Homosexuality

"Homosexuality is the last respectable prejudice of the century." How is it that people can criticize others for discriminating against races, religious beliefs, or gender, but they find it acceptable to discriminate against sexual preference? How can anyone feel as though they have the right to tell another person who they are allowed or not allowed to love or marry? It's amazing to me that America prides itself on freedom and equality when someone is treated unjust because of their sexual orientation. I bet that gay men and lesbian women believed that no matter who, in society, turned against them, they would always have their family. How very wrong they were...

So, let's say the tables were turned. What if a man being with a man and a woman being with a woman was the "normal" thing to do? Would you want to be discriminated against for being in love with the opposite sex? In that situation, would it be fair to break apart your parents or you and your boyfriend or girlfriend? Society does not accept these kinds of relationships because it's different, not wrong, immoral, or life threatening, but different. It's understandable to be cautious of different things, but there is a difference between beating someone up because of their sexual preference or trying to get to know that person and their lifestyle. Most straight people are so against homosexuality because they fear they will push their beliefs onto them. But, isn't the hate that homosexuals deal with and the protests anti-gay groups participate in pushing straight people's beliefs onto homosexuals? Because of social rejection and feelings of guilt or shame gays and lesbians are at risk of depression, suicide, alienation from families, and alcohol and drug abuse. 40% of Americans are opposed to allowing homosexuals to serve as ministers or elementary school teachers, according to a 2001 Gallup Poll. I do not understand this, homosexuals are not rapists or murderers and they should not be treated as though they are. Recently, in Lehigh Acres, Sammy Freeze and his partner Matthew Grist’s home was set afire. Investigators have called it an arson and labeled Freeze and Grist as victims of a hate crime. This crime was a much bigger deal then the Don Imus comment. Imus hurt many feelings, but these two men lost their home. Why is it more morally unacceptable to be racist and sexist, but not such a big deal to be homophobic?

One of the main arguments for the intolerance of gay and lesbian viewpoints is that, in the past, many religions regarded homosexuality as immoral or sinful. Because of this, society attached a stigma to being homosexual. Or maybe, religion is just an excuse. William Norman Grigg states, "Homosexuals and their campaign for gay rights and for tolerance toward gays and lesbians are a serious threat to religion." Can a gay man not love God and devote himself to his word just as much as a straight man can? Gays are becoming accepted into religion, it's the straight believers that are not accepting. On March 26, an article written by Rachel Zoll, spoke of how a major seminary and flagship institution of Conservative Judaism said that it will start to accept openly gay and lesbian students. That was after, of course, scholars interpreted Jewish law for the movement, and a vote allowed it. Eisen, who was interviewed by Zoll, said, "The larger issue has been how we can remain true to our tradition in general and to halakah (Jewish law) in particular, while staying fully responsive and immersed in our society and culture." Earlier in the month, a smaller conservative seminary in Los Angeles announced that it too has accepted its first openly gay and lesbian applicants. Reverend Dennis Meredith of Tabernacle Baptist Church began preaching acceptance of gay men and lesbians a few years ago. While attracting some homosexuals who were seriously considering suicide and some who had left their Baptist faith in earlier years and wanted to badly return, he also lost generous parishioners, who did not agree with his belief. Attendance gradually began to drop. Reverend Meredith said in this article, "Don't let anyone tell you can't do it because of your lifestyle, because of your sexuality, because you don't have an education, because you've done time. Because God knew you before you were born, when you were still in your mother’s womb. If God loves everybody, who am I not to love everybody?" In St. Paul Reverend Oliver White lost almost all of his 70 congregants after he voted to support the blessing of same-sex unions in his denomination, the United Church of Christ. All religions are faiths, way to live, something to turn to during all points of your life. No religion, that I am aware of, accepts or gives its condolences to treat people unfairly because of what they believe.

On the legal side, isn't America supposed to be the land of the free? The government, however, has decided to take it upon themselves to decide who gets what freedoms. "Constitutional" amendments ban gay marriage. Because homosexuals cannot marry they can pass on only a fraction of their estates, they do not have equal parenting rights, and they cannot live with a foreigner that they love. Several European countries have passed legislation that recognizes homosexual unions. However, such laws generally refer to registered partnerships rather than to marriage and homosexual unions do not enjoy all the rights granted to partners in heterosexual marriages. If I remember correctly, the Civil War occurred because of prejudice against blacks. Are we heading down the same road? Florida has a ban on gay adoption. This law was voted on in 1977, a time when people knew little about gay parenting. The decision to change the law was triggered by a gay parents and entertainer Rosie O'Donnell's public stands on the matter. Other publicity for gay adoption included full page advertisements in three Florida newspapers pressing for a change in the law. Steven Lofton and Roger Croteau, two gay men, are currently and successfully raising five children. They adopted two of the children before they moved to Florida but the other three are Florida foster children. One of the children, who has lived with the couple since he was nine weeks old (he is currently 11) is about to be adopted by a heterosexual family. The couple has not been able to adopt Bert because as a gay couple in Florida they are not legally allowed to. The couple is good enough to raise and care for children, just not adopt them as their own. They are not free in America, nor are they equal. In 1999, only 10 states had enacted laws protecting the rights of gays and lesbians in housing and the workplace. Which meant that in 40 states discriminated in against homosexuals in housing or in work and it was not illegal. During the same time, 20 states had laws prohibiting sodomy, which is anal or oral sexual relations. Based on this law, children could be removed from the home if they had homosexual parents. Would courts use the sodomy law to remove children from their parents or parents if they were heterosexual? Sexual behavior between consenting adults in private should be protected by the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection of the laws. No one should have to live in America, in fear.
Family is supposed to be a crowd of open arms, ready to show you love, affection, and acceptance at any given moment. For many homosexuals, however, this is a dream, not reality. In Uganda, Olivia Nabuwala informed her family that she was a lesbian. Her relatives were so angry and ashamed to learn of this they hurled insults at her, beat her, and stripped her down, held her there, and allowed a stranger to rape her. Her family felt as though this was a good punishment for her. Punishment for what exactly? Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from family members is the correct form of punishment when you fall in love with someone that’s the same sex as yourself. I think not. Olivia is seeking a US asylum. To qualify for asylum, applicants must demonstrate past persecution or well-founded fear of future persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular group, which now includes gays. They must also show that the government was unable or unwilling to protect them. An immigration judge in Minnesota said that he didn't doubt Olivia had suffered in Uganda because of her sexual orientation. Even after saying this, he ruled that the rape was a "private family mistreatment" and the government was not authorized to step in. Fortunately for Olivia, the eighth US Circuit Court of Appeals said that the judge used the wrong legal standard and ordered the case to be sent back for further proceedings on whether the Uganda government was unwilling or unable to control the abuse.
Whether homosexuals are being discriminated against by strangers, the government, or their own families they are still being discriminated against. They are being beat up, figuratively and literally. Homosexuality is simply a matter of being. Homosexuals have no more and no different problems than anyone else. It is not wrong or a personality disorder. People need to begin opening their minds and their hearts to things that are different from themselves. While laws can help protect homosexuals, it is up to the community as a whole to accept them in today's society.