A Research on Heterosexism

Heterosexism (Research and Thesis proposal)

The topic that I would like to explore on my finale research paper is in regards of LGBT community families and the effect of existing heterosexism on those families.
There are three types of heterosexism that greatly impact lives of LGBT communities and their families throughout the United States. First, is an individual heterosexism which according to Koppelman, K. L. (2017). is a prejudiced attitudes and behavior against others based on the assumption that sexual orientations other than heterosexual are unnatural(p.253); Second, is an institutional heterosexism that contains established laws, customs, and practices in a society that allow systematic discrimination against people or groups who are not heterosexual Koppelman, K. L. (2017).; and last one is called a cultural heterosexism As Koppelman, K. L. (2017). states The societal promotion of negative beliefs and practices that reinforce dominant culture traits that define heterosexuality as the norm and anything else as deviant and unacceptable (p.252) It also promotes the assumption of superiority of heterosexuals over those who are not heterosexual.

What fascinates me about this topic is that LGBT marriages are on the raise according to the newest polls. More than 10.4% of LGBT adults are married to a same-sex spouse, and there is an observable trend of an increase in number of same-sex marriages. According to Gallup polls (2017) About 67% of Americans voicing their approval for gay marriages but still there are people who thinks gay marriage is not right and that LGBT community should not have right to have biological or adoptive children. Another reason for which I chose this topic is a gay couple that I observe on social media. Trystan Reese is a transgender man who got married with his boyfriend Biff and they adopted two children who were in desperate need for home. Later Trystan got pregnant with their biological child and was known in media as a pregnant man. Trystan and Biff endured lots of hatred and prejudice, but it didn't stop them from being LGBT activists.

My intended goal is to prove that gay marriages can be as nurturing and loving for their children as heterosexual marriages. Also, I want to teach the reader that there are no developmental or deviant changes in children who were raised by gay couples, and most importantly being raised by gay couple does not influence sexual orientation of an individual. Several myths regarding parenting in LGBT community caused misconceptions and harmful prejudices; therefore, the indented goal of this research paper is to show evidence that it is beneficial for gay marriages to have social acceptance especially when they are raising children.
My thesis proposal is: Same sex marriage should be destigmatized, socially accepted in all 50 states because disapproval of its validity has negative psychological and social impact on same sex couples, their children and families.

The literature for the research that I have found on ACC web library is:

• Jefferson, Ashley Nicole (2014) Graduate Theses and Dissertations in defense of love and same-sex parenting: rhetorical analysis of the apologia from children of same-sex couples. (2014). United States, North America.
• Taylor & Francis Online, 2018. Assessing Prejudice Toward Two-Father Parenting and Two-Mother Parenting: The Beliefs on Same-Sex Parenting Scale. (2018).
• Ball, C. A. (2014). Same-Sex Marriage and Children: A Tale of History, Social Science, and Law. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Triger, Z. (2013). The child's worst interests: socio-legal taboos on same-sex parenting and their impact on children's well-being. Israel Studies Review

References:

1. Koppelman, K. L. (2017). Understanding Human Differences (5th ed.). [VitalSource]. Retrieved from
   https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780133949780/
2. https://news.gallup.com/poll/234866/two-three-americans-support-sex-marriage.aspx https://www.people-press.org/2017/06/26/support-for-same-sex-marriage-grows-even-among-groups-that-had-been-skeptical/

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