English Rules (Ryan, Willow, Tommy, Alex, Chris) poses the following questions. Choose one to respond to. This should be an exciting discussion because of the multiple views on the topic! Please remember to be respectful in challenging one another's views.
The author equates the current struggle of the LBGT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender) community to the inequality that women received through the twentieth century. Do you believe LBGT will ever receive equal rights and what will need to be accomplished in order to achieve this equality?
Do LBGT deserve the right to marry? Why or why not?
Will our society ever accept cross dressers into the professional world, or will being LBGT become a "glass ceiling" as it has become for women holding jobs traditionally done by men?
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ReplyDelete"But while feminists gained the vote for women in 1920 and the legal right to equal educational and employment in the 1970s, attitudes change even more slowly than laws" (517). In comparing the LBGT struggle for equality to the fight for women's rights, the author is making the point that we should not expect attitudes toward the gay community to change rapidly. For a country that is built on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we are an essentially conservative nation that struggles to accept people who are different. And while that may seem like a discouraging notion, think of the strides that women have taken over the past few decades. True, we are underrepresented in politics and there is still a glass ceiling present in many professions, but the previous assumption that men are inherently superior to women has for the most part disappeared.
ReplyDeleteI am a Christian, and Leviticus 18:22 states, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." I wish that it did not say that, but it does. Therefore, I cannot support gay marriage. I do not hate gay people, I do not look down on gay people--I look down on 'Christians' who physically or emotionally harm gay people. I do not think that any true Christian wants gay teens to commit suicide or feels superior to the gay community.
Politically speaking, I do not think that those against gay equality have an argument--there is a separation between Church and State and the LBGT community should have equal rights. Even if equality exists legally everywhere, however, it will take longer for the gay community to be accepted as equal by the rest of society. The only way to achieve a mutual understanding is for those against and those for gay equality to have an honest conversation about their motivations. Also, the topic of gay rights should not be avoided because it makes people uncomfortable. I do not like sharing my opinion on LBGT rights because I know that it will make people angry. I only did so today because I strongly believe that understanding will never be reached if people are too frightened to share their sexual identity or opinions on sexual identity with other people. That is the only way that the LBGT community will ever receive equal rights. Both sides just need to listen to one another.
With enough time, I believe the LBGT community will receive equal rights. Based on history, things that seemed impossible have been accomplished. Slaves were freed, women gained suffrage, and foreigners have been able to become naturalized. The thing that caused these changes was open-mindedness/progressive thinking, and action that followed that thinking. Slaves were seen as people and women and foreigners were seen more as equals. Many people already think that the LBGT should receive equal rights. All it takes for them to receive them is time for more people to understand.
ReplyDeleteThe LBGT community deserves the right to marry, as anyone else deserves to marry. No one should have the right to dictate what another does, so long as it does not harm another. Gay marriage does not directly harm another, other than perhaps a conflict of opinion, but that does not permit another to dictate the actions of another. The religious argument is exactly that. Because gay marriage goes against one’s religious beliefs, that religious person has no right to prevent another from marriage, a legal state.
“Cross-dressing” itself may not be accepted into the professional world, at least for now, due to the social standards we have today. Being LBGT may be an obstacle in employment. Due to the fact that being a woman is sometimes a disadvantage, being LBGT may also be a disadvantage, depending on the values of the person hiring.
I believe that the LBGT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender) will receive equal rights eventually. I do not think this will happen soon, but I do believe that it will happen. Just as women, African Americans, and immigrants all received equality in the twentieth century, LBGT will get their equality, too.
ReplyDeleteThe United States is already slowly accepting LBGT. For instance, many states allow gay marriage. Also, it seems as if every television show has a gay couple in it. Americans are confronted with LBGT more than they were before and this is making it easier to grant equality to them. I feel as if the next generations to come will be more and more accepting of the LBGT community.
I believe that the professional world will not tolerate cross dressing. I have very conservative, traditional views so my personal opinions are definitely coming into play. When I think of the LBGT the first phrase that comes to mind is "identity confusion." I personally believe that those types of people are mentally unstable and are most likely experiencing a mental illness such as depression, stress, anxiety, etc. This is what causes them to question their identity/gender. With that being said, cross dressers, are unfit for the professional atmosphere because they have personal problems that they need to sort out first. The professional world is fairly conservative and follows traditional methods and values and the LBGT do not fit into these core values.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious problem here is the clothes the cross dressers wear. The professional attire consists of very conservative outfits that are properly fitting to ones body. When a man attempts to wear women's clothing, its more than obvious that the person is a man, not a woman. Therefore, the professional world will question the professionalism of that individual and will struggle with taking them seriously. These are just my opinions on the matter and I realize that you all have different views than me and I hope we can all agree to disagree and leave it at that.
Also, the book discusses how it is part of our culture to only recognize two genders: female and male. Like I said, I have traditional values so I agree with the cultural "norm" and that opinion comes into play in my post as well.
People consisitng of the LGBT community deserve the right to marry as much as a person from the Hispanic community, black community, or any other classification of people one could come up with. When the issue of marriage equality is talked about, I tend to embrace the Libertarian point of view which respects the privacy of the individual in all aspects. Who is anyone but said individual to judge what happens in his/her bedroom? I think everyone should be given a chance to live a happy life, according to their own terms.
ReplyDeleteTo play devil's advocate, many people opposing same-sex marriage believe it is on a slippery slope towards polygamous relationships, incestuous marriages, bestiality and so on. But I consider this line of reasoning ridiculous; I believe the slope is slipping to absurdity. Marriage equality is a legal and moral issue which is distinct from these others. I do, however, respect the opinions of more traditionally valued people and think a good way to make progress on this issue is to have rational discussion of these opinions, as an ealier post suggested.
I think many people, even conservatives, acknowledge that support for gay marriage is getting more popular these days. Recently Obama became the first sitting US President to publicly support legalizing gay marraige. Thus, the right for a person to marry whomever they love may be be accomplished in the near future.
To begin, I don't think you can base an argument on the Bible; Exodus 21:7 says it's okay to sell your daughter into slavery, and Exodus 35:2 says anyone who works on the Sabbath should be put to death. So, just a thought, perhaps such ideas should be kept out of a political conversation. I don't mean offense to anyone, that is just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteIt is my belief that equal rights for the LGBTQA community are right around the corner. As more an more people stop dwelling in their outdated beliefs, and open their eyes to humanity, our ideas as a country will change. For example, there are several parallels between the civil rights movement of the 1960's and the quest for equality now. At one time, Christians thought it was disgusting for an interracial couple to be married. The could be fired for their race, discriminated against in housing, and become victimized by hate crimes that would be left unpunished. In the fight for women's rights, the same things happened. For centuries, the Bible taught the idea that women were property, second-class citizens, and just plain idiotic. It's time to stop basing law off of religion, America is supposed to practice separation of church and state.
Logically speaking, the LGBT community should be able to marry. There is logic based or rational argument against it. People need to stop their own beliefs to the lives of others, and accept that as Americans, we live in a progressive and diverse society. I believe the way to accomplish these goals is to re-elect President Obama. Whether you like him or not, it's the only way, seeing as Romney has no respect for the LGBTQA community, even when they are veterans. As for cross-dressers and the trans community, I wish I could say the same acceptance would be found soon as well. In my honest opinion, it has taken so long to get this far, that full acceptance of the "T & Q" will only take a bit longer.
In the last paragraph, it should be "People need to stop applying their own beliefs..."
DeleteGrowing up in a strict Christian household, having friend’s parents who believed in such, and having family that hates LBGT with conviction, I am surprised that I turned out to have as many gay and lesbian friends as I do. Some who even have told me they eventually want to be wed to their partners. I am not very religious, do tend to be more conservative but I think gay and lesbian people should be able to be married because they are the same as you and me, just with different sexual preferences. I get it, most peoples argument is that in the bible it clearly disapproves of gay relations therefore “God” disapproves. But this is America where there should be a separation of church and state; that is Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. As in gays should not be wed because the bible disapproves.
ReplyDeleteThis particular topic has always been a tough one to touch on. To start, I am a "Christian" , but I like to think of it as my own personal relationship with God rather than a religion. It is easy to be stereotyped as a Christian that only has one point of view and everything else is wrong. However, that is not how I look at it. Yes, in the Bible it states that it should be one man and woman. That's how it's been since the beginning. Yet, I don't think that should be a valid argument against the marriage of LGBT couples. The reason why I say this is because in the Bible it also states that one should not get tattoos or hair cuts. Clearly, in our society today, it would be unusual if one did not get a haircut their entire life. What I'm not saying is that every single thing in the Bible should be altered as society develops; however, I am saying that there are things that become more socially acceptable as times go on and it should be a personal choice as to whether one follows that or not.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I believe that LGBT most definitely deserve the right to marry. Who am I to tell someone who they can and cannot be with? We are human; we develop feelings for people and we have little control over that. We like who we like, and that's that.
As for the question if LGBT will ever receive equal rights, I 100% believe that they will eventually. I have no idea how long this could take, but my guess is a while. Just as things have become socially accepted as time has passed, I believe the same thing will happen regarding this situation. In order to get there, I think a lot needs to be done. I think the first step is people need to put their point of views aside and be willing to hear other people's opinions out. Going into a topic like this closed-minded is pointless. I believe that in order to reach full acceptance, we all must cooperate and have patience.
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ReplyDeleteOf course LBGT will one day have equal rights. It is a hard concept or idea to grasp at this point seeing how there is a lot of hate crimes happening because of this issue. Just how women have more rights today the same will happen with LBGT. The problem is even though women nowadays have more equal rights and are still moving forward in the business world there are still some sexist men who forever shall disagree with the woman having any rights. Some ignorant men fear women gaining some sort of power and control of their own lives. The problem will occur with LBGT and will cause some society separation but in time it will be accepted. Of course not by all of society but for the most part they will be granted the privilege to enjoy their lives how they please. Also it is our older generation that is less accepting than our younger generation. It used to be our older generation that believed that women belonged at home and the men at work. It is the older generation that is still having an effect on our societies view point on our current situation. As the younger generations come in the more accepting LBGT will be and in time both women’s rights and LBGT will have equal rights. Our younger generation has proven to be more open minded on these types of situations. With our new generations there will be more opportunity and freedom.
ReplyDeleteThe problem that I have with LBGT getting married is that I am Christian. In my church everyone strongly believes it is unacceptable and is considered a major sin. Everyone in my church you could say are a bit extreme. I on the other hand am a bit more open minded and feel as if they should be able to have the opportunity to marry if they please. Who am I to judge and who are we as a society to judge? If we are really Christians then we should love and accept all people. We as a society need to focus on ourselves and stop the ignorant attitude that makes us so quick to judge others. It has become easy for us to point fingers at each other and not realize our own flaws. If LBGT wants the right to marry then I believe they will stop at nothing to do so. I believe we should end this division and grant them the right. It is their lives not ours and therefore we have no say.
As it was mentioned in the reading, it took over seventy years for females to gain the right to vote. Seventy years for one, of the two, socially acceptable genders to receive this right. Women are now accepted in the work place as occupants of management and leadership positons, but they are not among the highest paid. I mention this because women are recognized by the world as a sex, as are males. If they are an obvious role in society, and they are still facing adversity, who can really foretell the troubles members of the LGBTQ2 community would face. In the eyes of most Americans, people who take part in cross dressing are mentally unstable; is this fact or opinion, who is to say? The idea is society, for the most part, is uncomfortable with their personal choices. If displaying tattoos can restrict a person's employment opportunities, dressing in an unconventional fashion would do so also. The "glass ceiling," I feel, doesn't necessarily affect people based on their sexual orientation, but their choices to display such choices. Even if transgendered men and women did become acceptable in society, they would encounter discrimination, harassment, and "glass ceilings" for many, many years.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that LBGT deserve the right to marry for two reasons. First, as a Christian the bible instructs that these "indecent acts" of men being "inflamed with lust for one another" is a "perversion" of the natural order of God's creation (Romans 1:27). Thus, their sexual orientation is not a natural thing and is seen by God as a sin. In addition, the word marriage comes from the Latin word Matrimonium which in Roman tradition was the way in which men and women became fathers and mothers. That would mean that “Marriage” is the actual act of Coitus, between man and woman, because that’s the only way to create children, not the legal binding between two people. Today, marriage to most people has come to mean little less than an agreement between two people which provides over a thousand benefits to those involved.
ReplyDeleteNow, just because I don’t agree with the LBGT society does not mean that I don’t believe they should have rights. In fact, I believe it is wrong of the United States to deny human beings any rights so long as they don’t endanger the rights of other people. Hence, I believe that those with LBGT leanings should have access to the same sort of union with their significant other that offers the same benefits as being in a marriage but I believe they should call it something else.
Personally I think that members of the LBGT community deserve the same rights as any other individual in a particular community. The fact of the matter is that our nation has been struggling with the idea of equality since the beginning of time. Over the years we have made progress towards these issues and established more of a consciousness for the treatment of others but there is still room for growth. People often change their perspective and evolve with experience. We are moving away from an old way of thinking and moving towards a more free thinking society. The idea of marriage promotes the concept of a man and woman coming together in a unifying document that connects them to one another. Over the years this term has become more diverse as individuals in the LBGT community have sought to obtain equal marriage rights. I feel as if it is not fair to tell someone whom he or she can or can’t love. Acceptance, tolerance and understanding are terms that we have struggled with as a society and I think that this issue most prominently demonstrates these struggles. How does it really affect you as an individual if members of the LBGT community are allowed to get married? I think a fault in our society is that we are constantly trying to play the role of a higher power and determine what people can or cannot do. Obviously there are necessary steps that the government must take to ensure the safety of individuals in society but what is it about marriage that makes people so sure it can only be for a certain group of people? In my opinion this is discrimination and a demonstration that we still have a long ways to go to implement full equality in our society.
ReplyDeleteAs I've learned from reading previous posts, many other students believe that the Bible cannot be used as a valid reason for supporting the argument the LBGT community cannot be married, ie the notions you can sell daughters into slavery and the such. However, I would like to point out that these were from the Old Testement and therefore are strictly Jewish believes. I would argue that the New Testament of the Bible reproaches these notions from the Old Testament and establishes a new covenant. Therefore, people who call themselves Christians could use the Bible as a valid source because it further goes to fix what had been said before that we consider terrible and a means of disregarding the text as true.
ReplyDeleteThis being said, I do not think that the LBGT community deserves the right to "marry". The reason I put this in quotes is because I agree with TJohnson's view that "marriage is a biblical term. The term denotes the uniting of a man, a woman, and Christ in a bond of love forvever. Because this act is defined in this way, any alteration of this, ie. lesbian and gay marriage, cannot and shouldn't be considered "marriage". If the partners want to be combined in this way, I think it should have to be called something else other than "marriage" because marriage is a Biblical term and I'm sure no one would want the meaning of any religious text they support to change in the way that this one is.
I believe that eventually the LGBT community will gain equal rights within our society but it will certainly not happen overnight or even anytime particularly soon. Currently, the debate over whether or not they deserve equal rights is entrenched in religious arguments and until we can get past the religious debate over the topic we will never be able to compromise because we have been taught not to compromise where are religious beliefs are concerned. However, if we consider it from a political standpoint then equality, even where the LGBT community is concerned, seems much more realistic and achievable.
ReplyDeleteThe LGBT community deserves the right to marry. This is yet again an area in which the debate mainly centers around religion. Personally, I don't think the bible is correct about the issue with sexuality that is against the norm, I think people should be able to have relationships with whom they want without society or the government putting restrictions on them. Everyone deserves the right to marry who they want whether that person is a man, woman, man who dresses as a woman, or any other gender identity.
Currently, it would be nearly impossible to be taken seriously as a cross dresser in the professional world. The professional world tends to be on the conservative side of the scale and as such is often against sexualities other than heterosexual. However, once cross dressing becomes more socially acceptable in everyday life it will also become acceptable in business. And I do believe that eventually it will be considered acceptable in our society to be a cross dresser.
Just like women were not allowed to vote or stand up for what they believe and now in the twentieth century it has all changed, LBGT will change too. It will probably take more time than expected but America is known for freedom, meaning you have the right to be and say how you feel. Peoples perspective of LBGT are probably not in a positive way but I’m certain in the long run it will change and people will accept their differences just like I do. In the other hand getting married might take longer. Although some states have allowed gay marriage I’m afraid others will stand strong to not pass this law. As America originated from a Christian society, it is said on the bible that no same gender must be married under god. Now as for cross genders I have a feeling that it will come more natural. As people tend to see fashion evolving with the new era things will definitely change. Maybe it won’t be accepted in a professional job but in the daily biases absolutely. Fashion stands on its own the weirder it is the better.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is possible in the future that LBGT may receive equal rights in the future in a similar way that women did but that it'll be a much more difficult struggle. They make up a considerably smaller demographic and are also harder to identify. Legislation could be put in giving them equal rights and prohibiting discrimination but when people's differences are not physical they are harder to identify making such legislation hard to enforce. I do believe that they deserve the right to be married just as any other human being does. Marriage is something religious people have taken to feel they need to enforce according to their moral and religious values but what they are doing is just discriminating in a new area. Personally my biggest argument for the allowance of marriage for LBGT is that of equality and that it really does no harm to anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe workplace is all about formalities and fitting into molds so no I don't believe that cross dressing will ever be accepted in the professional world. I do not however believe that being LBGT will always be a glass ceiling (if it is now) because I feel with time quality of the work and not the sex or sexual orientation of the worker will be what matters. Also, although it may be hard for some and be seen as denying their identity, some if not most LBGT workers can find ways to work in an office without others even knowing they belong to the community. It may not be fair but its a possible solution.
For centuries the argument for equality has persisted. Sometimes the issue is equality amonst, genders, religious groups, races, age, the list goes on and on. Legally, in the world today, everyone is "equal". As it says in the Constitution: "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal." However, in practical life, true equality is non-existent. All people do not have equal opportunities in the world today. An example of this is affirmative action in colleges and universities, hindering many over-qualified students from attaining acceptance. Discrimination also appears in the work place, where foreigners find it difficult to get jobs.
ReplyDeleteThis can partially be attributed to long-held stereotypes that place certain social groups in a negative light. Moving on to the issue of LBGT's and them gaining "equal rights", I feel that this is a strong goal to have, but a long journey lies in making it a reality. A reason for this is the psychological phenomenon known as "cognitive dissonance", which is defined as the defined as the anxiety a person feels when he or she deviates from the general group. Since the orientation of LBGT's is very different from the traditional idea of a man and woman, some facets of society have difficulty accepting something so deviant, resulting in the anxiety known as cognitive dissonance.
The bottom line is that one should realize nothing can make a single human being superior to another human being. Unfortunately, history indicates that mankind is very competitive, exemplified by countless wars and establishments of empires. Hitler's goal for example was, basically, to rule the world by making it full of only the "superior" Aryan race. It is this lust for dominance that causes certain social groups to become "inferior", and this is why equality is never truly achieved. If people were able to take a step back and hold more of an objective view of life, unequal rights for LBGT's would not be a problem.
In my opinion, I think homosexual couples should be able to marry their significant other if they want to. I feel like its a contradiction by the country to ban gay marriage. I mean, if it truly was a free country, then these couples should have the right to marry. What I don't understand is why people even care if gay people get married or not. I think Americans need to mind their own business, when it comes to gay marriage. It's not like their marriage will affect peoples lives. When is the last time you've seen someone getting behind in life because their neighbors were gay? It's pretty ridiculous.
ReplyDeletePeople always come up with the excuse that "it's not natural", or "it's against the bible". What does being natural even mean? Are we all grown out of a garden and picked naturally? Also, what does the bible have to do with anything. There is a separation between the government and religion, so why are we treating our community like holy priests or monks? Will it take an atheist to become president in order to allow gay marriages to be legal? I don't know, but I'm just saying, gay marriage is exactly like regular marriage. The only difference is the same gender.
I think this reading delivers a good argument on life, more than just an argument for the LBGT. It says, "Psychological research shows higher rates of depression among people of both sexes who adhere closely to traditional roles than among those who do not"(518). This statistic shows the problem with people succumbing to pressure. They rid themselves of their individuality to live by their traditional roles--just like many people rid themselves of their personal views to abide by the rules and views of a church, just like people discard personal expression through clothing when joining the army or any other team with a uniform, and just like people suggest that "you are who your friends are."
ReplyDeletePersonally, this argument makes me roll my eyes... a lot. This conflict is not only equivalent to the struggle for women's suffrage, but it is also equal to the Civil Right's act and the fight for equality among races. Yes, racism still exists. But I can guarantee that a vast majority of people look back on that time period and think "How could people be so stupid? Their arguments of superiority make no sense." And as strong of a statement that is, I agree that this is EXACTLY what people will say about our generation once the LBGT community gains its rights.
What affect does your race have on your ability to work? None. What affect does gay marriage have on heterosexuals? NONE. If you don't approve of gay marriage and LBGT, then don't go to a wedding for a gay people. Don't walk in gay pride parades. Don't be friends with gay people.
The moral of the story is: do what you want. This is America. If you want to confine yourself within your traditional gender role, do it. If you don't, then don't. And the plain fact is that my individual life choices, your individual life choices, LBGT's life choices, do not affect each other unless you make them. Frankly, I think a lot of people could learn from LBGT because many are not afraid to stand up for themselves. They refuse to succumb to pressure. Maybe if women demanded respect in the workplace they would get it. Maybe if men were comfortable with their emotions, emotions wouldn't be looked down upon by their friends. A lot of LBGT people rise above pressure in religion as well. They decide to interpret the bible as they see fit, as individuals, instead of traditional word-for-word translations.
Basically, people need to create distance between themselves and issues they are not comfortable with-- by focusing on their personal ideals and applying them to their own personal lives, not by degrading everybody else. People may use the argument that LBGT is just a way for someone to act out because of mental stress or sadness. Guess what that sounds like? people's inability to accept bipolar and depression as a disease. A large portion of society does not believe it is a real thing, even though there is scientific chemical evidence that supports it. People that are uncomfortable with drugs will degrade the disease instead of simply choosing not to take drugs. People who are uncomfortable with things outside of their religion will condemn those things instead of simply abiding by their religious rules themselves. So, everyone should just do what the reading says and rise above pressure and do what they want:) Also, they should be kind and worry about their own lives instead of everybody else's.
I believe same sex marriage something that should be legal. Marriage is about love not gender. This concept will never fully be fulfilled though since people will always be judgmental and skip to conclusions. I think Paige brings out a good point about religion and how that can effect LBGT from possibly getting married since some religions do not allow for that such as the story of Adam and Eve which most translate into a man and woman should be together. My mom happens to be gay herself so I have become more adapt to the gay community as for before I was one of the people who was judgmental of their choices. I do think that LBGT should get married if that is their wants and desires and not let anyone/ anything convince them otherwise because when it comes down to it, it is their choice and their choice only.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that the LGBT will reach the goal of becoming equal with society, its just the matter of time people will make this a custom to society; in order for things like this one in particular to become a custom in my opinion will be until the old generation that holds these moral will die off "no offense to those people that i am referring to". But were being realistic and in my opinion those old custom and morals are the brick walls that hold back LGBT from becoming normal to society, but like anything that we see more frequently it then just mixes in well and i think this is how its going to be for many LGBT people.
ReplyDeleteBefore I jump into my own opinion, I need to address a couple comments I've read above.
ReplyDeleteFirstly: “When I think of the LBGT the first phrase that comes to mind is "identity confusion." I personally believe that those types of people are mentally unstable and are most likely experiencing a mental illness such as depression, stress, anxiety, etc. This is what causes them to question their identity/gender.” –Vanessa C
This is completely debunked. Psychological studies have proven time and time again that there is no link whatsoever between any known psychosis (or even any other external condition which might affect one's psyche) and alternative sexual preferences.
Secondly, and to transition to my argument: “I am a Christian, and Leviticus 18:22 states, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." I wish that it did not say that, but it does. Therefore, I cannot support gay marriage.”-Karly Brinkman
This verse is what caused me to begin questioning my Christian ideology and eventually led me to become an atheist. Given the evidence of the day which all but proves that LGBTs are "born that way," having no ability to consciously override their sexual preferences (no matter how pious they may be, and there are plenty of LGBTs trying to be devout Christians), it makes no sense to me why any god that despises such sexuality would put into motion processes by which certain people would desire it despite personally felt cultural and religious pressure. These people only find relief from being torn between religion and sexual preference when they accept who they are physically. Their psychological well-being improves dramatically once they do, and they live happier, more fulfilling lives.
The Biblical explanation really is, without too much of a breach in translation, that LGBTs are crazy sexual perverts. It is a belief which I think demonstrates the obsolescence of the religion. I understand that Christians do not believe in hating the sinful, but I also do not believe that being born LGBT is a sin by any legitimate moral standard. Love is love, no matter who it is between.
The only man-and-woman advantage is the ability to conceive children, and LGBT couples raising adopted children have not only demonstrated an ability to raise children with as much proficiency as heterosexual couples, they tend to raise even more open-minded, tolerant children. They function exactly as any heterosexual married couple would, and therefore I believe that the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman is illogical and discriminatory. The fight for gay marriage is the new Civil Rights Movement. I believe it will succeed, and I wait eagerly for the day it does.
I believe that over time, eventually, LGBT will receive equal rights with the rest of Americans - it will just take a long time. We can compare this issue to several equal rights issues of the past, such as women's rights and African-American rights. Both of these groups eventually gained rights through time. I believe that this happens through the generations. We can clearly see that younger generations are more open to LGBT rights than the older, more conservative generations- because for them, it was never an issue and they were simply brought up believing that LGBT were not equal. Therefore, as new generations are born, society becomes more and more liberal to the pressing issues, because they are born right into the conflict, see different opinions and views on it, and develop their own opinions, rather than just being brought up with a certain belief. It is safe to say that in our lifetime, (our being the college kids of today) we will see the LGBT receive their rights. It is just a matter of time, as long as those who believe in their rights keep pressing and keep fighting.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion marriage should not even be a political topic. Our government shouldn't even control heterosexual marriage. Marriage is between the two people involved in joining their lives, and the main reason the government has a say in it is for financial reasons. That being said, gay marriage should be legal. People should be able to marry whomever they want; it should constitute the freedom of our country and the freedom of our democracy. This is essentially how America started, except it happened to be religion in the past.
ReplyDeleteI am honestly sick of hearing about all these LBGT equality issues. It's simpler than people make it. I'm a lesbian. Who cares? I don't go around preaching about it. If I was straight I wouldn't write that down on an application or it wouldn't be the first topic of conversation. Why does it matter whom you are attracted to? Bottom line, it shouldn't. If someone feels different about you because of who you are attracted to...that's his or her problem. Just don't discuss your love interest with people who don't have the same views. There are other things to talk about that they can relate to. This idea actually leaks into my opinion about cross-dressing. No it won't/shouldn't become an office "norm". The professional world has certain standards. Within working environments there are dress codes for reasons. People come from different backgrounds, households, etc. Working environments have to be comfortable for it's employees, and although I would have zero problems working with a man wearing a dress (or a similar situation-kudos to them), but there's always people who would mind. There is a time and a place for everything.
Although there have been times where I myself have experienced the hurtful ways of others, just because I felt a different way...The LBGT community much like the feminist community are not only preaching inequality, they're pushing to be treated differently because they are different. It’s like they want different rights. Well guess what people… you may be gay or a woman or a gay woman, but you’re still an American. It's a vicious circle, and I don't think that the equality of women and that movement is at its conclusion yet. It's still morphing into what it will be; just like the LBGT community is just beginning its course in history.
We live in a very different time period than say 25 years ago. Western culture, especially in the United States, loves the idea of freedom, democracy, and equality for all. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons are still discriminated to some degree in our county, but indeed society has been far more tolerant toward these types of differences. Laws are even in place now that stop discrimination in the work place and allows equal opportunity for all persons regardless of their sexuality. I think this change in public opinion is simply a product of human evolution. We (humanity) have decided that it is foolish to divide people based on their sexuality and have grown to be more tolerant of others. In fact, scientific studies have shown that many animal populations exhibit atypical sexual behavior. There are many religious-related groups that will continue to bash the LBGT (lesbian gay bisexual and transgender) community in protest, but this is something that I don’t think can change. The United States as a whole however, is definitely heading in the right direction as far as granting equal rights for LBGT individuals. Many states have even passes laws that allow gays and lesbians to legally marry—as they should. I believe that it is only a matter of time before the county becomes unified in this decision and gay/lesbian marriage will be acceptable everywhere. To me, it is absolutely absurd that there are still some states that do not allow this. People should have the right to marry whoever they want, as long as they are happy. Who is society to say that two men or two women do not have the right to marry?
ReplyDeleteWill society ever accept cross-dressers into the professional world? This is a challenging question to address. There are a couple of different angles to take on this question. First, a strong emphasis has been placed on equality in our society. This is a good sign for cross-dressers/transgender individuals. There is however a “bizarre” mood that over takes the room when a man with a five o’clock shadow and an enlarged Adams-apple presents himself to a group of people wearing a dress. To a certain degree, yes I believe that cross-dressers will and are accepted in the professional world. When individuals separate themselves however and wear peculiar and unusual clothing, reticule is unavoidable. The professional world is uniform—suit with a tie or a dress is pretty much the standard. Anything else seems like it would be intolerable in a professional setting.
LBGT marriage is a really tricky situation that has ensnared many politicians and political activists into career ending campaigns and rather undesirable positions. The underlying issue with the situation, however, lies not in the morality of the argument or the various facets of the controversy, but in the premise of the system that is trying to be modified. There is a lot of controversy about "gay marriage" but both sides aren't really arguing for the same thing, because "marriage" is an idea that has become so convoluted and absorbed into American culture that it no longer represents what it was supposed to mean. Yes it is still the bond between a man and a woman and everything else, but the basis of marriage was originally in a religious context. It has transformed into a cultural premise in American culture, however, and now only means a domestic partnership between a man and a woman with legal benefits. It is not a religious idea at all. Both my grandparents on my mother's side and my father's side are all atheist agnostics, and have been happily married for years.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is where people fail to understand that they're not arguing for the same thing. LBGT's are arguing for legalizing marriage because they want to be a part of this domestic partnership that everyone else has. Advocates against it want to preserve the idea of marriage and its sanctity in their religious contexts. But these are two completely different things. The majority of LBGT's don't want to tarnish the name of "marriage" among religious institutions; they want to dedicate themselves to the person they love for the rest of their lives. It isn't their fault that Americans have bastardized and Anglicized the idea of marriage (as they are prone to do to just about everything else). Because of a cultural transformation, LBGT's are denied access to a basic American privilege because its origin causes offense to a select group of people.
Having explained this, I would like to respond to both questions. Do LBGT's have the right to "marry"? Absolutely. I completely agree with any Catholic or Christian or whatever that their marriage is reserved for a man and a woman. That's totally fine. But I would be willing to argue that the majority of LBGT's aren't looking to justify their relationship in the eyes of God or to have a standard Christian marriage. They want the Americanized version of a marriage because it has cultural, social, financial, and legal repercussions, and has become the iconic symbol in American culture of the next step in a relationship. And here is where I want to make it extremely clear to anybody who has not been carefully reading this post: I do not believe that LBGT's have the right to violate the sanctity of somebody’s religion by having a marriage sanctified by said religion. Religions have moral codes, just like countries have laws. They need to be followed and obeyed. But there is no reason that a LBGT couple can’t have the American version - basically if people are going to get so upset about it being legal, then we can call it something else. It isn’t the marriage that Christians and Catholics are trying to preserve, so there really shouldn’t be any harm in calling it a different name.
ReplyDeleteAs to whether or not it will be legalized in the future, I would agree that it will happen eventually. Because of how America’s government is run, if enough people start getting motivated about an issue, politicians have to start doing something or their polls start to suffer. I’m not the first person to come up with these ideas; all it takes is a level headed person who doesn’t really have a personal stake in the issue to take a step back and realize that each side is arguing for a different thing. Eventually somebody in power is going to realize that this whole situation is just a confused mess of people attacking one another and give both sides what they want. This isn’t an unreasonable goal, because at the root core of the situation, the real goals of each party don’t actually conflict with one another when people start to understand what it is they are really arguing for.
LGBT individuals probably will be just as acceptable in society as any cisgendered person is. This will probably only happen as gender roles themselves cease to be. As it is now, it is often disconcerting for a heteronormative individual to interact with LGBT, especially Transexual, people. There is often a sort of uncanny valley effect that dominates such interactions, whether intentional or not. But as traditional gender steryotypes fade, so will these distinctions and, following that, societal discrimination. This point rests on the hypothetical that such gender roles will completely erode, to say nothing of the probable timetables.
ReplyDeleteAs for marriage rights, LGBT individuals should have the same right as heterosexual couples to marry. At very least, it seems like a pointless and inappropriate extension of legislative power for the government to say they can't. Marrige is not magical, no matter how many trashy romances you read. It's not a divine contract (for everyone) or a natural law, it is only what you make of it. Yes, there are those who consider marriage to be sacred, but the United States is a secular nation. Thomas Jefferson has a quote concerning this, "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion...", this being found in the Treaty of Tripoli, which he drafted. Gay Marriage is a logical progression of rights to such people, which will lead to more societal equality across the board. Maybe there will be those that disagree, but there are always those who disagree.
In conclusion, progress will march on, and the LGBT community will be just as accepted as any other. But, as with all things, it will take time.
The LBGT community will most definitely have equal rights. When, i don't know. That all depends on how long many people are willing to hide behind their bigotry. Considering there is not one valid reason why gays shouldn't be able to get married, i don't see why it should be an issue. Unfortunately it is, as in a democracy the majority is always going to win so long as the government is on its side. You can see the feelings towards LBGT start to change in these last few years. With more and more states allowing increasingly more (by that i mean equal) rights to gays. It really should be a non-issue but unfortunately some people like applying ancient texts towards todays law which just makes the situation all to sad. My personal opinion is religion poisons young minds, which is obviously not a popular opinion in America. However the more time that passes, the less overly religious people there are. Our youth is becoming more opened minded than ever before and is continuing that way which in due time will improve the quality of life for many others such as the LBGT community. Disclaimer* I’m not saying all religious people are bad by any measure. As long as you don't try to enforce your beliefs on others through any means then you will always have my respect (:
ReplyDeleteThe last question is a tough one, and hard to predict. The professional world really hasn't seemed to change all that much and to be honest i don't really expect it to. Maybe in due time, the way we do things will change but its certainly not going to happen overnight.
Change is always happening around us, even when we're all so focused onto one thing. Women once was in this situation, they fought for emancipation so why cant the LBGT. Deserve is such a doubtful word, its almost as if you have to earn rights "like" everyone else. LBGT should have equality, why should it be a question if they're just like everyone else. People are often against LBGT because they are afraid of change. Some people believe that if man could marry a man, in the future somehow a man would be able to marry a dog. They're haunted by these thoughts of man kind. But some states do allow gay marriage, its slowly showing a movement for emancipation. The government should be happy about gay marriage, they are able to tax it for this low economic world. LBGT should be able to love each other, to have the curiosity, its their life. Who said men had to be with women, they're all using moral values such like religion to oppose gay rights. I've been around LBGTs living in the midtown of New York City, and they mean no harm. They are just the same as everyone else.
ReplyDeleteLBGT to me seems like they're more on a feminine side and the professional world nowadays always hire females. Just like the fashion industry is always going to be a movement, and as depicted there are several LBGTs in the show and they seem like they're making progress in the world. I do believe that one day the world will accept this change and movement and realize its change that's bound to happen. So yes i do agree that LBGTs should be able to "receive" their rights, and also yes, change will happen. The LBGT will one day be accepted 100%.
I believe the LGBT community has the potential to eventually receive equal rights. However, this does not mean that they will necessarily be treated equally. How long did it take for African Americans to be treated equally even after the laws had been passed that granted them their rights? There will always be at least one person out there who will spit in the face of equality and so long as that persists, so too will inequality.
ReplyDeleteI could honestly care less if people belonging to the LGBT community decide to marry. Do they deserve the right? Sure, whatever. People can argue all day long that the definition of marriage is the union between a man and a woman but when it comes down to it, it's just a word. And definitions of words have changed constantly throughout history. We could decide today, as a people, to change the definition of marriage to mean the union between two people. Who would stop us? History? I believe that we are the masters of our own fate and that we can create our own history. There's nothing preventing us from doing so. History is important to learn from but using ancient text to dictate humanity's progress can be idiotic at times. Why go through the hassle of creating a new word when a perfectly good word already exists? Roman tradition can suck it for all I care, the definition of marriage can be whatever we decide it to be.
The marriage of same sex couples has no direct affect on me so why on earth would I concern myself with it? The rights of the LGBT community to marry would not impede on other people's rights to life, liberty, or property. So, I see no reason as to why it should not be allowed. If your religion does not support gay marriage, then don't even concern yourself with it. You yourself are not going to hell for allowing others to get married and live a happy life. You could even look on this situation in a positive light. Maybe if more and more gay people embrace their sexuality, it will help with the overpopulation crisis (7 billion people is 6 biliion too many). And most would probably adopt. A world without orphans, wouldn't that be nice? Okay, now I'm just stretching for reasons but you get my point.
Also (somewhat completely off topic), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitch from Modern Family) just got engaged to his long-term boyfriend Justin Mikita! Now come on, who here isn't happy to hear that? I love that guy/show.
P.S. Cross dressing will not be a huge issue in the future unless it's a man in a mini skirt and thong with possible sightings of genetalia. Otherwise we can look to history for support. From french aristocrats to 80's rock bands, cross dressing has been somewhat accepted. It all just depends on the times. I don't think that anyone in this day and age really gives a second thought to a woman in a suit. Each generation is becoming more and more accepting of others and I believe that this will continue.
It is inevitable that LBGT will gain equal rights and rightfully so. There is no reason why they shouldn't be regarded as equals, just like everyone else. Any argument against it basically boils down to you not liking LGBTs which is not a legitimate reason to oppress people. I don't know if anything specific has to happen for equal rights to be legally granted as I think that acceptance is growing decently fast and it is just a matter of time before laws are changed.
ReplyDeleteGay marriage does not have any effect on the straight community in any way shape or form. Again, anyone who opposes it is simply being spiteful because they don't like LBGTs. People should be allowed to do whatever they want as long as it is not trampling other peoples freedoms and this does not. America is a free country for all, not just the majority. There is also a separation of church and state that should be remembered, because peoples rights are determined by the state, not a religious text.
I think the issue of crossdressing in the professional world is a totally separate issue from LGBT rights. There are strict dress codes enforced in the workplace and one can't wear whatever they want. A straight man can't go to work in tank tops and shorts and a straight woman can't wear the majority of dresses. It seems the dress code basically boils down to dress pants and dress shirts for both sexes with select few exceptions for women to wear certain professional skirts. Corporations have the right to set the dress code as a private entity. I don't think that crossdressing in the workplace will be accepted within the same time frame as general LBGT rights because of this. Once someone who is crossdressing can walk down the street without garnering a second glance from anyone is the only way that I think the workplace will change.
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ReplyDeleteTo quote the first amendment of the United States Constitution, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Our founding fathers began the document that established the course of our Nations system of law with the idea that church and state should remain separate. If marriage legally binds one person to another, how can we justifiably deny LBGT the right to marry? Doing so is a contradiction to America’s foundation. I do have hope LBGT’s will one day gain equal rights, as woman and African- Americans gained equality over time. However, the delay will be even greater since religious communities have such a big stake in the matter. To answer the last question, no I don’t anticipate cross dressers ever being accepted into the professional world. I think employers would have a hard taking a person seriously who dressed in that manner; no matter how qualified they are for the position. To give an example, I recall my grandmother telling me she didn’t hire a woman she interviewed for the simple fact that she had a tongue piercing.
ReplyDeleteOver time i believe that LBGT will be more accepted among society than of present. We are a progressive society and we do what is right at the time. A good example is interracial marriage during segregation. Years and years ago white Americans were not allowed to marry people of color. In those days i am sure many people did not think we would come this far. Now it is not even considered to be close to illegal. I am not saying there are not still racist people out there who frown upon this, but it is not illegal and not out of the ordinary in this day and time. Although LBGT are still discriminated against, i feel that we have already began to make progress toward equality. President Clinton passed The Defense of Marriage Act that stated only the opposite sex were allowed to marry. Later that law was found to be unconstitutional and over turned. I feel with time and progression eventually all people will see all others as equal. No matter race, gender, or sexual preference.
ReplyDeleteJessyka Cannon
ReplyDelete9/19/12
Mrs. B
LBGT Rights
LBGT (lesbians, bisexual, gays, and transsexual) citizens deserve to have the right to be wed in this country. There are several reasons why I believe that this is true, but before I go into those reasons allow me to first define what a marriage is. Marriage is the union or binding of two people. In religion this means that the two are bonded before God under an oath to be with one another for the rest of their lives. In this country it means that the two will become one by sharing every major tax, property, etc. Take notice that no where under these definitions does it put a standard on who can and cannot be wed; that fact alone is what brings me to my belief that LBGTs should be able to marry one another.
They are people just as we are and their personal sexual taste should not be something that they are punished for having differently than we do. There had come a time in this country where a new wind was approaching with African American‘s rights and women’s rights, and so on and so forth, and this country needed to adapt in order to continue making progress as a nation. I believe that the same thing that took place so many years ago has brought itself full circle to our attention now. This country cannot afford to stay into the dark ages because by limiting the people in our country we limit ourselves, the time for discrimination passed many years ago it is time that we as a nation move on from that. In every LBGT case I ask myself, “What are we so afraid of? “What is it that we have to lose if we grant these people their rights?” Then it dawns upon me that we as a nation are not really able to deny these people their rights to wed because of the Human Rights document that was signed by every country, including ours, many years ago. This document states that discrimination is unlawful and unconstitutional and it also says that people cannot be prohibited from living their lives in the adequate living conditions. I understand that all laws, just as these, are really left up to a person’s interpretation of what they are trying to say, but I believe that we can all agree that, “no discrimination”, is something that is black and white, yes or no. There are no, “possibilities”, when it comes to this law, discrimination and acting among it in a criminal way is actually a crime in this country so it puzzles me how we can be so double standing in our decisions. “What is the difference between them and us, besides their sexual preference?” If you were to ask me I would say nothing; they are working citizens, they pay taxes, they teach our future employers and employees, they operate businesses and produce goods into the market, they help to save and deliver lives, they help operate this country, they help entertain the population as a whole, they help to bring art and culture to this country, but most importantly they go to fight wars for this country. The very least we can do, as a country, is to allow give them the ability to exercise their right to be with the partner that they are in love with. Love has no boundaries; it has no face, no shape, and no color, so why try to regulate something that is meant to be free.
I believe that Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Trans genders should all be allow to get married. This is because I feel that we are all human beings. Therefore, we all have SOULS. What I mean by that is, each and every person has a personality. They are capable of thoughts and feelings. As a result, it is possible to love another soul regardless of gender. It shouldn’t matter what ones sexual preference is as long as they are happy. Everyone deserves a chance to be happy. It says so in the Declaration of Independence (“…with certain unalienable rights that among these are…pursuit of happiness”). Also, I feel that religious people that are absolutely against gay marriage should keep an open mind. They are too caught up in thinking literal about the readings in the bible. All in all, it is important to keep an open mind with every situation and not let the media or the churches tell you otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of marriage is a biblical concept. Its purpose is to illustrate the relationship between Christ and the church, so why would anyone who doesn't accept these beliefs want to be joined together with a religious practice. But this is a completely different argument I guess.
ReplyDeleteHomosexuals have the same right to be together as other people have to "right" to do things that are declared sinful in the bible. These things include getting drunk, being angry, lusting, committing adultery, working on the sabbath, having idols, using the Lord's name in vain, worshipping other gods, honoring parents, lying, and wanting what someone else has. All of these are against God's law, but are technically legal in the U.S. For this reason, if anti-homosexuality are disgruntled with gay marriage, then they should first be focusing on things like having idols. Essentially, if we don't follow God's law completely, why should we argue over which laws the government enacts. If homosexuals want to be wed under a bible-based practice, let them. If we let all these other sins go by, why should we have a second thought about this one.
With this said, it won't mitigate how homosexuals are treated, that is a personal issue. If someone hates homosexuality from a biblical perspective, they should still love the the person who is homosexual and pray for them. As Christians, we have no right to judge others because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
I do believe that one day LBGT people will be accepted in our society and have equal rights as anyone else just like the African Americans during the civil rights movement back in 60's. It will take time but eventually they will be treated just like any other person. In order for that to happen, people need to stop judging others by their personal choices and preferences and accept a person for who he or she is. The LGBT people do deserve the right to marry because who are we to tell them they cannot marry the person they love? A human being can't help who he or she is attracted to as simple as that. I do believe that cross dresserers will be accepted in the professional world (depends on what kind of job they will be seeking).
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