Essay on being Judged Unfairly

For years, members of the LGBTQ community have been unfairly judged due to the questioning of their sexual orientation. Many of these people have faced some sort of discrimination and/or have been through events that discourage them to embrace who they are. Homosexual individuals feel they are being excluded from society due to countless reasons such as culture, a fear of change in relationships, and constantly being told to stick to the status quo.There has been various instances in which normal people of the LGBTQ community have been frowned upon because of different cultural aspects. In order to prove this claim, a study in Ghana took place in which they performed an experiment where a number of students were tested on their attitudes towards homosexuals. “Findings indicated that participants had prejudicial attitudes toward homosexuals, rating them as very unfavourable” (Angela, Gyamerah, and Akotia 1). Furthermore, a poll was taken by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public life to help us understand the views opposed to gay marriages. According to the source they found, “...that opposition to gay marriage and homosexuality is highest among the most religious” (Waldman 1).

Some religious people say they are against homosexuality because they are not able to create new life, while others believe that it is simply unorthodox therefore, they are against it. A constant fear that always seems to be aflame within a homosexual individual is the fear of coming out to their family and friends. The idea that they will be treated differently once they come out has been known to stop kids from telling the truth about their sexual orientation. According to an article about a family’s impact on dating decisions, they performed multiple experiments to see who’s leaves a stronger impact; family or friends? They found many different results including the idea that, “...the effect for friends was slightly stronger than the effect for family” (Blair and Pukall 258).  I believe this is because, as human beings we have a natural instinct to want to fit in and go along with the rest of the group. However, his thought contradicts the proposal that parents have a bigger impact on their children’s decisions which is also very true.

Most parents are known to push their kids to always be the best. It can be very stressful at times, considering that most of us are always looking for our parents’ approval. Many homosexuals are only striving through society to get the approval of others, in order to feel that sense of inclusion in this world. Many homosexuals are treated differently in public places and are constantly being taught to follow the social norms in society. There has been many instances of discrimination of the LGBT community in public workplaces and/or schools. For example, some sports had been “...mobilized for the construction and maintenance of a representation of masculinity.” (Prado 1). Meaning that those who do not fit this label were pushed to the sidelines. Individuals who have been thought of as “different”, are usually victims of bullying and harassment. Many homosexuals have been taunted and teased because to some they seem “socially abnormal”, which is definitely not the case. This feeling of exclusion impacts the decisions of LGBTQ youths to come out and express their inner most thoughts.All inclusive, there are many reasons as to why the  LGBTQ community feel that they are being rejected in society due to their sexuality.

These social claims cannot go unnoticed. Homosexuals should not have to worry about things like the impact of culture, the fear of losing those closest to you, and the fear of being discriminated by the people around you. There needs to be a change.  

Resources

1. Blair, Karen L. and Caroline F. Pukall. 'Family Matters, but Sometimes Chosen Family Matters  More: Perceived Social Network Influence in the Dating Decisions of Same- and Mixed-Sex Couples.'
2. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, vol. 24, no. 3, Dec. 2015, pp. 257-270.Gyasi-Gyamerah, Angela A. and Charity S. Akotia. 'Religious Commitment and Prejudicial  Attitudes toward Homosexuals in Ghana.'
3. IFE Psychologia, vol. 24, no. 2, July 2016, pp. 279-289.“Like Walking Through a Hailstorm’ | Discrimination Against LGBT Youth in US Schools.”
4. Human Rights Watch, 6 June 2017. Vagner Matias do, Prado. 'Between Queeros and Speeches: Standardization of Conducts, Homosexualities and Homophobia in the Practices of School Physical Education.'
5. Práxis Educativa, Vol 12, Iss 2, Pp 501-519 (2017), no. 2, 2017, p. 501.Waldman, Steven. “Why Religious People Are against Gay Marriage.” Slate Magazine, 19 Nov. 2003.

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