Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity - 1496 Words

What would you think if you knew that throughout your whole life, an untrue assumption had been made about you? How would you feel about total strangers believing that the assumption was reality, the media advertising products and marketing movies to you based on this assumption, and even your family supporting it? If the assumption was about a personal issue, this would be hurtful, confusing, and maybe even psychologically damaging. This hypothetical situation comes alive when examining the problem of heteronormativity: defined as believing that everyone is heterosexual, thus ignoring the LGBT population. To someone who is heterosexual, it might not seem like a big deal for straightness to be the â€Å"norm.† However, the more than 8 million LGBT people in America are affected by heteronormativity everywhere they turn. It is true that civil rights for LGBT people have progressed enormously. As of January 2, 2015, 35 states have legalized same-sex marriage, 18 states have work place discrimination laws that cover both sexual orientation and gender identity, and the majority of public schools must have bullying policies that protect LGBT students. Despite how far we have come, there is still a lot of work to do in the area of acceptance. The only way homophobia will be diminished on a large scale is through education. This education can be spurred by eradicating heteronormative standards in the media, in the sales market, and most importantly in institutional settings, namely,Show MoreRelatedSexual Orientation And Gender Identity863 Words   |  4 PagesRecent studies estimate that between one and nine million children in the United States have at least one parent who is either lesbian, gay, or transgender. However, many people feel uncomfortable about being open due to their sexual orientation and gender identity due to fears of discrimination; such fears include, but are not limited to, loss of employment, loss of child custody, anti-gay violence and ha te crimes. Although many people may have distinctive opinions on certain outcomes or effectsRead MoreSexual Orientation And Gender Identity2164 Words   |  9 Pages As mainstream media is now embracing the once taboo topics of sexual orientation and gender identity as popular culture utilities, psychologists and medical professionals are still researching the biological, psychological, and social differences between the two. Since the phenomena of  ¨coming out, or openly identifying as a sexual orientation or gender identity besides heterosexual or cisgender respectively, is a relatively recent anomaly, there is limited but contemporary research. The analysesRead MoreGender Identity And Sexual Orientation3311 Words   |  14 Pagessexualities and gender identities are quickly becoming more accepted in mainstream society. Despite this change, there are many people who believe that having a different sexual orientation or gender identity is a choice that is frowned upon. In order to refute this belief, research and biology of the brain is necessary. Researching the brain on the basis of sexuality is a fairly new topic of discussion because it is somewhat difficult and confusing. This paper will explore the different identities of genderRead MoreSexual Orientation And Gender Identity Essay1878 Words   |  8 Pagesthey have become more open about their community and have gained rights that they should have always had. Even though the community has made progress they still have a long way way to go especially within the workplace. The topic of sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the workplace is something I am very passionate about. When I was nine years old my father came out to me and every sense then gay rights has been something I am extremely passionate about. My father has worked forRead More Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Essay example3593 Words   |  15 Pagesand gender identities are quickly becoming more accepted in mainstream society. Despite this change, there are many people who believe that having a different sexual orientation or gender identity is a choice that is frowned upon. In order to refute this belief, research and biology of the brain is necessary. Researching the brain on the basis of sexuality is a fairly new topic of discussion because it is somewhat difficult and confusing. This paper will explore the different identities of genderRead More Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and The Social Pressures of Adolescents1983 Words   |  8 PagesAlthou gh we live in modern times, stigmas regarding gender identity cease to exist. These biases are prevalent within various cultures. Male and female adolescents are stifled from expressing themselves based on how they personally relate to their own femininity or masculinity and sex roles. The cause of this constriction of emotions is due in large part to these young people being coerced into obeying the rules of society. In addition, societal constructions seem to totally disregard theRead MoreThe Prevention Of Violence And Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity1713 Words   |  7 Pagesviolence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Student Officer: Sarah Lim Position: Chair of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee ________________________________________ Introduction: Gender identity and sexual orientation is one of the more stigmatized and marginalized aspects of self-expression for any human in our society today. A state or country with a more liberal take on the expression of gender identity and sexual orientation tends to be more prosperous, inRead MoreGay Marriage And Its Slow Progression Of Acceptance1441 Words   |  6 Pagesprominent theme in society as more time passes. According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation refers to the sex or sexual interest to whom one is sexually and romantically attracted to. Heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality are the three mostly familiar categories of sexual orientation for a typical person, and these sexualities make up for 98.9% of the sexual orientation among American adults (Ward 1, et al). But what about the other 1.1% of sexualities? While theseRead MoreThe Importance Of Human Sexuality In The United States876 Words   |  4 Pagesthe first 10 articles on the pa ge and found that the seventh result was what I was looking for. I chose this particular article because it was a 10-yearlong study dedicated to sexual identity in the United States. This is a national longitudinal study examining the stability and change of sexual orientation identity over time data was drawn from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States through a survey. The survey was conducted twice either by mail or phone what theyRead MoreGay, Straight, And The Reason About Sexual Orientation1236 Words   |  5 Pageshuman sexual orientation. More same-sex couples have fostered children than ever before in our nation s history. Institutions such as military and professional sports have (slowly but surely) began to accept openly gay members. Most importantly, a recent amendment to the Marriage Act of 1961 now defines marriage as a union of two people; an amendment which removed the prohibition of same-sex marriages. These landmarks in the progression of social awareness surrounding sexual orientation are derivative