Category: LGBT

The development of society is an inalienable process of civilization, and some changes in people’s interests and their opinions concerning certain problems occur over time under the influence of new trends. Some controversial issues often arise, and particularly acute topics related to problems of ethics and morality are affected. One of the themes that deserve discussion is the possibility of creating transgender baths and the rights that can be given to this category of the population.

In the context of personal practice and beliefs, this issue is particularly important since when working as a teacher, it is necessary to not only have a concrete point of view but also to be able to convey it to pupils. The opinions of public representatives on this issue differ. Some advocates for allowing sexual minorities to use any baths and someone intends to firmly oppose such innovations. It is supposed that any decision taken on this topic will affect society, and I, as a teacher, need to be able to explain to children why this or that opinion is correct in the context of this situation.

Academic Analysis

The problem under consideration has different perspectives from the point of view of ethical issues. When evaluating it regarding society’s perception, controversial questions will invariably arise. Rudin, Ruane, Ross, Farro, and Billing (2014) argue that, based on their research, only 27% of the students surveyed favored the discovery of transgender baths while the remainder of the respondents criticized a possible innovation (p. 724). Such a difference in views will necessarily affect the moods in the society, and the problem can have more serious consequences than just public condemnation.

Disagreements in society can be based on different beliefs. At the same time, cross-relationships among issues will arise since the problem under consideration is related to not only the moral but also other aspects of life. Thus, for instance, Archibald (2016) mentions the position of the American government that allows same-sex marriages in all the states of the country. Accordingly, if such a law exists, transgenders can obtain the right to access any baths since their status is recognized by law and regulated by relevant legal norms. However, from the point of view of morality and social convictions, such a position has a number of negative sides.

The religious beliefs of many people will be affected if the authorities introduce appropriate amendments to the law. Also, based on the multilayered approach to the issue, the innovation will receive a wide response in various social spheres – educational, scientific, media, and others. Moreover, some limitations are likely to manifest themselves in the form of disagreement among some members of the government concerning the proposed initiative. Therefore, this issue is completely ambiguous and can cause public discontent with the existing legislation.

Evaluation from the Perspective of Cultural Autobiography

The attitude to possible innovations in politics regarding transgender people and their rights is largely due to personal prejudices and cultural background. My family adheres to conservative views on the process of education, and regardless of age, the parents’ opinion has always been considered authoritative and unquestioning. Therefore, based on the values ​​laid down in childhood and the moral norms that my parents instilled in me, my position on possible innovation is negative. Moreover, I fully understand those who actively call for suppressing any attempts by the supporters of liberal measures to promote such initiatives and to support new decisions.

For many people, one of the primary criteria forming their negative attitude towards the new law is religious beliefs. Despite the fact that my parents and grandparents are loyal Baptists, our faith does not allow such free morals that are propagated today. According to Rudin et al. (2014), religious beliefs can be classified as a type of prejudice against transgender people. Nevertheless, when discussing the issue of the new law introduction, it is impossible to consider the position of the minorities exclusively in order to achieve equality.

A number of aspects are addressed in this topic, and the massive discontent of many people described in the paper by Rudin et al. (2014) confirms it. The cultural context of the problem is profound, and in order not to cause significant public discontent, it is essential to take into account the opinion of different people. Being a student of the pedagogical specialty, I anxiously think about how children will perceive such changes if they occur because they contradict established social foundations and norms. Therefore, there are more controversial issues in this problem than single-valued ones.

Evidence of Experience to Support the Position

Personal experience of working with children and cooperation with other representatives of the education sector can be proof that a possible innovation regarding transgender baths is negatively perceived by society. Proceeding from the pedagogical practice, it can be noted that all children have a well-established view of the world around them, which does not allow the violation of moral values ​​and runs counter to the fundamentals of upbringing that are propagated today.

The article by Archibald (2016) does not mention the position of ordinary citizens but, nevertheless, brings the opinions of government representatives regarding the fact that the observance of people’s rights and freedoms is an integral part of a democratic society. However, freedom cannot be considered permissible if it violates moral principles and, in particular, negatively affects the representation of children about the world. Unformed child’s psyches can suffer from a lack of understanding about innovations, and it is a serious reason to carefully consider a possible change in the current legislation.

Historically, gender differences have been perceived from an early age as a norm. In case transgender people have access to any baths they want, it can adversely affect the emotional development of children. From the economic point of view, there will be no serious consequences. Special attention should be paid to the political aspect since not all members of the government will certainly support this initiative, which will cause disputes and conflicts. The complexity of the issue under consideration explains the need to understand the consequences of the introduction of the new law, and it is significant to take into account the relationship of the problem with public opinion.

Conclusion

The adoption of a positive decision on transgender baths is the cause of social anxiety. From the point of view of an educational aspect, such a decision will negatively affect the child’s perception of the world and will become the reason for parents’ and teachers’ concerns. The position of the government members regarding this issue is ambiguous, and additional discussions should be held in order to take into account all the consequences of the innovation.

References

Archibald, C. J. (2016). Transgender bathroom rights. Duke Journal of Gender, Law, and Policy, 24, 1-31.

Rudin, J., Ruane, S., Ross, L., Farro, A., & Billing, T. (2014). Hostile territory: Employers’ unwillingness to accommodate transgender employees. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: An International Journal, 33(8), 721-734.

Introduction

Homosexuality describes people who are sexually attracted to members of their own sex. Male homosexuals are attracted to other males, while female homosexuals are attracted to other females. It is a normal phenomenon for people to have sexual attractions to members of their opposite sex, but homosexuals are just puzzling (Horvath, 2000).

People have always failed to understand what brings about the attraction, and the peculiar nature has raised the eyebrows of various psychologists and scientists. The biologists indicate that some families have the homosexual genes and hormones in their family linage. Therefore, individuals from such families give birth to children who are homosexuals by default, and their sexual preferences are unchangeable whatsoever. Essentially this is the innate view of homosexuality.

On the other hand, the social constructionists believe that the homosexual behavior results from the social and environmental influence. Interestingly, another different school of thought holds that both social and biological processes contribute to the behavior and psychological thoughts of humans.

Indeed, most scientists and psychologists have not developed decisive reasons to support their allegations. This paper will give a critical analysis of the biologists’ view of homosexuality as innate, or as an inherited trait. The paper will convince the audience that the biologists’ view is deficient, and it cannot overcome its problems in its current state, unless some modifications are made to the current view.

The view of homosexuality as an innate trait

The evolutionary psychologists argue that the human’s ability to handle issues and solve problems originates from the evolutionary ancestors. Similarly, individuals inherit every other trait from their ancestors. According to the biologists, genes are very important in the development of traits.

Therefore, hormones and genes determine the sexual behaviors of human beings. From the biological view of things, any trait in an individual comes because of the interaction of genes and the cells embed in the body. Some families have aggression traits, and the children in such families are always a nuisance in everything that they do. Consequently, most aspects concerning sexuality come because natural selection.

The Exotic Becomes Erotic (EBE) theory explains that the adult homosexual behaviors start from the prenatal development of a child. The fetus attains the genomes of the parent that would determine the child’s temperament.

Children who grow to like competitive and rough activities are male-typical, whereas those who like quietness and non-aggressiveness are female-typical (Horvath, 2000). The gender conforming and gender nonconforming traits will show up in their childhood. These traits are innate, where; the gender non-conforming children are likely to grow into homosexuals in the future.

The biologists argue that there is always an ancestral history of homosexuality for every homosexual that exists. In fact, some reliable studies showed a correlation between the birth order and homosexuality in male children.

According to the study, male children who are born earlier have a less probability to have the homosexual behaviors than males who are born later. The studies attributed their results to the maternal immune response, where, after the first birth, the H-Y (histo-compatibility) antigen strengthens in subsequent pregnancies to bring in some aspect of sexual differentiation in the male children.

The parent population’s sexual traits can enable one to predict the traits of the children to be born in a given generation. Biologists exemplify their allegations by employing the masculine behaviors that emerge in males. Naturally, the males adapt the masculine behavior, and they posses some unique traits like temperament within their linage. By default, at least one of the masculine traits is innate.

Therefore, evolutionary psychologists will hold that the sexual and gender traits that one possesses are innate, and individuals with homosexual genes would have their traits emerging when the right time comes. According to the evolutionary psychologists, homosexuality is a heritable trait that varies from one generation to another.

Therefore, the difference in the environment in which individuals are raised does not necessarily drive them into homosexuality as the desire comes from inside their bodies. According to the biologists, the environment is not a vital input in the development of an individual into a homosexual as any environmental or social aspects that have the ability to influence people to be homosexuals could be controllable.

Objections of the view of homosexuality an innate trait

The social constructionists object the allegation that genes and hormones influence the sexual behaviors of individuals. They argue that social interaction strongly determines the sexual orientation and sexual behavior. From the social constructionists’ view, children are born without any sex knowledge.

However, with time, children are exposed to sexual materials thought all the available media. The social groups that individuals interact with determine their sexual behaviors, and that is where individuals acquire the homosexual traits. Essentially, the genes and hormones will only determine the physical traits, but they will have no contributions on the sexual traits of an individual (Haider-Markel & Joslyn, 2013).

According to the social constructionists, homosexuality is a psychological character trait that develops during interaction. It cannot be innate as the peers, and a favorable environment will play a great role in convincing an individual that homosexuality brings more pleasure than heterosexuality.

The allegation that males have a masculine nature is somewhat true; however, there are those male individuals who have feminine behaviors. Such males would desire to dress, walk, and behave like women. Research indicates that males with feminine behaviors were raised with female counterparts. They did not get the opportunity to interact with other male children to acquire the masculine traits. In fact, the biologists clearly indicate that the gender conforming or gender nonconforming aspect shows up after birth.

The growth environment will facilitate the gender nonconforming children’s traits, where, encouraging environments will aid their dissimilarity feelings towards their same-sex peers. The culture in which the men are raised facilitates their desire to have the masculine complexion, and in that case, nurturing takes an upper hand than nature. Similarly, if the males or females are raised in an environment that would encourage then to have attraction to members of their own sex, they will definitely acquire the homosexual traits.

The biologists argue that parent population’s sexual traits can enable one to predict the traits of their children. This is a true allegation, but the underlying reason is what differs. Essentially, children raised with homosexuals will tend to adopt the homosexual behaviors because of the environment they are raised.

The children will watch and copy the deeds of their elders and they will tend to behave in the same manner whenever they have a chance. Moreover, some reliable research indicated that homosexuals admitted to have developed their sexual traits because of peer pressure. The research indicated that some of the homosexuals were simply testing the act, and in the process, they became addicts. Therefore, the social environment has the ability to manipulate an individual to become a homosexual.

Replies to the above-mentioned objections

Obviously, the biologists will argue that homosexuality is innate, and a natural attraction comes to homosexuals at a certain age. According to the biologists, the environment has no capability to change a heterosexual into a homosexual individual, as a principled heterosexual individual cannot be swayed into homosexuality. Essentially, the biologists have politicized the subject with an aim of defending the gay rights (Norris, 2008).

This is because if homosexuality is indeed generic, the homosexuals ought to be treated like other individuals. However, there is no way that people can ignore the fact that peer pressure has a lot of supremacy in influencing individuals, especially in their adolescent stage.

The social environment is a very important variable in the development of a homosexual character. Therefore, biologists should modify their allegations to agree that both social and biological processes determine the sexual behaviors of individuals. With the modified view, the original allegation of the biologists can withstand the strongest objectives to their school of thought.

Conclusion

From the discussions, it is evident that the genes, the social and cultural environment in which individuals are raised determine their sexual behaviors. Those parents who blame their ancestors for the homosexuality behaviors in their descendants should examine the environment in which their children grow.

The contemporary world exposes sexual materials to children at a very tender age. Therefore, it is upon the parents to ensure their children grow up to be what they want them to be. Parents who do not mind raising homosexuals can pay little heed to the advice. However, those parents who care should analyze the materials that their children read and watch, they should examine their children’s friends, schools, and instructors. Most importantly, parents should find time to discuss about sex with their children at a tender age.

References

Haider-Markel, D. P., & Joslyn, M. R. (2013). Politicizing biology: Social movements, parties, and the case of homosexuality. The Social Science Journal, 50(4), 603-615.

Horvath, C. D. (2000). Interactionism and innateness in the evolutionary study of human nature. Biology and Philosophy, 15(1), 321-337.

Norris, R. A. (2008). Some notes on the current debate regarding homosexuality and the place of homosexuals in the church. Anglican Theological Review, 90(3), 437-511.

“Gay ‘Marriage’: Societal Suicide” is an article written by Charles Colson and Anne Morse for Christianity Today (June 1, 2004). The chosen article stands in powerful opposition to gay marriage and strives to prove that a family must be a strong “traditional building block” that exists in human society. In the article, the authors develop the opinion that modern society is challenged by the necessity to accept gay marriage as an ordinary part of human life and by an inability to avoid the consequences of the broken moral order. There are several supporting and opposing ideas used to argue that the legalization of gay marriage is essentially societal suicide. While Colson and Morse cannot neglect the need to oppose gay marriage because it destroys human society, the tone, references to the law, and the language chosen for the article help the reader understand the depth of the problem and think about marriage and family not as a private institution but rather as a part of society and an example that has to be followed.

The purpose of the article is to answer one simple question: What will happen if America continues witnessing the end of traditional heterosexual marriage because of the many attempts to legalize gay marriage? The article begins with this question and makes the readers think about the situation and develop independent thoughts by relying on such evidence as to the decision of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the current debates in California and New York, and the announcement of President Bush to support a new idea of American life. Moreover, the evidence presented in the article also includes examples taken from Christianity and social statistics taken from prison ministries and single-parent families.

The authors have successfully chosen the tone and language of this article. For example, Colson underlines the position to support the amendment that questions the necessity of gay marriage legalization in modern American society. There are no rude or offensive words in the article. Still, it is clear that Colson cannot understand people who support gay marriage. He believes that this kind of marriage is out of the natural moral order. The authors call upon the reader to remember history and traditions and consider the teachings developed by both Muslims and Christians, who believe that a family should be led by a mother and a father.

There are no attempts to offend gay people in the text. At the same time, there is no support for the idea of gay marriage because the authors’ audience includes all people who are interested in this topic, as well as Katha Pollitt in particular. The contrast between the support of and opposition to gay marriage is evident in the article. The authors are biased about the need to promote the Christian belief that one man and one woman should be united in marriage with the intention to live together, have children, nurture them, and develop each other wellbeing. Even those people who have not read Pollitt’s article about gay marriage, which served as the basis for writing the article under analysis or those who have a neutral attitude toward gay marriage legalization, should find this work interesting and educative due to its confident tone, its presentation of evidence, and its clear argument why American society should not legalize gay marriage at this time.

The author of the article pays much attention to evidence. In all cases, the given evidence seems to be sufficient, relevant, and accurate, with examples taken from real life, the Bible, and even statistical data. Its relevance may be observed in everyday life when boys who have been deprived of the chance to be raised by a mother and a father at the same time face certain life challenges and eventually find themselves imprisoned. Many rapists admit that their childhoods were without a father figure or the result of some other type of broken family. Such evidence is made of facts and reasoned judgments about the importance of having a mother and a father in a family. There are many strong opinions in the article about the possible impact of gay parents in a family and the potential consequences of gay marriage legalization, such as the creation of a judicial fiat that may fall on all Americans at once. The legalization of gay marriage would likely involve all people in this topic even if they do not embrace it.

As for the use of logic in the article, the authors seem to be clear and informative indeed. Each argument has a point, and each idea has a certain impact on the reader. The only failure that can be observed in the use of logic in the article is that it may overgeneralize the opinions of many people at the same time and conclude that all people would be influenced by the legalization of gay marriage. However, even the most skilled researchers would be unable to deal with such a task as identifying the opinion of everyone in the country about gay marriage and its impact on each person’s future.

In general, despite some weaknesses, the opinion develops by Colson and Morse is thoughtful and properly evidenced. A number of relevant examples; the consideration of legal, religious, and social aspects; and a properly chosen tone and language attract readers and help them recognize the truth about gay marriage and the authors’ frustration about the possible future of American society. Overall, “Gay ‘Marriage’: Societal Suicide” teaches people how to analyze a situation and not rush to conclusions but rather investigate the case and be ready to support their chosen positions.

In her article, Zimmerman tries to show that the problem of bisexuality remains ambiguous – there is still little understanding of the concept’s nature, even though the term is familiar to modern society. As a result, mass media, likewise, experiences difficulties in offering a multi-sided and convincing portrayal of a bisexual character. The author shows a good understanding of the subject, providing numerous relevant examples, and ensuring a logic flow of ideas. Apart from being highly informative, the article also implies a strong appeal to the public, and it is essential to admit that its argumentative basis is consistent enough to make the society reflect upon the problem under discussion.

Zimmerman provides a strong argumentative set to convince the readers of the fact that bisexuality is poorly represented by modern television. In the meantime, it should be pointed out that the text is slightly overloaded with repetitions. Thus, one and the same idea appears in several passages in a rephrased manner. On the whole, the presented arguments are considered to be of merit as they feature logically structured ideas about the poor elucidation of bisexual personality on television and are evidenced by the relevant real-life examples. As a result, the evaluated article meets the major part of the criteria set for its assessment.

The stated judgment has been carried out upon the application of several evaluation criteria to the text analysis. Hence, the key criteria that have determined the final judgment are text coherence and a clearly formulated thesis. Some experts also point out the importance of the good evidence that is related to the core thesis of the paper and supports the ideas’ persuasiveness; this criterion was, likewise, included in the list (Newell, Bloome, and Hirvela 190). Lastly, the article was evaluated in the context of its novelty value. Otherwise stated, it was considered that a good article should offer a fresh view on the subject that has not been repeated and rephrased by other journalists.

The first reason why the article was evaluated positively is the innovative view that it offers on the problem of bisexuality and its representation on TV. It would be unfair to claim that this problem has never been elucidated in the media before. Thus, for instance, a month later, after Zimmerman’s appeal was published, a similar article appeared in “The Guardian.” However, the text did not exhibit a profundity of thought or a multi-sided approach to the problem. Instead, it simply enumerated all the bisexual characters that could be seen on television and drew a conclusion that the representation of the social group was improper (Duffy par. 6). Zimmerman uses another approach to problem analysis. Hence, her key aim resides in pointing out the irrelevance of the bisexuals’ representation rather than the lack of it. In other words, she strives to illustrate that in spite of the fact that producers make attempts to depict bisexual characters, poor knowledge of this community prevents them from generating depicting heroes and results in translating ungrounded stereotypes and images to the audience (Zimmerman par. 8).

The novelty of Zimmerman’s idea resides in the fact that the author shows the reasons and roots for the phenomenon she discusses. In other words, the distinguishing trait of this article is its profound examination of the problem drivers and a complex vision of the associated outcomes. From this perspective, the writer is a true innovator as she offers a detailed review of bisexuals and their role in modern television.

Another reason why the articles’ argumentation is considered to be strong is a consistent evidence base that the author provides. Thus, every argument is supported by a real-life example. Most importantly, the examples are described in detail. Thus, for instance, while speculating on the role of bisexuals in the television and the extent of their representation, Zimmerman not just points out the films and shows that portray this social group but analyzes the way they do it. This quality approach, opposite to the quantitative method, helps the audience to acquire a better understanding of the problem. Additionally, the abundance of the relevant examples signifies the author’s complex approach to the problem investigation. It is evident that the article composition was preceded by a long process of data collection and analysis. Therefore, it is not the evidence itself that makes the article particularly convincing but its quality – the way the evidence is described and divided into relevant implications.

Additionally, the provided evidence base is very diverse. Otherwise stated, the media sector is not the only source of Zimmerman’s examples. The author refers to life-based stories and common prejudices to translate her message. The extent of evidence description is, likewise, different throughout the text. Thus, some examples are analyzed in detail to help the readers to review the mechanism of television’s distorting the image of bisexuals. For instance, the character of Frank Underwood from the “House of Card” series, as well as that of Oberyn Martell from the popular “Game of Thrones,” are elucidated especially explicitly as they compose the major support for the advanced thesis. Other examples, in their turn, are presented in the form of short references to clarify the argument.

The logical structure is another benefit that explains the positive evaluation of the article. Thus, it has a multi-level structure that lets the ideas develop gradually and linearly. Therefore, the author begins by pointing out the insufficient representation of bisexuals on television. Then, she continues to narrow down the point to the insufficient representation of bisexual men. As long as all the relevant evidence is provided, the author passes to another stage –she illustrates that the bisexuals’ portraying is not only insufficient but also perverted. Therefore, the flow of ideas follows a particular pattern instead of a random enumeration of the associated examples. Further on, Zimmerman shows how the incomplete and falsified image of a social group might have a negative impact on society developing the feelings of resistance and intolerance in the latter. The last lines of the article focus on the social responsibility of the media that it does not fulfill. This brief description of the article logic pattern shows the author’s skillful text structuring.

A coherent structure is particularly important as Zimmerman’s article is rather long so that there is always a risk of straying from the core subject and losing the train of thought. Meanwhile, the author managed to speak straight to the point regardless of the subject’s complex nature. As a result, the readers’ vision of the problem keeps forming as they pass from paragraph to paragraph and this process is not finished until the very last paragraph.

On the other hand, the stated judgment might be argued as there is currently no consensus regarding the discussed problem in the society. Thus, for instance, a year before the article appeared, “The Atlantic” offered its vision of the problem of the bisexuals’ presence on television. The focus of the article was similar to that translated by Zimmerman; meanwhile, it emphasized the positive view on the problem. Thus, the author mainly pointed out the growing frequency of bisexuals’ appearance on television that, according to her, signified the positive social change (Quinlan par. 16).

This point of view can be argued by comparing the value of qualitative and quantitative portrayals of bisexuals on television. Hence, “It Ain’t Easy Being Bisexual on TV” illustrates this difference by providing numerous examples of producers’ exploiting the image of a bisexual in such a manner that it translates a totally wrongful vision of this person to the society making it adopt the ungrounded prejudices about bisexuals.

Another reason why this point of view cannot be accepted is that it neglects the key aim of ensuring an equal representation of all social groups on television. It is proposed that the key target is to get the people acquainted with the diversities present in the modern world and develop their tolerance towards them. Thus, “It Ain’t Easy Being Bisexual on TV” evidences the importance of television’s reflecting the reality as it is, rather than narrowing it down to a set of common stereotypes.

It might be concluded that Zimmerman’s article is a rational and convincing work that has a strong social implication. The text is valuable not only from the stylistic standpoint but from the message it translates to the public. As a result, “It Ain’t Easy Being Bisexual on TV” can be evaluated positively, as it meets all the essential criteria such as strong thesis, ideas’ coherence, and relevant evidence.

Works Cited

Duffy, Owen. Popular culture is still afraid of bisexuality, 2014. Web.

Newell, George, David Bloome, and Alan Hirvela. Teaching and Learning Argumentative Writing in High School English Language Arts Classrooms, London: Routledge, 2015. Print.

Quinlan, Casey. Bisexuality on TV: It’s Getting Better, 2013. Web.

Zimmerman, Amy. It Ain’t Easy Being Bisexual on TV, 2014. Web.

In one of their episodes, NBS Night News told the audience the story of an eight-year-old transgender girl named Malisa. Malisa was born as a boy, but at a very early age, they decided that they wanted to be a girl. Seeing the consistency and insistence of their child, the parents chose to support the idea of transitioning to a new gender. As the family started to present and treat Malisa as a girl, the child became more satisfied with life and started to feel more natural than before the transition. The video is getting a lot of emotional response from the audience, and the opinions are polarized, dividing people into strong supporters and fierce critics of such practice. It is essential to develop a better understanding of the concept of gender in relation to children and their development to ensure the protection of the interests of all people and, thus, improve their lives.

One crucial problem is that it is doubtful that children can have a clear understanding of gender roles and differences. Oversimplified visions of differences between sexes may mislead a child. It might result in the idea that having interests or personality traits that are traditionally viewed as of the opposite sex are a sign of the necessity for a transition. Another problem is the fact that the transition to the new gender will require medical intervention, and the complete change is impossible for biological reasons (NBC Nightly News, 2015). It leads to the situation when children who were born with well-functioning bodies will lose their ability to reproduce and become dependent on medication. At the same time, it is essential for our society to accept such children and provide them with the possibility to live the lives they feel are right for them.

Thus, it is essential to develop a more complex and nuanced understanding of gender roles. From a very early age, people should be tough to be able to express their personality and healthily integrate all their traits in life. It is essential to accept people who decided to change their gender. Yet, children should not be encouraged to do so without medical reasons, as the transition has multiple limitations and consequences. Society should not impose simplistic role models, and people need to be able to define themselves the way they desire without rejecting their biology.

Reference

NBC Nightly News (2015). Growing Up Transgender: Malisa’s Story [Video file]. Web.

Social problems in relation to the LGBT population

Several strategies have been embraced by supporters, sympathizes, and activists of gay sex marriage to win support of the public on the need to stop prejudicing gay and lesbianism marriages. For instance, the assimilation approach has resulted in positive results among the gays in America and reduced discrimination by a large percentage (Baker, 2010).

The proponents of this type of union are drawn from civil unions, domestic right groups, and registered informal societies who extend their hand in support for this highly criticized union (Hunter, 2012). The members of this group have managed to convince the society on the need to coexist by employing civil rights movements, public protests, and race riots as actualized by the sin city sisters of Las Vegas (Greenberg, 2010).

This is because the social problems are defined by the society towards this group as ordinary to any society of minorities (Sherkat, Vries, & Creek, 2009).

How social issues are framed in relation to the LGBT population

Over the years, LGBT population has attracted heated debate in the conservative American society. Specifically, the religious and conservative groups have been the most active in opposing homosexual couples getting married (Schultz & Lavenda, 2011). Despite these divergent opinions, LGTB population has spread across several states of America and is now legal in all states (Sherkat, Vries, & Creek, 2009).

Through mixed research in social surveys carried in 2009, Sherkat, Vries, and Creek (2009) established that racial divide has direct influence on perception about homosexual couples. Through survey interviews involving 180 participants from the white and African American communities with equal representation, Sherkat, Vries, and Creek (2009) established that 70% of the respondents from African American ethnicity opposed homosexual marriage unlike the 30% opposition by the white American ethnic groups.

Specifically, within the African American respondents, the main reason for this opposition was cited as conservative family norms and Protestantism faith which cannot accommodate same sex marriage. On the other hand, the 30 percent of the respondents from the white race that opposed same sex marriage argued that homosexual couples’ behavior is against the social norms (Sherkat, Vries, & Creek, 2009).

Social workers working with the LGBT population

How they assess needs, engage clients, design, and deliver interventions

The needs of the LGBT community are assessed through the small organizations and associations that serve the interests of the members of this population. This achieved through engaging the members and their representative on social welfare concerns that are unique to this population (Hunter, 2012).

Through organizations dealing with the LGBT community, the social workers are in a position design different response strategies and deliver interventions through live meetings, social events, and LGBT camps (Sherkat, Vries, & Creek, 2009).

How they validate their processes and practices

The social workers validate the intervention practices and processes in terms of response rate by the targeted members of the LGBT society. The responses from the targeted group are subjected to scrutiny in order to evaluate the success and failures through live feedback tracking and proactive engagement (Greenberg, 2010).

How the social beliefs influence the way the LGBT population is viewed and supported by social work profession

Individuals raised in loose religious foundation are more likely to support LGBT community than individuals raised in the normal traditional religious family consisting of a father and a mother (Greenberg, 2010). The momentous variances in type of religious family upbringing and LGBT community are critical in reflecting on the underlying factors that promote the way social beliefs influence how this population is viewed (Hunter, 2012).

Ethnicity also influences the perception on homosexual couples becoming legally married couples. It is possible that ethnic traditional societal norms on LGBT community and relationship may modify an individual’s views on this population (Hunter, 2012). Such an individual may struggle to conform to such values and avoid interaction with the LGBT community, irrespective of his or her role as a social worker (Schultz & Lavenda, 2011).

Appraisal of the relationship between the philosophical intentions of social work, the US mindset regarding this population, and society in general

Generally, the US mindset regarding the LGBT community is more likely to oppose this population than the members of the LGBT society as was observed in the Californian ‘Proposition 8’ vote. The Christian antagonists of same sex marriage cited breakdown of societal norms as leading to emergent of destructive and traumatizing developments within the society, which may make young people to seek comfort in same sex relationships.

In response, these individuals may resort to social tendencies of same sex relationships in rebellion leading to their categorization as same sex couples in adulthood. The treatment of the LGBT community in the Christian society as outcasts and their exclusion from societal activities in America may not end any time in the near future (Schultz & Lavenda, 2011).

As a result, the philosophical intentions of social work may not achieve the optimal results since the members of the LGBT community dwell among the rest of the population (Sherkat, Vries, & Creek, 2009).

References

Baker, B. (2010). Same-Sex Marriage and Religion: An Inappropriate Relationship. e- Research, 1(3), 1-9.

Greenberg, D. (2010). The construction of homosexuality. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

Hunter, N. (2012). The future impact of same-sex marriage: More questions than answers. The George Town Law Journal, 100(1), 1855-1879.

Schultz, E, & Lavenda, R. (2011). Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human Condition. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sherkat, D., Vries, K., & Creek, S. (2009). Race, religion, and opposition to same-sex marriage. OpenSIU Journal, 1(4), 1-35.

The study of contemporary sociology helps sociologist to account the changes that are prevalent in the society. One current issue that is common in the contemporary sociology is the issue of gender stratification and discrimination.

During the old days, men remained as the dominant gender throughout the history, while women on the hand were considered as the discriminated and segregated group. There are various reasons why gender is an important aspect to investigate. For instance, the public policies should be tailored to ensure that there is no any discrimination and everyone is guaranteed an equal access to life, liberty and quest for happiness.

Thus, policies should not be formulated in favor of either side as they would be termed as being promoters of inequality. Thus, the passing of the gay marriages legislation in New York City was very important, since it helped those people that are gay get an opportunity for pursuit of their happiness which can only be ensured by be allowed to marry their gay counterparts (Adams & Sydie 9).

The bible which represents the word of God does not recognize unions of people with the same sex. Instead, the bible rebukes such occurrences as expressed in Romans 1:27. The bible is the guide that leads the Christians all over the world and it advocates for marriages of people with opposite sex. This symbolizes marriages between men and women. Thus, the passing of the New York legislation that supports marriages between people of the same sex is contrary to the teaching of the bible and wrong.

Surprisingly, the same bible acknowledges the existence of unions between people of the same sex as expressed in Isaiah 60:2. The bible states that due to their evilness, men will lust for one another and commit what it describes as a shameful act. The other reason why the bible does not support gay marriages is because legalizing gay marriages ruins the sanctity of marriage.

Despite the high condemnations of gay marriages in the bible, it is surprisingly that many Christians are opting for the gay marriages. Many such people argue that there is no need to preserve the sanctity of marriage, since it has been nowadays greatly damaged. They argue that the divorce rate has amplified to a high of up to 50%. They complain that such a high divorce rate signifies that, although many people are married to spouses that belong to the opposite sex, most of these couples are not happy with their marriages.

Thus, the government is in dire need to recognize the importance of gay marriage as an important remedy for the marriage institution. They argue that by the most governments restricting the legalization of gay marriages, it is being discriminative to the minority group which is not fair. Therefore, the legalization of the gay marriage in New York City was a great step for the senate.

The high extra marital affairs that are prevalent in the contemporary world also depict how unfulfilling these marriages between people of opposite sex have become. Therefore, people should be given their freedom to pursue their happiness without being subjected to any sort of discrimination. The legalizing of the gay marriages in New York City meant that the gay residents in the city were at liberty to marry their gay partners and the marriage being recognized by the law.

The issue on gay marriages is a prevalent issue in many places worldwide. This is as a result of the legalization of the gay marriage in many countries. Although many countries such as the New York City have legalized the gay marriages, it is generally accepted that same sex couples do not have the ability to marry.

This is because marriage is considered as a private issue, but not a political issue. The use of conflict theory assists in explaining the issue of gay marriage more effectively. The theory depicts about the pluralistic nature of society which possess a differential distribution of power among various groups in the society.

Some groups which entail the elites use their power to create laws that address their selfish interests. The passing of the gay marriage legislation is a good example of such a law. This is because it is generally accepted that there cannot be any marriage between people of the same sex since there cannot be even any procreation which is a paramount ingredient of a marriage institution.

Similarly, the union is also rebuked by both the bible and Quran teaching which makes it immaterial. The only reason why the legislation for marriages of gay people is because some few people who are the economical and political elite in New York City wanted to fulfill their selfish interests in disguise of pretending that they wanted to address the needs of the gay people who were greatly discriminated in New York City (Parsons 35).

The functionalism theory takes the society as a complete system that is composed of interdependent elements that are greatly interrelated. These interdependent and interrelated elements include institutions such as the church, schools, political systems, mass media and the family.

When these elements work together in a coherent manner, each element is considered to take its appropriate part to bring stability of the whole system. The theory explains that all these institutions function for the well good of the entire society and there should never conflict s.

The legalization of gay marriages in the New York City is an example of a dysfunctional of the society. The society generally believes and accepts marriages between couples of opposite sex. Then the legalization of marriages of the same sex in New York City brings a change in the pattern of the society in New York City, as people are used to witnessing marriages of people of opposite sex. The senate act of passing the legislation of legalizing the gay marriages brings a lot of conflict between the institutions that form the society.

The church is an important constituent of the elements that make up the society institutions. Thus, by those in the political leadership who comprises the senate legalizing the gay marriages in New York City brings a society conflict between the church and the political system which if not well solved can cause a lot of disharmony within the society (Coser 12).

The symbolic interactions often regarded as symbolic interactionism emphasizes the need for sociologists to consider the signs and details every day. They should consider what the symbol means and how they interact among themselves. It believed that people react according to how they interpret these signs. The social interaction assumes that for effective sexually communication to exist, it is important for one to view the world from the other person’s perspective.

The concept of sexual scripting is noted by the ability to role play which enables individuals to evaluate sexual terms of themselves and those of others. Nevertheless, the inability to role play results to sexual misunderstanding. Proper use of the concept of sexual scripting often help in establishing sexual compatibility between individuals that share similar sexual characteristics. Therefore, the pre-assumed concept that marriages should be restricted between couples of opposite sex is not a universally accepted phenomenon.

This is because there are factions of individuals that show differing sexual characteristics and should not be neglected in order to establish harmony in the society. Therefore, legalization of gay marriage in New York City is very much in line with the theory of interactionalism since it gives these individuals an opportunity to identify with their gay counterparts who share similar sexual characteristics (Macionis 17).

The issue about gay marriages is very controversial, since various scholars give differing opinions about it. It is generally accepted that Gay marriages cannot occur since marriages are designed between those who are of opposite sex. What the gay marriages symbolizes are partnership where people who share the same sex opt to come together and live as husbands and wives.

The gay marriages is known to have caused a lot of conflict among the institutions of the society such as a continuous fight between the church and the political systems for passing the gay marriage legislation which contradicts the church teaching.

However, the senate argues that it is mandated to pass legislations that ensure equality of all groups involved, but not support policies that are discriminative and segregates. The theory of gender stratification supports the gay marriages as it gives the state the mandate to ensure that everyone is guaranteed the freedom of life, liberty and opportunity to pursue one’s happiness. Therefore the passing of the gay legislation in the New York City was a great step in addressing the needs of the gay minority in the City.

Works Cited

Adams, Nelson and Sydie, R. A. Sociological Theory. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge.2001, print.

Coser, Luke. The Family: Its Structure and Functions, New York: St. Martin’s Press. 2000, print.

Macionis, John. Sociology. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.2009,print.

Parsons, Timothy. Sociological Theory and Modern Society, New York: Free Press.1967, print.

The New English Bible. NY: Oxford University Press, 1972

Introduction

I just finished reading an article published in The Windsor Star journal by Don Lajoie, August 9, 2011, where a pair got themselves 36 months of imprisonment for assaulting a gay man allegedly because of his homosexuality. The victim explained that the couple “did use anti-homosexual slurs during the attack,” (Lajoie 2011, Para. 3).

I have always thought that the contemporary society is a democratized world where everyone is allowed to mind their own business but after reading this article, I now have doubts about that. No doubt there are people who cannot withstand other people’s sexuality and will even go as far as physically attacking the individual probably to ‘instill some sense into his perverted mind’ so he will join them on the other side of life- the side of, as they call it, normal people.

Homosexuality in the Contemporary Society

With more people coming up clean and confessing their sexual status, more debates on gayism have been stirred. Most of the people receive the news with feelings of abhorrence and indignation and they are not hesitant to express their feelings even if it means beating the hell out of a gay person (like the couple in this article).

On the other hand, there is always a group of human right activists who never miss out in action on the foregoing of everything concerning human beings- not to forget some concern themselves with animal rights. And of course, there are others who are indifferent to these kinds of stories leaving the ground for the other two groups. The big question that arises is, is it morally right for two people of the same sex status to engage in sexual intercourse and even culminate their relationship by walking down the aisle?

We cannot deny that the number of people who are gay is quite alarming. There are a number of even the most famous people who have come out openly and declared that they are gay. People like Ellen DeGeneres and Christian Anderson are not alien to our ears. One would think that after all this, people will get used to the idea of a living with people of a different sexuality other than theirs.

But apparently, this will never happen, at least not in the near future. We never stop listening to cases people who are daily harassed, whether being physically assaulted or being hurled at with insults, by the members of the public because of their homosexuality. Most of them are discriminated against and even isolated by their own families.

Common Good for All

We are always in a continuous journey headed towards a society that is fully democratized and liberalized. Our leaders are constantly engaged in a battle for individual fundamental rights. This is because every individual should be allowed enough freedom to live his/her life as he pleases. What happened to the believe that we should not be discriminatory against each other regardless of sex, gender, race, religion or on any other ground. We should all endeavor to create harmony amongst ourselves for the public good.

So what exactly is public good? I should think that what will be of public good is when an individual is able to choose his own path of life and follow it without fear of being discriminated or of being assaulted or insulted. In other words, a person will be allowed to create his own values and judgments and act on them without attracting ill feelings from the public so long as it is what he feels that works for him, for his own good. The human good should be what we choose as good for ourselves.

In other words, the homosexuals are looking for recognition and acceptance from the general society. Those who refuse to be associated with this idea are labeled conservatives, traditionalists, old-fashioned, and sexists, even primitive. Christianity has especially been on the receiving end of this kind of criticism.

The media and the big figures view them as fundamentalists and use this to discredit Christians who hold the belief that a man was created for a woman and vice-versa. They refer to them as social conservatives who have stubbornly refused to adapt to changing times. No one can explain why this is not being seen as a violation of the same fundamental rights which they themselves have always fought for, as a lack of tolerance to different views and practices from their side, for the common good for all.

What is Morally Good?

Can we formulate our own values and beliefs which we consider being right for us and then proceed to follow them and tolerate no criticism from other people? In one of the feature article a gay person was quoted saying that “For us, having safer sex means feeling good about who we are as gay men,” (Bartram 1994, Para. 5).

They view gayism as a blessing as opposed to a curse, as other people view it, which should be upheld rather than be embarrassed about. A columnist on the Toronto stars asked; “”Why should they (the homosexuals) be forbidden the same physical expressions of tenderness and love most people enjoy…?” (Gwyn 2011, Para. 3). So are we actually justified to deny them something so basic in life? May be not.

So we continue with our question, what can be classified as good? Most of the people will tell you that what is good is what brings happiness or pleasure to them. So the liberal will argue that if something yields happiness then the whole society should adopt it. So can we conclusively say that it is good for two people of the same sex to get married? What if we allow them to continue with their lifestyles?

We will be allowing an erosion of morals where every person will be seeking protection to continue with their vices. The prostitutes will come out asking for recognition, for acceptance, for protection. In the end there will be having all manner of ‘values’ particular to each individual. But can we live without any standard guiding principles for everyone to adhere to and uphold?

Christianity Vs Homosexuality

For so long, the Christians conception of right or wrong was applied for all our ethical as well as political policies. The biblical view is that of God as the law giver and thus the determinant of right or wrong. He defines moral law and sets the guidelines to be observed by the whole creation.

According to the book of Psalms, God is the representation of Good and uprightness; and therefore he is the one teach sinners and the whole creation the way. So God for one to qualify to be good he/she has to align to the will of God and whatever else that does not conform to this will is but evil.

The bible, in the book of Genesis, prescribes to us the right sexual relations by saying that, a man shall leave his home and be united to his wife, upon which they will become one being. So Gods way is a man marrying a woman as that is how he intended it to be from the beginning when he created the woman for the man. In Corinthians Paul said that it is important for a woman to have a husband and a man to have a wife to avoid fornication. He did not leave room for other kinds of marriages; just a man and a woman.

The book of Romans condemns the act of homosexuality in open and clear terms. Paul declares the wrath of God against all those who engage in ungodly and unrighteous acts and who have substituted the true way of life with unrighteousness. Paul here is expressing the disgust of God against those who have embraced ungodliness and unrighteousness and substituted the truth for the same. So what is this ungodliness that Paul is talking about? And what is the truth that they should uphold instead?

Romans continue to tell us that, women deviated from the natural and acceptable way of deriving pleasure from their bodies and used it in a way that is against nature. The men also, left the natural use of a woman, and started lusting for other men and having sexual relations with men, a behavior which the bible describes as unseemly and which results into punishment.

Thus the ungodliness that Paul was talking about is man having unnatural sexual relations. The unnatural refers to the act of a man lusting for a fellow man and a woman the same. Therefore, God delights doing what he himself has authorized through his own mouth or using the mounts of his anointed, through the bible.

With this in mind we cannot close of our eyes to the fact that homosexuality has been condemned in the bible, the very basis of our moral principles. Timothy says that, the scripture is given through God’s inspiration, and is important for teaching, reprimand, correction, and for leading people into righteousness.

We as right thinking members of society should therefore not yield to the demands of the minority, to recognize homosexuality as a way of life. To do so would be to undermine the origin of our moral standing which originates from God himself.

Conclusion

Democracy calls for social justice for everyone. It requires that everyone be allowed to practice what he wants, how he/she wants it and whenever they want it. And this means of course that we should accommodate diverse beliefs and lifestyles.

But Christians must not keep quiet and give up their democratic right to adhere to their own moral beliefs at the expense of the gay community. Christianity is more than just some moral guidelines. It is a way of life that every individual should be ready to adopt. All the values we uphold should be in line with the bible teachings and Christians should not shy away from correcting those who are ‘lost’.

But we should not do this through kicks and brawls but through love and patience. The human behaviour is also governed by the public policies, on what the society thinks is right or wrong. The will of the society is embodied in our own legal laws, societal norms and traditions. The government should therefore draft legal policies that advocate for normal marriages between a man and a woman and not any other way.

References

Bartram, J. (May, 1994) A Sacred Gift from God: Globe and Mail. Toronto star

Lajoie, D. (August 2011) 36 Months for Pair in Beating: The Windsor Star. Canada.com network

Gwyn, R. (July 2011) The Good Society: Moral standards and the Current Debate on Homosexuality. Reformed Reflections

Introduction

Despite the public’s focus on addressing and avoiding inequality, discrimination, and injustice in relation to representatives of different social groups, it is still possible to speak about categorical inequalities typical of the US society. The term of durable inequalities and the discussion of four associated aspects were proposed by Charles Tilly in the 1990s. According to Tilly, the critical facets of durable inequalities are exploitation, opportunity hoarding, emulation, and adaptation (Miller & Garran, 2017). While referring to this model, it is important to analyze the experience of representatives of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community in the US. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the phenomenon of durable inequalities with reference to the LGBT community in the US society to understand how four aspects of this concept are reflected in LGBT people’s experiences.

Exploitation

The first feature of durable inequalities is exploitation that can be represented in relation to LGBT people in different forms. In this context, exploitation means controlling less powerful people to receive certain gains (Miller & Garran, 2017). Thus, LGBT people often suffer from such a violent form of exploitation as sexual exploitation. Additionally, LGBT people suffer from exploitation at school, where they can be bullied, and at work, where they can be discriminated against (Lloren & Parini, 2017). Another form of exploiting LGBT Americans is associated with older LGBT people when they are controlled by their relatives, who can offend them and use their resources.

Opportunity Hoarding

Opportunity hoarding is associated with creating a network including other representatives of a certain community to receive access to resources and control particular areas. Currently, there are no many spheres in American society where LGBT people can realize their opportunity hoarding according to Tilly’s model. Still, it is possible to state that, today, many LGBT people prefer to organize networks in beauty and fashion spheres, as well as art, while becoming more influential in these areas (Peterson & Panfil, 2014). At the current stage, it is possible to observe how LGBT people gain reputation and recognition in these fields.

Emulation

The idea of emulation is related to using certain social relationship models, as well as beliefs and practices, in different settings and environments. With reference to LGBT people, emulation can be observed as individuals’ reactions to representatives of the LGBT community. Thus, these persons can be easily prejudiced or discriminated in their home and educational settings, in the workplaces, and while visiting certain organizations (Mezey, 2015). The problem is that many LGBT people in the United States suffer from being discriminated against and abused in different settings (Peterson & Panfil, 2014). For example, they can be treated violently by their relatives at home, and they also experience problems when finding a job because of HR managers’ discriminatory treatment.

Adaptation

Adaptation is associated with developing social narratives and practices or procedures that allow for promoting social interactions between representatives of different groups. In the context of the LGBT community, the representation of certain stereotypes connected with these people in media can be viewed as a variant of adaptation (Peterson & Panfil, 2014). The focus is often on accentuating differences of LGBT people but in the form acceptable by the majority.

Conclusion

Although much attention is currently paid to protecting the rights of LGBT Americans, it is still possible to observe the realization of the principle of durable inequalities. Being representatives of a minority group, LGBT people and other individuals develop their social interactions depending on exploitation, opportunity hoarding, emulation, and adaptation. Therefore, more emphasis should be put on accentuating the protection of these people’s rights and interests in US society.

References

Lloren, A., & Parini, L. (2017). How LGBT-supportive workplace policies shape the experience of lesbian, gay men, and bisexual employees. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 14(3), 289-299.

Mezey, N. J. (2015). LGBT families. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Miller, J., & Garran, A. M. (2017). Racism in the United States: Implications for the helping professions (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Peterson, D., & Panfil, V. R. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of LGBT communities, crime, and justice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

This paper focuses on dating sites among gay Latino men aged between 25 to 30 years. In addition, it discusses the preferences of Women in Los Angeles who are looking for men.

The research indicates that men value their career more than family because society values the career of the man more than that of the wife even when she is getting good pay. The culture dictates that men should be the main providers in their families. On the other hand, women value a family with social stability more than the career of the men especially if the woman is earning a stable income.

Men are interested in sex more than women are and prefer quality sex with their mates to dating a mate who earns a stable income and does not give them great sex. Women are interested in dating men who are intelligent more than men do when looking for women to date.

Also, men are interested in the appearance of the women they want to date more than women are when looking for a man. However, gay men and heterosexual women have similar likings in a man. The following findings support the preferences for men and women who are looking for mates to date (Kurzban & Weeden, 2005).

Gay Latinos

Latino gay men prefer mates who are intelligent with good physical characteristics as well as sensitive in most life issues. They consider personal commitment seriously because, at the age of 30 years, most of them are ready to settle for marriage. Language is an important factor for Latino gay men who are looking for a partner to enhance effective communication among themselves, their relatives as well as friends (Wong, 2003).

Financial stability is an important factor to consider for Latino men when choosing their mates. They prefer those with a stable income to cater for daily expenses and savings. Approximately, 80% of the Latinos interviewed wanted to have a partner who was social and easy-going, when interacting with family, friends, and relatives (Kurzban & Weeden, 2005).

Women dating in Los Angeles

The following discussion is about ten women from Los Angeles who are looking for men to date. All of them are aged between 30 and 35 years. The first woman is looking for a man aged between 30 and 40 years. She has children but wants more children with the man she will marry.

She speaks Latino language and, therefore, wants a Latino man for effective communication with friends and relatives. The woman wants a man who loves working. He must have good physical characteristics, confidence, and good motivation to succeed in life, and be conscious of daily happenings (Yancey, 2002).

The second interviewee is a woman who has never been married, no children and wants kids with the man she is looking for. She is looking for a man whom she can change to make him happy, confident and able to enjoy little things in life that happen around him. The man should express himself without fear of what the other people may think about his views (Bledsoe, Combs, Sigelman & Welch, 2001).

The third woman has never married and is looking for a man who is aged 33-36 years to have kids. The man she would like to live her life with should be happy, take life seriously and able to discus important issues (Wong, 2003).

The fourth woman wants a child with the man though she would like to save her freedom and not be restricted from hanging out with the other men. Also, she wants a man who will be social with her family members and take her to different events, such as dancing or gymnasium (Wong, 2003).

The man does not necessarily have to be earning because the interviewee is working as a television anchor and earns enough to provide for their future family. The woman would appreciate if the man has similar interests with her, such as hanging out, watching moves, dining out, traveling and exercising as well similar traits, which is called positive assortative mating.

The sixth woman is aged 34 years and searching for a man aged 34-43 years. The man should not necessarily be working but must be romantic, available for dating, and ready to have children when they settle for marriage.

The man should follow a healthy lifestyle meaning that he should not smoke, drink or use drugs; his faith is also important for her because Christians will be preferred. The man should take care of her and make her happy (Wong, 2003).

The seventh woman wants to date a 34-44 years old man, have kids with him and visit different kinds of events with her, such as social drinking. She has a good income, but the man must also be working, financially independent and confident. The man should be cheerful and able to make the woman happy (Rosenfeld, Stewart & Stinnett, 2000).

The eighth female interviewee wants kids with the man though she already has children. The ninth and the tenth women who are aged 34 years and 35 years respectively want good-looking men. The men should be respectful, caring and honest for ultimate sex life.

The above findings on the ten women interviewed showed how women have evolved in their preferences for men who they want to date and probably settle with in life. Both men and women prefer dating with mates from their own group, which is known as endogamy. The interviewed men and women did not show a preference for exogamy (Regan & Sprecher, 2002).

References

Bledsoe, T., Combs, M. Sigelman, L., & Welch, S. (2001). Race and place: Race relations in an American city. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Kurzban, R. & Weeden, J. (2005). HurryDate: Mate Preferences in Action. Evolution and Human Behavior, 26, 227-244.

Regan, P. & Sprecher, S. (2002). Liking some things (in some people) more than others: partner preferences in romantic relationships and friendships, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 463-481.

Rosenfeld, L. Stewart, S. & Stinnett, H. (2000). Sex differences in desired characteristics of short-term and long-term relationship partners, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 17, 843–853.

Wong, L. (2003). Structural estimation of marriage models, Journal of Labor Economics, 21, 699-729.

Yancey, G. (2002). Who interracially dates: An examination of the characteristics of those who have interracially dated, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 33, 179-190.