Category: LGBT

Introduction

LGBT people, like heterosexual people, are diverse within populations. They are people of different ages, religious or political beliefs, they practice various styles of life, have contrasting professional interests, differ not only in social or family status but also in ethnic origin. In other words, heterosexual and homosexual people have no distinctions in socio-demographic aspects. However, a few factors bring these people united as a community. First of all, this category of citizens has shared goals and requirements. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people as a stigmatized group have a common unmet need in the protection of fundamental human rights, recognition of civil rights. In turn, they need to facilitate access to health, legal, and social services. Meanwhile, the most significant factor of unification is the negative attitude of society towards their chosen way of life, executed by hatred and prejudice  homophobia and transphobia. This factor affects all members of the community and penetrates all areas of their lives.

Video Summary

The analyzed video tells the story of Doug Paulie, a gay man who, for health reasons, is forced to live in residential care. He has got some problems with the autonomous nervous system, and because of it, he must rely on the help of other people in his daily life (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2010). In search of such specialized assistance, the man moved from his native London to Leeds.

In residential care, Doug faced the biased attitude of some staff representatives and guests, which was based on his orientation and created uncomfortable living conditions. Moreover, here Doug is cut off from communication with his community and has little involvement in social life, as he cannot find support among the staff. At the same time, the man pays large amounts of money for accommodation in this residence in Leeds.

Through his story, the videos main character wants to draw public attention to the problem of harassment of LGBT people with disabilities. The most necessary change, in his opinion, is a cultural shift in attitude to such people. Another critical factor is the improvement of the reputation of the social service officer through the increase in their salary level. Doug also proposes an individualized budget by which a person requiring help can pay directly to the person who will help him. With this measure, people will be able to choose an assistant on their own and make sure that he or she has no biased opinion about personal lifestyle.

The Main Issues Raised in the Video

The video raises several critical social problems that require the attention of society. First, it is homophobia and its impact on helping people with disabilities. Second, the social and legal barriers faced by disabled individuals of the LGBT community. Third, it is possible to highlight the problem of the negative reputation of social workers and at the same time quality of their work. These problems have got a significant impact on the life quality of part of the population and the overall societys development level.

Homophobia unravels hatred and poses a direct threat to human life regardless of the sexual orientation of the individual. Moreover, it creates social exclusion and marginalization of homosexual people and causes discrimination  a direct violation of human rights by individuals and governmental systems (Walch et al., 2016). The violation of LGBT rights is happen because heterosexual society forms certain norms and rules, in which members of the lesbian-gay community do not fit (Booth, 2017). Deviation from these rules and regulations is seen by society as a manifestation of inadequacy.

Members of the LGBT community with disabilities are one of the most invisible and closed groups, both within the community itself and in society at large. For this reason, they face many barriers in their lives (Toft and Franklin, 2020). Such invisibility is due to double stigma against minorities and disabled people. Within the community of people with disabilities, members of this group may be discriminated against as individuals who identify themselves as LGBT (Conover and Israel, 2019). In the LGBT environment, vice versa, people can face manifestations of ableism (prejudice towards people with disabilities).

Among the many such barriers, a few of the most significant ones can be distinguished. First, disabled people of the LGBT-community face severe discrimination in employment. Many employers believe that such an employee will not be productive and do not want to hire him or her (Dispenza et al., 2018). Secondly, there are problems in obtaining medical services (Dispenza, Harper and Harrigan, 2016). Doug also faced this aspect  homophobia among employees of specialized institutions for people with disabilities becomes a reason to interfere with the privacy of patients living in residential care. Third, people face information limitations  do not know events, LGBT initiatives. At the same time, most of them would like to be involved in the LGBT rights movement and are ready to participate in the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities, but their capacity is not realized.

Social Work Connection

All the problems discussed in the video are intimately interconnected with each other. However, the third issue is related to the sphere of social work more directly. People involved in the social field, such as social workers, volunteers, members of non-profit organizations, face the fact that their activities are considered not prestigious (Vilka and Baha, 2019). Moreover, their jobs are little valued and low paid. This low evaluation of the activity affects the quality and impact of the staff member (Grissom and Mitani, 2016). As a consequence, several problems, like Dougs one, arise  disabled people cannot find a suitable assistant who will accept their views. Prejudice among social workers is also a severe problem, but it applies to the whole society (Abbruzzese and Simon, 2018). Therefore, serious changes in the overall mentality are needed to solve it.

Conclusion

There is a high level of discrimination in society against an invisible group such as LGBT people with disabilities. Most organizations focused on working with disabled people do not have the necessary competence to work with the LGBT community. They should raise awareness of the diversity specifics of human sexuality and gender identity. These organizations also should form a strategy to work with members of the LGBT community with disabilities.

References

Abbruzzese, L.D. and Simon, P. (2018) Special concerns for the LGBT aging patient: what rehab professionals should know, Current Geriatrics Reports, 7(1), pp.26-36.

Booth, A. (2017) Same sex attraction in young people: health, happiness and homophobia, in Murray, M.C., and Reed, C.A. (eds.) Promotion of Mental Health. Routledge, pp. 49-60.

Conover, K. J., and Israel, T. (2019) Microaggressions and social support among sexual minorities with physical disabilities, Rehabilitation Psychology, 64(2), pp. 167178.

Dispenza, F., Harper, L. S., and Harrigan, M. A. (2016) Subjective health among LGBT persons living with disabilities: a qualitative content analysis, Rehabilitation Psychology, 61(3), pp. 251259.

Dispenza, F., Kumar, A., Standish, J., Norris, S. and Procter, J. (2018) Disability and sexual orientation disclosure on employment interview ratings: an analogue study, Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 61(4), pp.244-255.

Grissom, J.A. and Mitani, H. (2016) Salary, performance, and superintendent turnover, Educational Administration Quarterly, 52(3), pp.351-391.

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2010)Working with LGBT people  people with physical disabilities: Dougs story.Web.

Toft, A. and Franklin, A. (eds.) (2020) Young, Disabled and LGBT+: Voices, Identities and Intersections. Routledge.

Vilka, L. and Baha, I. (2018) Prestige of social work as profession: social workers perspective. 6th international interdisciplinary scientific conference. Society. Health. Welfare (part II), Riga, Latvia. Web.

Walch, S.E., Ngamake, S.T., Bovornusvakool, W. and Walker, S.V. (2016) Discrimination, internalized homophobia, and concealment in sexual minority physical and mental health, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 3(1), p.37.

Introduction

This assignment is going to review the study titled Social Attitudes Regarding Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT Health Disparities: Results from a National Probability Sample by Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017). This papers purpose is to identify whether the article under consideration has drawn sufficient attention to all the steps in conducting a research project. The review will comment on the literature review, research question, quantitative methodology, data collection procedures, data analysis, findings, ethical considerations, and limitations.

Does the Studys Literature Review Meet the Requirements?

The literature review is the first section that comes after the studys abstract though it does not have an appropriate heading. It offers a conceptualization of the articles variables, including individual forms of stigma, structural stigma, and state-level policies. Furthermore, the literature review provides scientific evidence to justify why the study focuses on the relationship between social attitudes regarding same-sex marriages and smoking and self-rated health among LGBT individuals. The article relies on professional and credible sources that refer to journal articles (Strutz et al., 2015; Rostosky et al., 2010) and books (Institute of Medicine, 2011). A legal case (Obergefell v. Hodges) was even used to demonstrate that the Supreme Court considers the issue and allows same-sex individuals to marry. The majority of the reference used in the study by Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) was written in a 10-year time frame between 2008 and 2017. It means that the researchers relied on timely and credible evidence.

Then, it is reasonable to consider what requirements the literature review should meet. Yegidis et al. (2018) explain that this section is typically used before data collection in quantitative studies to learn more about the research problem. Professional journal articles and books are among the most requested and valuable sources (Yegidis et al., 2018). This information demonstrates that Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) invested sufficient energy to create a suitable literature review. On the one hand, this section contains credible and reliable data, and the quality of sources used proves this claim. On the other hand, the authors managed to use this research part in accordance with the selected methodology. It is so because the literature review is considered a basis for a future quantitative project.

Does the Article Have Explicitly Stated Research Question?

Even though the article does not offer a research question in an interrogative form, it conveys this information in a statement. It refers to investigating how social attitudes affect the LGBT populations health, which is mentioned close to the end of the literature review section (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). Based on this statement, the authors offer two hypotheses that they try to check. The first is that higher levels of support for same-sex marriage will reduce smoking and poor self-rated health among LGBT individuals. The second hypothesis stipulates that communities with such support levels will witness lower sexual orientation disparities in self-rated health and smoking. It means that the scientists explicitly define what they are going to research and what conclusions they are going to reach.

Simultaneously, it is reasonable to consider how research questions should be formatted. Yegidis et al. (2018) stipulate that genuine questions should be used to guide research, while no statements are suitable in this case. When it comes to quantitative studies, questions should involve all the variables that the authors intend to measure. Regarding the article under review, they are smoking behaviors and self-rated health. Thus, this information analysis demonstrates that the article by Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) has some inefficiencies. It relates to the fact that the scientists failed to articulate a research question in the proper form. However, it is possible to mention that the two hypotheses mitigate the adverse effect of the lacking question by focusing on variables and expected findings.

Is a Quantitative Methodology Suitable for the Study?

The article under review does not have an explicit statement that it follows a quantitative methodology. However, this conclusion becomes evident after reading the abstract and the whole study. It refers to the fact that Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) relied on the completed Gallup Daily tracking survey of 373,352 adults, and 11,949 people (3.8%) identified themselves as LGBT population (p. 512). Since the authors wanted to investigate social attitudes that affected the LGBT populations health, focusing on smoking and self-rate health, they decided to use a quantitative approach. The opportunity to identify a statistically significant connection based on numerical data analysis between the social attitudes and the dependent variables explains the given methodologys use.

It is also reasonable to consider whether the selected methodology is suitable for researching the problem and testing the hypotheses. Yegidis et al. (2018) stipulate that scientists should use a quantitative method when they want to identify a correlation between two or more variables. The authors also clarify that quantitative descriptive research reaches this goal (Yegidis et al., 2018). This design focuses on natural distribution without introducing any interventions and investigating their effect. Furthermore, ensuring that the study sample is representative of the whole population is another requirement of the selected methodology and design. One should admit that Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) achieved this goal since they state that their sample represents 90% of the American adult population (p. 512). It demonstrates that the authors have selected the appropriate methodology for their study.

Does the Article Rely on Appropriate Data Collection Procedures and Measures?

The data collection procedures and measures are the following stages that deserves attention. Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) explain that they rely on the secondary data that was collected through the Gallup Daily tracking survey. In 2012, the survey added a question to find whether respondents identified themselves as members of the LGBT population. Furthermore, the scientists referred to the 2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Survey and the American Community Survey to track same-sex marriage attitudes in all American states (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). Smoking and self-rated health were also measured using these surveys. Finally, the 2013 American Community Survey allowed for measuring numerous covariates, including age, race, sex, income level, and others (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). This information demonstrates that the article under critique relies on secondary data analysis.

The current task is to identify whether this approach is considered applicable. Yegidis et al. (2018) explain that secondary data analysis is a requested method because it offers many advantages, such as low financial costs and time efficiency. These outcomes are achieved without adversely affecting validity and reliability. Furthermore, Yegidis et al. (2018) argue that the given method is suitable for descriptive quantitative studies. Thus, one can conclude that the article under review relies on the appropriate data collection measures.

Is Data Analysis Plan Clear and Replicable?

The data analysis section explains what actions and calculations scientists have made to obtain research findings. As for Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017), authors state that they use multilevel logistic regression models to deal with the secondary data. They justify the use of this approach through scientific references and mention that Mplus (version 7.11) was applied to analyze the data (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). The researchers offer a step-by-step explanation of their data analysis plan, which contributes to a better understanding of how they have achieved their results.

There is no doubt that scientists should draw adequate attention to this research stage since it helps identify a relationship among quantitative study variables. It is possible to conduct statistical analysis manually or automatically, but Yegidis et al. (2018) state that the second option is more efficient. Scientists can use various computer software applications for their analysis, and the information above has demonstrated that Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) relied on one of them. Thus, it is possible to conclude that data analysis has been performed at a decent level.

Does the Article Summarize the Main Findings?

This section is of significance because it reveals the results that scientists have achieved. Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) summarize the findings in three tables, while one of them presents descriptive statistics. The data demonstrate that approving same-sex marriage attitudes lead to the fact that LGBT individuals were less likely to smoke and report poor self-rated health (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). Statistical figures prove this claim and reveal that the results are statistically significant. These findings precede the discussion section that interprets the results in detail and explains their importance for society and the whole research field.

Scientists should ensure that they adequately present their findings to increase the quality of their research. Yegidis et al. (2018) claim that quantitative articles use this section to summarize the statistical analysis results, while graphs, tables, and other graphical means are helpful. Simultaneously, Yegidis et al. (2018) stipulate that a separate discussion section is necessary to interpret the results and explain how they relate to the hypotheses. That is why one can say that the findings are appropriately presented in the study under critique.

Are Ethical Considerations Adequately Addressed?

It is reasonable to draw sufficient attention to ethical issues in social work research. It is so because these considerations ensure that participants are not subject to forbidden or harmful practices (Yegidis et al., 2018). Today, the research field focuses on numerous issues, including voluntary consent, anonymity, confidentiality, and others. Scientists should address all of them to make sure that their participants physical and emotional well-being and personal information are well protected. That is why there are institutional review boards, and their responsibility is to check whether studies follow the requirements explained above (Yegidis et al., 2018). It denotes that ethical considerations significantly affect the studys quality.

Some researchers do not take specific actions to meet such standards, which can happen when dealing with secondary data analysis. Since other organizations have already collected all the data, scientists cannot harm respondents and disclose their personal information. That is why it is not a problem that the study by Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) does not address ethical considerations. It is so because the surveys have already met the requirements. However, one can suppose that the authors could present this information by explaining how the surveys had addressed these issues.

Do the Authors Present Limitations?

Every research design implies some limitations, and scientists should address them. Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) have a separate section to disclose their studys shortcomings. They include insufficient LGBT identity measurement, different relationships between self-rated health and sexual orientation compared to sexual behavior, limited operationalization of social attitudes, and the Gallup Daily tracking surveys low response rate (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2017). The authors present these limitations and explain how they could affect the findings.

However, one can admit that shortcomings should deserve more attention. Yegidis et al. (2018) state that scientists need to describe what they have done to minimize adverse influence and assess how successful their effort has been. The information above clarifies that Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) have failed to address this in their study. Instead, they have only focused on introducing the identified obstacles and explaining their effect. That is why one can admit that the article under critique can be improved regarding how it approaches its limitations.

Conclusion

The present review has offered a comprehensive and systematic critique of a quantitative article. In general, the study by Hatzenbuehler et al. (2017) meets all the requirements that should be addressed. It refers to the fact that the literature review, data collection procedures, data analysis plan, and findings are covered in detail. As for the research question and limitations, some inefficiencies have been identified, while the ethical considerations have not been discussed at all. However, it is challenging to mention that these issues have significantly affected the research. It is so because it is possible to understand the research question by relying on an appropriate statement while using secondary data explains the failure to discuss ethical issues. Thus, one can conclude that the article under critique satisfies the recommended requirements for a research study.

References

Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Flores, A. R., & Gates, G. J. (2017). Social attitudes regarding same-sex marriage and LGBT health disparities: Results from a national probability sample.Journal of Social Issues, 73(3), 508-528. Web.

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8^th ed.). Pearson.

Introduction

Sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender consistency are complex terms. Being in the 21^st century is still not discussed, talked about, or accepted openly in public. People tend to be judgmental towards these individuals and they are made the center of mockery, ostracism, and criticisms at the most gathering (Leicester Lesbian and Gay Action Website, 1998).

Problem faced

People who are not sexually like everyone are still considered taboo in every society. They are harassed, abused, and mentally tortured everywhere they go. People find it very difficult to accept them with their special sexual interests. Researchers have established a strong connection between poor health connection and rejection from a family of young adolescences (Physorg, December 2008).

Most of them hide their real identity as they are scared of being condemned (Lambdalegal, 2006). They are used to living in an environment of rejection which puts a lot of psychological stress on young adults who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. They are interrogated at every stage of their lives and at every gathering they make an appearance at. They have a strong urge of being accepted and belonged everywhere they go (Martell, Christopher R, and Botzer, Marsha and Williams, Mark and Yoshimoto, Dan, n.d.).

Code of Ethics

Being a strong believer of liberalism and knowing Ill be perusing my career towards social work helping Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning understanding their physic, weakness, and strength are imperative for me. My primary objective is to help meet the fundamental needs of people who are vulnerable and seek help. I want to dedicate my life to service for social justice, the importance of human rights, and integrity.

The NASE code of ethics presents guidelines formed on ethical values to conduct social works. Their agenda is to reinforce professional practices that will provide a bright prospect to review social worker behavior and adequate following of policies prescribed by it.

According to the professional code of ethics, it is the duty of a social worker to help people in need and with problems. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning community is dominated in the United States, and my role is to make them acceptable and respected in every walk of life through my social work. Many Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning require these social services and support to keep their momentum alive. To address these problems I being a social worker will not be prejudice or judgmental about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning. It is not a mental illness but a personal choice. Rather I will help build their self-esteem (Matzner, Andrew, 2004).

The code of ethics points to guidelines to avoid discrimination against gay people. They should be well educated about the understanding of social diversity with respect to social orientation (Naswak, 2004). It will make this service a ground while practicing my responsibilities.

Role of School

Bullying is an epidemic at school. Kids who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning are more likely to be victims of bullying than heterosexual kids. There are times these harassments go way beyond verbal harassment, they are publicly humiliated, their properties are damaged, and they are called names, physically harassed, and mentally tortured which is above hurt feelings. They become weak and are fearful to stand up for themselves.

Being intimidated from childhood makes them weak in their future personal and professional relationships. According to a study held at Harvard University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning students were more inclined toward being targeted and affected by sexual harassment than heterosexual peers. Due to which they carry more anger, rage, and negativity in them (Bell, Alexandra C, 2006).

Research shows that Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning are become suicidal (Sprc.org, n.d). When a young adult faces a lot of negative responses and derision at school he retaliates by skipping school and getting low grades and GPAs. They feel unsafe and uncomfortable. They keep to themselves and become isolated. Most teachers and administrators neglect and become oblivious to these problems knowing it is their responsibility to make the institute safe for everyone (Nasponline, 2006).

It will be my core duty to change the mindset of these young adults from the lowest level. Being the future generation only they can make a prominent change in shifting the future from unacceptability to acceptability towards these adolescences. I will run a campaign to ensure that these groups become more recognized and appreciated from school to professional lives. They are not harassed and degraded publically in school rather they are acknowledged for who and what they are.

Conclusion

These sexual minority groups are encountered with taunts, abuses, sarcasm, and epithets from their friends and colleagues who persuade them to follow the same sexual interest as theirs (heterosexual or having likewise sexual interest in opposite sex) (Nichols, 1999). It is imperative to decrease the damaging effects of any form of violence and harassment on this marginal community of the group. Special counselors should help students and parents accept them with their sexual interest without being cynical about it. It is the responsibility of educational institutes to teach every student the right to have opinions but wrong to impose your opinions on others. Everyone should be respected and accepted for what they are, how they are, and what they choose to be.

References

Bell, Alexandra C. (2006). Study: Harassment Plagues Campuses. Web.

Leicester Lesbian and Gay Action (1998). Courage to Care. Web.

Lambdalegal. (2006). Foster Parents Caring for LGBTQ Youth. Web.

Martell, Christopher R and Botzer, Marsha and Williams, Mark and Yoshimoto, Dan (Internet). Gay, Lesbian, Transgender & Bisexual Individuals. Web.

Matzner, Andrew (2004). Social Work. Web.

Naswak (2004). GLBT Issues. Web.

Nasponline, 2006. Position Statement on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUESTIONING ) Youth (formerly Sexual Minority Youth). Web.

Nichols, S. L. (1999). Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth: Understanding diversity and promoting tolerance in schools. Elementary School Journal.

Physorg. (2008). Family rejection of LGB children linked to poor health in early childhood. Web.

Sprc. Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth. Web.

For people who grew up in San Antonio over the last decade, it is easy to think LGBTQ+ equality has always been a priority. In short, the queer community is always valued and sits at the table in our community. For instance, the City Council of San Antonio cast 83 votes in 2013 to pass a non-discrimination ordinance stating gender identity, sexual orientation, and veteran status as a protected class (Office of Equity, n.d.). This topic attracts many LGBTQ + people because a large group of citizens advocates it.

A year later, the San Antonio Pride Center opened its doors and is still in operation. In 2015, nearly 100 same-sex couples were issued a marriage license at the Bexar Courthouse within hours of the groundbreaking ruling after the US Supreme Court decided to legalize marriage equality. Then, in 2018, a privately funded Rainbow Transition was drawn on Evergreen and Main Avenue to support inclusiveness and civil rights. But in its long history, acceptance, let alone celebration, was usually an exception rather than a standard. In many cases, the LGBTQ + community needed to be cautious and secretive because of their legitimate fear of discrimination and physical violence.

Non-Discriminatory Ordinance

San Antonio approved a broader anti-discrimination law for the LGBTQIA + community in September 2013. The law was written in such a way that sexual orientation and gender identity were added to the list of protected classes (City of San Antonio, n.d.). Later, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (DIO) was established to address complaints under the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance. San Antonio believes that all residents deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and that they should have equal access to opportunities. The Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO) prohibits discrimination in city work, city contracts and subcontracting, board and committee appointments, and housing and public housing. Discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, color, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or national origin is prohibited in this area. Therefore, NDO protects against workplace discrimination for those employed and seeking employment under a contract with the city and applies to allegations of workplace discrimination by private companies. However, fees that affect private companies with 15 or more employees are investigated by the Equal Opportunity Commission.

Additionally, the ordinance does not require non-profit organizations or churches to rent buildings to groups to which the ordinance applies. However, it is limited to the case that the advantage of this premise is only for the use of the Association. After numerous complaints from the LGBTQIA + community, San Antonio recognized that there was still much work to be done to keep this community safe, protected and fair. The Ordinance also prohibits civil servants from discriminating against LGBT+ people or those assigned to a city contract in carrying out their duties.

Inspirations

Masha P. Johnson was the epicenter of the gay movement in New York City for nearly 25 years. However, it was not just due to LGBTQ rights. She was at the forefront of anti-repression police protests. She was instrumental in establishing one of the countrys first safe havens for transgender and homeless youth. She has also made tireless efforts for sex workers, prisoners, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Although she is considered one of the most influential activists in terms of transgender rights, she has never used the term transgender. Johnson identified herself as a transvestite, gay, drag queen, and she used shes / her pronoun. Johnson was a key figure in the riots at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York, on June 28, 1969, after police attacked the gay bar and guests resisted. The protest was furious for the next 6 days.

Proposal

Based on the Social Justice Community Action Plan, I will be using the SMART Goal method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound), as illustrated below:

• S- Work with city leaders to pass legislation to limit or eliminate the exemptions for religious organizations to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ+ community based on sexual orientation.
• M- Attend at least two city council meetings before the end of January 2022.
• A- I would like to bring more awareness to the exemptions within the NDO that allows religious organizations not to be held liable for discrimination against LGBTG+ people due to sexual orientation. I can achieve this goal by increasing the number of contacts I make each month by writing letters to city lawmakers and attending City Council meetings.
• R- Dedicate at least two hours per week towards writing letters to city leaders and attending events held by organizations that support rights for LGBTQ+ citizens.
• T- I would like to make contact and have a response by the Mayors office NLT at the end of January 2022.

Involvement

Some ways to be involved with these projects include; volunteering, writing to the city leaders while raising awareness, and being part of the cause by attending the council meetings and gatherings of people who meet weekly on Thursdays, except for the fourth week of the month.

Points of Contact

In this project, we would like to work with San Antonios Pride Center, San Antonio Equity Office, to advocate for further developments in the current NDO for members of the LGBTQ + community in Bexar County (Contact Us  Pride Center San Antonio: San Antonio, Texas, n.d.). Above all, this will help to limit the opportunities and loopholes for religious groups to discriminate on the basis of their sexual orientation. I have always been interested in improving and ensuring protection and advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ + community.

Some of the major players I would like to partner with are; Jonathan Malagon- Interim Chief Equity Officer for San Antonio Office of Equity; Amy Casso- Equity Manager at San Antonio Office of Equity (Selby, 2018); Robert Salcido, Executive Director/Board Chair- Pride Center San Antonio, and Liaison to the LGBTQ+ community with the San Antonio Mayors Office.

Reflections

The most challenging thing is feeling like a bit of a fish in a big pond. Trouble navigating public policy, respecting religious points of view, becoming a victim of a hate crime, among many others. I also had a tough time in my research combining two sensitive topics, i.e., religion and politics. It is also a struggle being on the frontline in the campaign towards increased awareness of struggles facing LGBTQ+ people and increased knowledge of local ordinances and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Conclusively, I feel I am still developing my identity as an individual participating in a community social justice project. I am still trying to find that happy medium between advocating for human rights and how that corresponds with the law. Often there are elaborate mechanisms to involve citizens and interest groups in the policymaking process.

References

City of San Antonio. (n.d.).

Contact Us  Pride Center San Antonio: San Antonio, Texas. (n.d.). Web.

Office of Equity. (n.d.). Www.sanantonio.gov. Web.

Selby, D. (2018). 15 LGBTQ Activists of the Past and Present You Should Know. Global Citizen.

Introduction

Gender identity is an internal self-perception of a human being as a woman, a female character, a man, or a male character, not belonging to a particular sex. There are many different sexual orientations and gender identities. However, for a long time, state governments did not officially recognize the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and their orientation was considered a disease. Thus, it is essential to establish the reasons for recognizing homosexuality as a persons personal identity rather than a disease.

The Changes in Recognized Homosexuality

It is significant to note that perceptions of homosexuality have changed over time. The Swiss physician Samuel Tissot wrote a medical treatise in 1760 that did not deal specifically with the issue of homosexuality, but it had a considerable effect on doctors attitudes. This book, which has survived 63 reprints, argued that wasting semen leads to nervous system dysfunction. For a century and a half, many physicians viewed sex as a potentially dangerous activity for health. The German psychiatrist Richard von Kraft-Ebing published Psychopathology of Sexuality. While Tisso depended extensively on an unnamed pamphlet published prior his being born in London, Kraft-Ebing uses observation material from the Graz Clinic in Austria. He systematizes many cases of atypical sexual behavior, including homosexuality (Gibson et al. 33). More recently, the Havelock Alice study examined multiple cases of homosexual gay men who did not distinguish themselves from straight men of the exact age and social rank, excluding their sexual identity.

In addition to focusing on previously prohibited phenomena and psychic processes, Freud advanced the idea that all persons are created without any explicit sexual identity. According to Freud, all human beings are inherently bisexual, and homosexuality results from a malfunction in the process of sexual development. Since 1970, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) meetings started to be protesters by gays and lesbians. They advocated the removal of homosexuality from the list of diseases. Homosexuality in America was officially recognized as a variant of the norm. After 1991, when the amendment to remove homosexuality from the list of diseases was adopted by the International Health Association, whether homosexuality is pathological can be considered definitively closed (Gibson et al. 37). It is significant to highlight the epidemiological research substantiating the only gay ban currently in effect in the United States and several other countries.

Epidemiological studies concern the specifics of disease transmission among homosexual or bisexual men and women. Gays are more likely than heterosexuals to engage in oral sex, which is associated with more significant risks of HIV and other infections (Gibson et al. 94). Gay activists are perturbed, but health professionals are adamant: in general, men who have sex with men are more likely to have HIV or hepatitis viruses.

Significantly, the change in the perception of gays and lesbians was due to protests over the inaction of governments organized to fight AIDS. At the same time, the protesters demanded recognition of their sexual orientation at the legislative level. Thus, ACT UP should be mentioned; activists fought aggressively for recognition of the rights of the LGBT community. For instance, they threw a condom at a priest who actively opposed same-sex relationships. It is essential to conceive of the Stonewall riots that stimulated the LGBT movement. The search at the Stonewall Inn gay bar in New York led to protests and riots by LGBT supporters (Gibson et al. 94). In addition, a key figure in the fight for gay and lesbian rights was Barney Frank, who was a member of Congress and gay. He publicly proclaimed his orientation and encouraged it to be recognized as a persons private identity.

Conclusion

The active position of gays and lesbians made it possible in the second half of the 20th century to recognize their rights and identity legally. This change in attitudes occurred because members of the LGBT community were interested in the problems of the LGBT minority and scientists and health professionals. Hence, their joint efforts contributed to recognizing homosexuality as an identity rather than a medical disease. Consequently, under public pressure, politicians passed LGBT rights on the legislative level.

Work Cited

Gibson, Michelle, et al. Finding Out: An Introduction to LGBT Studies. Sage, 2017.

Analysis of Post-Darwinian / genealogical / Trans moral descriptive

Darwin gave the world his famous book On the Origin of Species, in which he tried to trace the genealogy of some species and which made a revolution in the world of science. Many people accepted his point of view. The science of evolution split into pre and post Darwinian, which shows the great influence of this work.

Analysis of romanticism

Romanticism was a cultural phenomenon that originated in Europe at the end of the 18th century. It influenced such spheres of culture as art, poetry, philosophy. It started its development after the industrial revolution and it added some new ideas to the world of culture. Emotions became the main source of gaining aesthetic experience.

Role/function for pain/evil

The philosopher underlines the preserving role of pain and evil for the further survival of humanity. He denies distinct differentiation between good and evil, stating the fact that evil and pain constantly influence peoples development, fomenting passion and struggle for consolidation and survival. It is an absolutely vital part of human life. Double pain is easier to bear than single pain. Do you accept my dare? (Nietzsche 49).

The nature of human consciousness

Nietzsche describes consciousness as the highest level of development of everything which is alive. He also calls it the main reason for all errors of humanity, which can even lead to its death, making people full. Sharp and mild, rough and fine, strange and familiar impure and clean, a place where fool and sage convene: all this I am and wish to mean, dove as well as snake and swine. (Nietzsche 45).

Individual and the movement of history

The author underlines the great influence of individuality on history. Nietzsche states, that it can appear only in the struggle as the highest result of it. However, he says that this individual is a result of some events in history, which formed this individuality. Never ask. Why cry and shake? Please, I ask you, simply take! (Nietzsche 47).

The nature of the organic

Nietzsche warns people of taking this world as a living being or as a machine. He stresses the chaotic character of the universe. He neglects the existence of laws of nature created by man, saying that just some necessity exists, which predetermines the development of organic and live in our world. To all of nature true!  how does he plan? Would nature fit an image made by man? (Nietzsche 65).

The problem of anthropomorphizing

The philosopher does not see any sense in giving some qualities of a living being to our world. He underlines the fact that the world does not obtain such qualities as wisdom, beauty, order, and form. They are just our attempt to anthropomorphize it. The world is chaotic and it is its main definition. The smallest piece of world is infinite (Nietzsche 65).

Difference between knowledge and the truth

Nietzsche differentiates these two notions, underlining the more universal character of knowledge. It does not depend on its degree of truth, it just exists. However, the notion of truth is very subjective, as one thing can be both true and false for different people. He even calls it the weakest form of knowledge. Those who inflate themselves are cursed when pricked by a small pin to burst. (Nietzsche 49).

How errors in consciousness preserve us

Errors in conscience are an inherent part of our thinking process. It is impossible to exist without making errors. Nietzsche underlines it, telling the reader that they are not dangerous for people and underlining their useful character. Being full of wrong judgments and thoughts, a man will struggle to obtain new ideas, which will preserve his survival. Interpreting myself. I always read. Myself into my books. I clearly need some help. But all who climb on their own way carry my image, too, into the breaking day (Nietzsche 47).

Why truth is the weakest form of knowledge

Nietzsche called truth the weakest form of knowledge because of its subjective character and temporality, while knowledge does not depend on somebodys opinion and it becomes only stronger with the flow of time. Truth can easily be changed with the introduction of some new information about some fact, that is why it is so weak in comparison with knowledge. Do not stay in the field! Nor climb out of sight. The best view of the world is from a medium height. (Nietzsche 46).

The death of God as metaphor and its implications

Nietzsche uses the image of a madman to introduce his famous aphorism about the death of God. From the words of that man, the reader can understand that there were we who killed God. Being historically true, this phrase has also metaphorical meaning. There were people who managed to destroy belief in their souls. God loves us because we are made by him. But man made God! say the refined. (Nietzsche 47).

The will-to-power as will-to-life

Nietzsche underlines that the will to power can be realized in different and surprising ways. One of them is a desire to sacrifice something in order to obtain even more power over the object which takes the sacrifice. Philosopher underlines peoples desire to hurt someone close with the same matter. This will to power can also be taken as a will to live as person wants to become more important for this world and survive. Yes, my joy wants to amuse, every joy wants to amuse. Would you like to pick my roses? (Nietzsche 45).

Works Cited

Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Gay Science. 1882. Web.

Introduction

The Roman civilization is known for its rich heritage and unique philosophy. Its visions of beauty, relations, and a sense of life created the basis of the current peoples mentality. Thus, Roman culture was critically influenced by the ancient Greek one. Among the two civilizations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) refer to both gender identity (T) and sexual orientation (LGB). In both these ancient states, same-sex relations were a part of their culture and resulted from the specific attitude to men and their interactions. Females were often identified and classified by their husbands and fathers social rank, which reduced their importance to society. It gave rise to the development of a specific perspective on relations between men and their rights. As a result, males benefited from numerous privileges, including the right to have intercourse with other guys without fear of losing their social status. It resulted in critical shifts in their mentalities and the emergence of a specific attitude to LBGT relations. However, the differences in cultures between ancient Greek and Roman people resulted in the emergence of various perspectives on the issue. In such a way, there are similarities and differences between views on LGBT in ancient Rome and Greece, while modern society relies on numerous ideas created by those cultures.

History of LGBT in the Roman Empire

The Roman state had specific laws regulating the rights and duties of people living there. Roman citizens had the right to defend their bodies from physical compulsion, including both sexual abuse and corporal punishment, under the Republic (Sayre 78). Masculinity was built on ruling not just oneself but others, particularly those from the lower classes, in patriarchal Roman culture. It was considered socially acceptable for a free-born Roman to have intercourse with a woman or a man in a dominating position (Kaster 88). Young men and women were both seen to be natural objects of desire. A man may have intercourse with slaves, prostitutes, and the so-called infamous outside of marriage. It did not matter whatever gender the Roman preferred as long as he did not break any social rules. For instance, having sex with another citizens free-born wife, his married daughter, his minor son, or the man himself was considered an immoral act (Kaster 121). Fear of losing political independence and surrendering to the emperors rule increased the number of free-born males choosing a passive position during intercourse during imperial times. This is supported by texts that describe a higher number of executions and physical punishments meted out to Romes free people.

Similarities and Differences

Roman and Greek Attitudes and Roles

Although historically, ancient Rome has made a significant contribution to the LGBT people; historians have generally neglected this involvement. Rather, ancient Greece has been hailed as a model of a culture that embraced and even welcomed same-sex partnerships. While on trial for his sexual behavior, Oscar Wilde famously defended himself by citing the Greek philosopher Plato, who had created the affection of an elder for a younger man& the fundamental essence of his philosophy (Smith 217). The late 19^th and the early 20^th century activists, including George Cecil Ives, Edward Carpenter, and John Addington Symonds, played a great role in discouraging homosexual relationships through the education of the young citizens (Sayre 23). Rome was viewed by these activists as a tainted version of Greece. The incontinent emperor Heliogabalus and Nero took decadence to different heights and offended the populace by publicly marrying men.

Ancient Literature, Poetry on LGBT, and Current Representations

Martial and Catullus were two Roman poets who wrote extensively about sex, whereas Petronius, a writer, created a raucous world of orgies, bathhouses, and cross-dressing where onlookers applauded at the more attractive men. Currently, there exist several poets who fight for the rights of their fellow queers, and this has been made effective by the existence of various media and online platforms. In ancient Rome, apologists for gay relationships wanted to remove themselves from such extremes in order to win acceptability for their own desires. Thus, they adopted the Latin word vice instead of the Greek word virtue.

The same way some individuals depict LGBT in the current civilization is also the same way that some found this Romes depiction as a decadent civilization repulsive, but it is simple to see why it appealed to others. In public, some artists, such as Wilde, talked about Plato, but in private, he got his hair cropped in the style of a decadent monarch and alluded to the days leading up to his demise as his Neronian hours. That applies to the current world, where some artists support and practice homosexual acts. Teleny, an anonymously published 1893 erotic book (often credited to Wilde), draws striking parallels between its own interest with the priapic preoccupations of Rome. On the contrary, boys were represented as a vision of ideal masculine beauty by the ancient Greeks in their art.

In Roman literature, lesbian desire and the women who experience it are frequently alluded to in derogatory ways. Juvenal, the sarcastic poet, is especially harsh on women who have intercourse with one another, but that in the 18th century did not stop Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, near Halifax, from discovering his poetry on the subject enthralling (Sayre 87). She also utilized his poetry, as well as parallels to other Roman writers who had written about lesbian desire, to elicit information about other womens desires. Currently, the LGBT community has become vast worldwide, encompassing various individuals from various ethnicities, social classes, and religions. Over the last decade, the LGBT community is slowly gaining momentum as a bigger percentage of society is also embracing the orientation.

Current State

Currently, several LGBT unions or movements have decided not to conceal their societal orientation and have instead strengthened their members to come out openly. Because of such movements, there has been a steady rise in the number of gay groups in colleges and schools around the world, including Italy. The current movement aims at liberating its members, and this is irreversible, the society has got no option but to accept sexual orientation. These movements, which are getting bigger by the day are considered united and influential. In the 1970s, the Italian LGBTQI+ movement arose out of the 1968 and post-1968 demonstrations (Mikulak 552). Its history is distinguished by a jagged path, punctuated by various important periods of internal divides and disputes linked to political upheavals, like the mid-1970s partnership with the Radical Party or the 2016 ratification of the same-sex Civil Unions Bill (Mikulak 552). Three key stages in the history of the Italian LGBTQI+ movement may be recognized as leading from the founding of an anti-institutional revolutionary gay front (FUORI) to the establishment of a systematic, organized, and then institutionalized organization on a local and national level.

Problematic Attitudes

However, some individuals and governments still do not embrace the existence of such movements. Individuals in these movements most often are discriminated against by their neighbors and even in various social places. There has been tremendous progress on LGBT issues both locally and globally. It is critical to remember that the struggle for LGBT rights is not only a Western issue; several countries at the forefront of the fight are from undeveloped nations. The historic UN Human Rights Council LGBT resolution, enacted in September 2014, was introduced by the global south states, notably Latin America, and braced by nations from all around the globe, notably South Africa. Even countries that are conventionally hostile to human rights legislation, like Vietnam, Cuba, and Venezuela, backed it.

Conclusion

Rome has provided LGBT people with a model of a societal structure wherein same-sex desires were extremely visible and discussed openly, and also several authors who were very forthright about sexuality and sex. Currently, Rome provides its citizens with a multifaceted and sex-positive view of permutations and possibilities of sexuality that confronts the more renowned portrayal of Greek homosexuality. Some of the growing acknowledgment of the rights of LGBT is because of the broader societal developments, like more egalitarian gender issues, the rights movement in general, and higher regard for individual liberty.

Within that background, the LGBT individuals eventually spread out, and many learned they had a homosexual brother, neighbor, son, or co-worker, which began to shape public view and promote societal changes. It is easy for prejudice to thrive in an environment of ignorance, but when an individual is being bigoted toward a close friend or neighbor, the person might alter his/her view and attitude. However, several other tendencies found in the current outlook on the Global Agenda, such as rising anti-immigrant and nationalist prejudice, are also related to the fear of the other. In such a way, the current views on LGBT differ from the ideas accepted in Rome or ancient Greece; however, it is vital to consider that these civilizations create the basis for discussing the issue and its acceptance.

Works Cited

Kaster, Robert. Emotion, Restraint, and Community in Ancient Rome. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Mikulak, Magdalena. Between the Market and the Hard Place: Neoliberalization and the Polish LGBT Movement. Social Movement Studies, vol, 18, no. 5, 2019, pp. 550-565.

Sayre, Henry. Discovering the Humanities. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2016.

Smith, David. The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960). Biography and History in Film, edited by Thomas Freeman and David Smith, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, pp. 215-236.

Introduction

The idea that gay men may be parents is normally supposed in contemporary society as immoral or impossible. Their status often viewed as disqualified from having children since sexual reproduction pertains to male and female couples only. My notion to this matchless divisive topic of gay parenting will be that of trying to analyze and discuss the pro side. Gays are human too and who is to say that they dont justify equal rights of being parents in society. In this respect, rather, society should realize that now the modern family has progressed into many various forms in current years in that the nuclear family is not essentially the most general structure anymore. Consequently, gay parents should not be considered by their sexual point of reference to determine their status as a parent. It is healthy for a child to be raised by a gay couple as a kid raised by gay parents makes no difference because parenting has nothing to do with gender.

Discussion and Analysis

In todays society, there are hundreds of thousands of children, who need a permanent home-a place where they can feel the love of a family. Dues to the fact that orphan children need a normal life as any other children, adoption are a very value issue. Against the public belief, there is no veracity to the widely approved intellection that only certain kinds of people are capable to adopt a child. These days, both public and private adoption agencies are directing all kinds of children with all kinds of families in all kinds of occurrences. (Stacey, 159-83)

Homosexuals argue that parenting is about responsibility and commitment, not sexual orientation. They also argue that legislation has no real reasons behind passing the anti-homosexual adoption law, besides their own personal biases behind homosexuality. Gay people have searched for reasoning behind the law and have only found that there are no real reasons. First of all, there have not been any studies done and proved that children of gay or lesbian parents are disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents. There is no evidence at all that sexual preference of adults in the home has any detrimental impact on children. Little difference exists in the overall mental health of children raised in homosexual households. And once again, the quality of parenting, not the parents sexual orientation, is the most crucial factor for a childs healthy growth and development. Homosexuals strongly believe that the anti-homosexual adoption legislation is an attack against gay people. But in all reality it is a bigger attack on the behalf of children who have no family or home.

They argue that of the 500,000 children in foster care, 100,000 of these children are awaiting adoption. And that there are only 20,000, qualified adoptive parents for these children. The rest of these 500,000 children are left to suffer without a loving family and parents. (Strickland, 137-40) They believe that our representatives need to be lifting families and children up-not devising, discriminatory, unconstitutional legislation. However, there is another side to these arguments. Those who are against homosexual adoption believe that being adopted by parents, who are living together as homosexuals, may bring out unrestrained homophobia from the rest of society.

Other children who think of their home life to be normal would discriminate against children who lead a different lifestyle. Children can be very harsh with their words and actions against others who know not how to react and defend themselves because they do not know the normal lifestyle in which the other children lead. (Patterson, 317-38) They would probably be teased and tormented to no end and there is nothing anyone could to about it. If the male and female household has not been the norm for millions of years, this may not propose such a problem.

The children may not even be the main problem. It is most likely that parents of male/female relationships would not allow their children to associate with gay or lesbian adopted children, and would probably create a major dispute with the school system in which they are attending school. Those who disagree with homosexual adoption also think that in response to being a child of such a lifestyle, it would encourage the children to be homosexual themselves. Whether this is true or not, I dont know, but I do think that because that is all that they know they would most likely turn to a form of it sometime during their life, which would in turn increase the homosexual population. This could also pose a problem for the many people who disagree with homosexuality and it is scary to think of the extremes people may take to rid or exclude this population from their lives.

Acknowledging that gay men can be good parents, the huge majority of states no longer refuse guardianship to a person relied on sexual orientation. State agencies and courts now exercise a best interest of the child criterion to decide these cases. Under this preliminary step, a persons sexual orientation cannot be the footing for discontinuing or restricting parent-child affairs unless it is obviously considering harm to a child. (Bigner, 155-75) All of the inquiry up to the present moment has arrived to the same palpable conclusion about gay parenting: the children of homosexual parents mature as successfully as the children of heterosexual parents do. In fact, not one study has found the children of lesbian or gay parents to be obstructed because of their parents sexual interest.

The public also argues that children of gay couples are likely to grow up gay themselves. As day-by-day, this saying is only a myth. All of the obtainable evidence indicates that the sexual orientation of parents has no effect on the sexual orientation of their children and that children of homosexual parents are no more likely than any other child to grow up to be gay. There is some evidence that children of gays and lesbians are more open-minded of variety, but this is assuredly not a disadvantage. As might be expected, some children of lesbians and gay men will grow up to be gay, so are some children of heterosexual parents. (Patterson, 1025) These children will have the added benefit of growing up with parents who are supportive and accepted by the world that can sometimes be unfavorable.

Many places have support legislation to ban gay adoption. This act has emotionally affected the gay who are also humans with feelings. Hilary and I have always had gay rights issues in the forefront of our lives, but we have never had anything cut as close to our souls as becoming parents, Birch says. The bonding process with your children is so deep that we would do anything to protect it from those who threaten it. What we did in adopting is a very private thing, and when the Right got a hold of it, it felt very mean and personal.(Badgett, 23-25).

Gay parenting corresponds with an extensive reconfiguration of households and relationships. The meaning of the word family has been varying at a fast speed, and the change is not just about gay people. More heterosexual parents are having children through alternates; there are more children of divorced parents, and there are more single moms and dads than ever before. The society is in the outgrowth of realizing that family is not its form; its what you make of it inasmuch as there is a lifetime responsibility to children.

The direction of the research appears that gay parents are as gifted as any other parents. Willing adoptive parents, whether gay or straight, attend to be among the best parents because they really want to be parents. (Parke, 1-24) Children need to feel that they are wanted. Once courts and legislators look at the attentions instead of the fixed pattern, it will make a big difference. Children raised in families with gay or lesbian parents do not seem to be impacted negatively by their acquaintance.

To secure their children from provocation rising from homophobia, gay parents seem to practice important prudence when opening their sexual orientation. Studies on gay families provide compelling evidence that gay parents are as capable of raising children as heterosexual parents. (Mastro, 15-20) Lesbian mothers are as child oriented, warm, confident, nurturing, and responsive as their heterosexual complements. Gay fathers were found to be more likely to tolerate paternal care and attention, less likely to express economic support as a central appearance of fathering way, and rather less traditional in their primarily address to parenting. This will lead the children more closely to their dads, and more communications will occur since dads are not as traditional. As a result of an action lawsuit in the interest of homosexual partners, gay couples have the same positions with married heterosexuals in adoptions. (Koppelman, 197).

Think of the times of the Civil War days, when blacks were practically banned from the majority of public places because they were not the majority or the normal color. Could this ever happen to gays and lesbians? This is a question we must ask ourselves. I know there are laws prohibiting such acts, but there are laws discouraging many things that still go on today, like murder, sexual abuse, etc.

There is nothing really stopping people from moving out of town, taking their kids out of school, or utilizing the same public places that they share with homosexual people. There are cases where this has already happened. Children have been moved to different schools because parents dont want their child to be influenced in any way by a homosexual, or even a child of one. There is nothing to stop them from taking such actions or even actions much worse. (Bozett, 39-57) It is hard to tell the extremes that people may go to in order to carry out their beliefs.

A growing number of agencies are accepting applications from gay adults, however, when the child to be adopted is a child with special needs. If the home study reveals that the applicant will be a good parent, his or her sexual orientation is immaterial. If state law does not prohibit gays and lesbians from adopting, most agencies will be willing to work with you. If you are successful in finding an agency, there are great places where you can find adoption support groups for gay adults. One of these places is the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, NAIC. (Gottman, 177-96).

People get down when they are turned away adoption agencies because of their sexual orientation, even though they know they would make fantastic parents and provide greatly for a child. Therefore, support groups may be needed at times to help you to keep your head up and to keep trying until you find someone who can see it from your point of view. They may even be able to point you in the right direction in helping you to find an agency who works well with gays and lesbians wanting to adopt.

Data Analysis

A question that often arises when I start to discuss parents who are LGBT and their children is, How many children/families are we talking about? Estimates vary; people may be concerned about safety, job security, child custody, etc., and so may not be willing to disclose their situation. Traditional estimates point out that presently out of one and nine million children in America, under the age of 19 are being raised by parents who are lesbian or gay (Lesser, 33-34). Nevertheless, other estimates imply that the number of children presently being raised by lesbian or gay parents is between 6 and 14 million (Lituchy, 121-26).

The National Gay and Lesbian Task force revealed the statistics from the 2004 Census concerning immensely rural areas: in Alaska, thirty-seven percent of the gay couples and 39 percent of lesbian couples were raising children while, on the other hand, in Mississippi, the numbers were 31 percent and 44 percent respectively; and in South Dakota, the statistics were 34 percent and 42 percent, respectively (Fox, 67-70).

Conclusion

To conclude, there is no convincing rationale for refuting to call gay headed household families. The strong points elaborated above confirm that they fall under every feasible standard for recognizing families and the theory of a family. To a larger extent, they are groups of co-resident family affording mutually through income pooling for each others necessities of clothes, shelter and food. They are also capable to socialize children, connect in physical and emotional support, and contribute towards a larger family system. Overall, gay couples are, in all ways, like heterosexual couples. They have potentials as any other human being to afford love, compassion and care for their children. Sexual orientation has no impact on parenting traits.

There is no indication to propose that gay men are disqualified to be parents. Good parenting is not affected by sexual orientation. Instead, it is affected most completely by a parents ability to generate a loving and fostering home  an ability that does not lean on whether a parent is gay or straight. The one reason people used most to deny homosexual adoption is that children need parents who are both male and female as role models in their lives. If the homosexual couples are not able to adopt children, then these children without homes have neither a mother nor a father as role models. The truth is that children get their role models from all around besides their parents. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, friends, and neighbors are some of the examples. Trained professionals can guarantee that the child to be adopted or placed in foster care is advancing into a background with sufficient role models of all types.

Works Cited

Badgett, M.V. Lee1994 Influence of Family-Related Institutions on Lesbian and Gay Couples Decision-making or Lesbian and Gay Campus Organizing for Domestic Partner Benefits. Paper for American Political Science Association. 23-25.

Bigner, J. J., & Bozett, F. W. (1989). Parenting by gay fathers. Marriage and Family Review, 14, 155-175.

Bozett, F. W. (1987). Children of gay fathers. In F. W. Bozett (Ed.), Gay and lesbian parents. (pp. 39-57). New York: Paper.

Fox, R. K. (2006). Listening to silences and whispers of early childhood educators who care for children with parents who are lesbian or gay. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. 67-70.

Gottman, J. S. (1990). Children of gay and lesbian parents. In F. W. Bozett, & M. B. Sussman (Eds.), Homosexuality and family relations (pp. 177-196). New York: Harrington Park.

Koppelman, Andrew1988 The Miscegenation Analogy: Sodomy Law as Sex Discrimination. Yale Law Journal. 98:45 1994 Why Discrimination Against Lesbians and Gay Men is Sex Discrimination. New York University Law Review. 69:197.

Lesser, L. K., Burt, T., & Gelnaw, A. (2005). Making room in the circle: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in early childhood settings. San Rafael, CA: Parent Services Project. 33-38.

Lituchy, J., & Lituchy, S. (2004). What makes a family? Ridley Park, PA: Two Lives Publishing. 121-26.

Mastro, David1994 Gay Marriage: promoting family and values. The Daily Iowan. Mar 14. 15-20.

Parke, R. D. (2004). The Society for Research in Child Development at 70: Progress and promise. Child Development, 75, 1-24.

Patterson, C. J. (2002). Lesbian and gay parenthood. In M. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting, 2nd ed. (Vol. 3, pp. 317-338). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Patterson, Charlotte1992 Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents. Child Development. p. 1025.

Stacey, J., & Biblarz, T. J. (2001). (How) does the sexual orientation of parents matter? American Sociological Review, 66, 159-183.

Strickland, B. R. (1995). Research on sexual orientation and human development: A commentary. Developmental Psychology, 31, 137-140.

The focal point of the paper is to evaluate and present the argument related to the article by Thomas B. Stoddard titled Gay Marriages: Make Them Legal published on March 4, 1988, in the New York Times. The basic theme of the article was to present advocacy of gay marriage and a thorough presentation of arguments in favor of the legalization of gay marriages. The arguments formulated by the author are highly agreeable and clear in the context of the issue.

The author is a positive advocate of gay or same-sex marriages. The argument of those in favor of same-sex marriages is that this is more important than the legal, biological, or social factors rather than marry someone simply because that person is of the opposite gender. This may suffer a loveless life, these advocates of this system ask if it is not wiser to marry someone they love and care for, the only limiting factor being the gender of that person. The author categorically states, The decision whether or not to marry belongs properly to individuals not the government (Stoddard, 1, 6)

The author in support of same-sex marriages argues that they simply have no choice; homosexuality was what they were born with, and hence it is only same-sex marriages that can consummate their feelings for each other. If they had the chance to take to homosexuality by choice, why should they take it, they ask, when the topic is still very much hushed up, and largely, homosexuals are maligned and persecuted in most parts of the world.

Their argument also runs into something like this the true democracy goes by the majority, but respects the sentiment of the minority. The author indicates, Depriving millions of gay American adults the marriages of their choice, and the rights that flow from marriage denies equal protection of the law. They, their families and friends, together with fair-minded people everywhere, should demand an end to this monstrous injustice (Stoddard, 1, 10).

On an ethical ground, it can be stated that disallowing same-sex marriages is a mark of double standards of governments that claim to be democratic, but practice persecution of the minority that does not count for votes. The urge for love is internal and personal; what is more important is to find emotional and mental stability in a relationship. As for productivity or childbearing, the author rightly mentions that this argument is not agreeable, Otherwise, states would forbid marriage between those who, because of age or infertility, cannot have children, as well as those who elect not to (Stoddard, 1, 9).

The relationship is expected to last a long time; when this most important foundation of such a relationship, trust, is not to be found in the opposite sex, but in someone of the same sex, is it not sheer need that should drive these people towards a marriage? More importantly, they argue, the emotion of love, so central to a human being, is not monopolized in heterosexuals. The logical argument in favor of same-sex marriages is that the central element on which this relationship is built is friendship. Friendship, so very indispensable an element of happiness, is not bound or obliged to be only between those of opposite sexes.

Further, there is the argument that any kind of activity that results in sexual gratification need not involve only what the majority accepts as acceptable behavior; if this is the logic of this argument, what about any kind of orgasmic pleasures, such as masturbation, in which only fantasy is involved, but is pleasurable nevertheless? If pleasure that is got by some kind of stimulation, illusory or real, is acceptable, why is the pleasure that is derived by sexual activity with the same sex not? (Ting-Toomey and Korzenny, 123)

There are the opinions that just allowing the status of same-sex partners to remain what it is would be just sufficient. They argue, if all the expectations that they have from same-sex marriage are being met by a civil union, then why the clamor for legalized marriage? Is it not a redundant formalization of a relationship? There are counterarguments, too, to this belief: once the state recognizes by law the institution of same-sex marriages, they make partners of these marriages eligible for the same benefits that other humans are entitled to.

These laws would legally place same-sex couples on an equal footing with other categories such as racial minorities, and preclude them from the discrimination they face in substantial areas of life such as employment, housing, governmental benefits, and so on. There is another extremely strong social component of legalizing same-sex marriages in religious beliefs; marriage is considered the ultimate crowning glory and the finest culmination of people who love and care for each other.

Legalization is believed to be the states recognition of such a feeling in the same-sex partners concern. Lisa Schiffrens article, Gay Marriage: An Oxymoron, looks into this parameter of ethical and social ruling against gay marriages. (Schiffren, 1)

However, one limitation of Stoddards article is that it looks at the issue predominantly from the Western perspective. Although homosexuality, even if it is not solemnized by legal protection in most cases to be called same-sex marriages, is universal, this paper restricts itself almost purely to the situation of same-sex marriages, as it exists in the West, in which too, most of the issues are from an American viewpoint.

Secondly, this paper does not make compartmentalization of social, moral, religious, and legal issues concerning same-sex marriages, instead of looking at the issue of mixed marriages as a blend of these factors. Finally, in the concluding section, in which a prognosis is made of the issue, no claim is made that this is by any means an infallible one, whose certainty can be guaranteed. This forecast is at best a pointer made based on very great variables, based on the way the issue has grown, which is liable to change at any time in unforeseeable altered circumstances.

Same-sex marriages have been on the rise in the last four decades or so. Pro-same sex marriage lobbies have articulated that these need to be treated on par with conventional marriages, since most of the parameters apply to heterosexual marriages, such as love, caring, commitment, fidelity, promiscuity, and so on apply to these marriages as well. They see it as the exercise of natural choice and refute the procreation aspect by claiming that they can have offspring, too. Testimony to this claim is the fact that no less than a quarter of the estimated 600,000 same-sex couples in the US has adopted children. (Rauch, 1)

They claim, with credibility, and backed up by facts, that when it comes to habitation, they go by the same set of conditions they have the same commitment to their children as heterosexual people, live a life in which they cooperate in all major aspects of life, pay taxes and contribute to society. All these would be given a greater impetus if they were legally allowed to live as couples. Another important consideration is that gay couples, too, need to be given the right to make important decisions about the partner, such as possible euthanasia in the event of incapacitation of one of the partners. (Ting-Toomey and Korzenny, 116)

In conclusion, it should be stated that given the developments taking place over the decades, and because of the openness being generally witnessed in the West to same-sex marriages, there is the likelihood that the day is far off when these marriages would be legalized. Another strong reason to believe that its legalization would happen eventually is that the West has a tradition of liberalism; the tradition that was the product of the Revolutions has touched virtually every aspect of life, and there is no reason to believe that only same-sex marriages would be exempt from this sweep.

It is a possibility even more plausible considering that rights have been obtained, some easy and some after a struggle. It is rather anomalous that the US, which champions itself as the protector of rights and freedoms of all clans and cultures should still find it necessary to keep in place laws that are anachronistic to its liberalism-steeped attitude and philosophy. In this regard, the article is a very relevant and important work and it is helpful for any research or study relating to the issue and from a personal note it can be stated that the points raised in the article in favor of gay marriage are extremely agreeable.

Works Cited

Rauch, Jonathan; Society Has a Compelling Interest in Allowing Gay Marriage: For Better or Worse? New Republic, 1996: A3.

Schiffren, Lisa. Gay Marriages: an Oxymoron. Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings, Sixth Edition. ED. Barnett Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2002. 495.

Stoddard, Thomas B. Gay Marriages: Make Them Legal. faculty. 1988. New York Times. Web.

Ting-Toomey, Stella and Felipe Korzenny. Language, Communication, and Culture: Current Directions. Newbury Park: Sage Publications, 2007.

Homosexuality is not new in society. Its documentation goes back ages but there are some changes in the way people perceive it. However, regardless of time, people have preponderantly objurgated homosexuality from historical times to date. Nevertheless, this behavior seems to be gaining popularity among people in the recent past. States are even approving laws allowing same-sex marriages. Hitherto, homosexuality seemed to be a practice of Caucasians; however, last month two Kenyan men living in the United Kingdom became the first Kenyans to get involved in same-sex marriage. This serves to accentuate how this practice is gaining popularity across borders. Notwithstanding these alterations, what is the role of historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality? Do these perspectives play any role in how gay people view themselves?

There is enough evidence that the perspective from which homosexual people view themselves, depends largely on scientific and historical perspectives of the same. Generally, most gay people view themselves as unacceptable probably due to their unusual sexual attraction that negates the societal norms about sexual relationships (Gorman, 2009). Historically, there is enormous proof that some practices shape the way gay people view themselves. With the mention of history and homosexuality, religion pops into the mind. Religion and sexual behaviors in past societies contributed immensely to defining what is morally acceptable and what is not. The major world religions: Islam and Christianity condemned homosexuality and this stand slowly found its way into legal systems. Unfortunately, authorities passed it as a criminal offense that attracted jail terms (Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, 2005). This only served to create fear among homosexuals as societal norms and moral uprightness continued to define them.

The other striking perspective in this context is heritage or psychological perspective. Historically, there are defined roles for men and women across cultures. Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, (2005) posit that anything outside these defined roles is unacceptable (p. 297). Traditions have it that, men are the heads of any family setting. Consequently, woman-to-woman sexual relationships appear as a way of demolishing this male dominance in society. Therefore, any woman with sexual desires towards another woman has to suppress them or portray them clandestinely. Traditions and culture, therefore, play a pivotal role in determining what is acceptable or not concerning sexual predilection. Family settings and the way children are brought up contribute largely to the view of homosexuality. Sigmund Freud, the father of the psychoanalytic hypothesis, noted that homosexuality might result from a failed attempt to overcome the Oedipus complex successfully (Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, 2005, p. 313).

Scientific factors throwing more weight to these issues include brain differences, hormones, and genes. Studies show that there is a genetic link to homosexuality. This is a biological perspective towards homosexuality. In a study to establish the relationship between genes and homosexuality, Pinel (2007) established that 52% of identical twin brothers and 48% of homozygous twin sisters had homosexual orientation (p. 102). Research also shows that homosexuals have different neuropsychological and hormonal responses from heterosexuals (Pinel, 2007, p. 105). There is also enough evidence that homosexuals have different brain anatomies from heterosexuals. The writer feels that these historical and scientific perceptions on homosexuality define how homosexuals view themselves. For instance, homosexuals will feel shy to speak publicly about their sexual orientation for fear of reprimand and isolation because these practices are not in line with the traditional definition of morals and sexual relationships. However, despite all these challenges, some bold homosexuals will not care to put across their opinions. They speak of their feelings publicly especially in the wake of scientific research linking genetics to homosexuality.

The experiences of coming out are somewhat traumatizing due to social disapprobation and discrimination directed to homosexuals. Coming out, that is, accepting that one is homosexual and declaring it to others, is an advanced stage of dealing with homosexuality. Advanced because even realizing that one is a homosexual is difficult and upon realization, many people resort to self-denial complicating the issue further. It is very hard to come out and cope as a homosexual given the view of society towards the same. Before 1973, American Psychiatric Association classified homosexuality as a mental disorder (Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, 2005, p. 316). Even though this changed later, many people view homosexuality as insanity. This is why the experience of coming out and coping as a homosexual is traumatizing and sometimes suicidal.

Historical and scientific perspectives have reflected positively on the writers sexual orientation. The writer feels that the historical perspectives on sexual matters define his or her sexual orientation largely. The historical perspective that, same-sex relationships are not morally upright resonates well with the writers sexual orientation, which is heterosexually oriented.

From the context above, it is clear that historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality contribute immensely to shaping how gay people view themselves. From historical times, homosexuality has been unacceptable even though people practiced it as early as times of the Roman Empire. Most homosexuals find it difficult to come out and let know of their sexual orientations. However, some homosexuals have the guts to come out, accept that they are gay, and make it known to the public. The experience of coming out however may be traumatizing or even suicidal in some cases.

Reference

Gorman, T. (2009). The Gay Mens Domestic Violence Project. Providing Help To Victims of Domestic Violence in Bostons LGBT Community. Web.

Pinel, J. (2007). Basics of Biopsychology. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Rathus, S. Nevid, J. & Fichner-Rathus, L. (2005). Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity. (6th Ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.