answer will be found with the use of the following sub-questions: - What are LGBT rights?(through a literature research) - What difficulties do LGBT people face in everyday life (related to LGBT rights)?(through a literature/statistical research) - How did LGBT rights develop...
Words: 3045 - Pages: 13
...bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations commended the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today for announcing important changes to the way in which the “abstinence-only-until marriage” program will be administered. The coalition includes national LGBT organizations working on youth issues, including the Family Equality Council; Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); National Center for Transgender Equality; National Coalition for LGBT Health; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National; and The Trevor Project. The changes, which roll back the draconian and profoundly anti-LGBT ways in which the program was run during the Bush administration, will allow states to choose which sections of the program they will highlight and allow them to fund programs utilizing mentoring, counseling and adult supervision programs. In addition, the changes highlight the unique impact these programs have on LGBT youth so that states can work to lessen the harm caused, and they require programs to provide information that is "medically accurate," meaning it cannot be based on unproven or false information. "This is a major step in the right direction for all families. We applaud HHS and urge Congress to finally end destructive abstinence-only programs. All children deserve science-based education programs that are inclusive of everyone, including our LGBT loved ones,” said PFLAG Executive...
Words: 392 - Pages: 2
