...'That the Australian Government legalise gay marriage in all states of Australia.' Which couple do you think is happier? Which couple do you think has the right to the security of marriage? Today I want to explain the very prevalent issue of gay marriage and what it means to gay couples, couples like the one in the photo. So what is gay marriage? What is the issue that people have been so strongly for and against? In Australian it is the federal legislation of same sex marriage. Through the alteration of the marriage act to include the marriage of same sex couples. In doing so affording the same rights to gay couples as straight couples. The main grounds people provide to why we shouldn’t allow gay marriage is that marriage is a community and religious value that only a man and a woman have the right to. In our society we also believe in the power of racial, social and religious equality so why do we continue to discriminate against gays and they’re right to marriage. I agree with the people that say marriage is a community value, Marriage holds together society and is at the core of the Australian family, but were I disagree is on the point that it should only be between a man and a woman. Why should such a valued and cherished thing like marriage be deprived to people simply because of there sexuality? The answer to that is it shouldn’t be, it shouldn’t be because the love between a woman and a man and two men or women is the same, because love is unconditional and...
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...BCOM/275 June 18, 2012 Robert Beaudry William J. Bennett Article Rebuttal Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not dictated by one’s sexual preferences let alone sexism or racism but by ones will to live and love. Over the centuries, society has evolved to allow for corrections to inequalities. Changes such as women’s rights and minority rights have changed to reflect human equality. Reading the Gay Marriage: Not a Very Good Idea article was a bit disturbing to me since I believe in human rights and equality. The rights for woman and the rights for males regardless of the their sexual preferences are being violated based on our constitution as it pertains to choosing who we want to partner with. The institution of marriage is an exclusive relationship in which one individual commits to another in mind, body and soul in a joint venture of their lives. Laws against same sex marriage exposes hatred and inequality to said individuals due to the nature of their union (male – male, female – female). The opposition to gay marriages contradicts our views on equality as stated in our constitution. Devaluation, as stated by Bennett (1996), of marriage because of sexual revolution is essentially stating that each individual is striped of his or her rights once they join in same sex marriage because the value of marriage has been tainted. Traditionally, marriage meant to bring businesses and political alliances together as one to improve their living...
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...Have you experienced being near two gays who were talking in quite a different language altogether? And were you not surprised that you could understand some of the words they were saying? Yes. It is gayspeak, that wonderful lingo, argot, or jargon, which Filipino gays in general seamlessly switch into when they are gathered together or most immediately when they are around other people in order perhaps to “cloak” their intimate conversations, the better to protect the “virgin” ears of those around them. Historically though, it is known as swardspeak, a word coinage in the 1970s attributed by Jose Javier Reyes to columnist and movie critic Nestor Torre. Reyes himself devoted a book on the subject titled Swardspeak: A Preliminary Study. No other term has replaced swardspeak in local usage since the 70s but Ronald Baytan (in his essay “Language, Sex, and Insults: Notes on Garcia and Remoto’s The Gay Dict”) opines that the term sward these days has become anachronistic, making it improper to call the language of the gay people as “swardspeak” preferring instead to term it gayspeak. Consciously or unconsciously, even straights or heterosexuals have peppered their vocabulary with words traceable to gayspeak. Mention the word anech (from “ano” or “what” in English with anesh, anik, anikla as varieties) to anyone in the metropolitan area and in all likelihood, the person being spoken to will reply as casually. There are also the familiar words chika, chuva, and lafang. Thanks or no...
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..."In the Philippines, the term gay has been used loosely to include homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, crossdressers, and effeminate men. Filipino gays are mostly stereotyped as effeminate, crossdressers, hairdressers, camp and ridiculed. Bakla or Bading, a derogatory Filipino word for gay, is commonly used. Tibo or tomboy has a similar function, and refers to lesbians, usually of the butch and masculine type. A more benign slang word for gay men is billy boy. For Filipino gays, the Tagalog phrase "paglaladlad ng kapa" (literally means "unfurling of the cape") refers to the coming-out process. Although gays and lesbians are generally tolerated within Philippine society, there are still widespread cases of discrimination. Swardspeak is a vernacular language derived from Englog (English-Tagalog) and is used by a number of gay Filipinos. It uses elements from Tagalog, English, and Spanish, and some are from Nippongo, as well as celebrities' names and signature brands, giving them new meanings in the context of this unique language. A unique trait of swardspeak is that it immediately identifies the speaker as homosexual, making it easy for people of that orientation to signal to each other in a place where such tendencies are not easy to display (ie in the Philippines). This creates an exclusive world among its speakers and helps them to resist cultural assimilation. By using swardspeak, Filipino gay men are able to resist the dominant culture of their area and create...
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...should however, respect one another regardless of one's sexual orientation and differences just like how we have come to be accepting of people who are of a different race. Hence, homosexuals should not be treated any differently from heterosexuals either. For years, homosexuals have been fighting for equal rights. Discriminations against homosexuals are often openly expressed and unfair treatments between homosexuals and heterosexuals are observed in many countries. In a gay community, it also consists of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered (LGBT). LGBT people often have to face social ostracism as most people have strong religious beliefs that disapprove of homosexuality and they usually have little or no social contact with them. Discrimination and prejudice against homosexuals are seen in places even schools. Most of the time, people, especially the younger generations, use words related to homosexuality as an insult. This way, it creates an inaccurate idea that it is wrong and undesirable to be gay. Boys are often stereotyped to be sporty and less expressive and thus, any boy who is more emotional or friendly with other boys will be subjected to name callings such as 'girl' or 'sissy'. Girls who are more sporty or boyish could be called 'dykes' or 'lesbians' too. Unfortunately, these sorts of discriminating behaviors often go...
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...Andrea Marshall Kim Palmore English 1B 30 May 2012 Conformity: A Concealed Identity Society is made up of predominately heterosexual people. Our instincts tell us in order to repopulate the world; a man and a woman must reproduce offspring. This is considered to be a social norm; mankind’s very survival depends on it. More recently, society has given people the ability to express themselves in ways they never thought possible. The American Gay Rights Movement in 1924 sparked animosity throughout the nation creating discrimination toward the gay community. This movement brought about significant change; unfortunately, not all people were willing to accept it. People’s resistance to change is usually based on ignorance or the desire to conform in an attempt to avoid becoming an outcast. In the novel, Stone Butch Blues, written by Leslie Feinberg, Jess Goldberg becomes an outcast because of her resistance to conformity. Since Jess was brought up in a straight environment, she grew up confused, without the understanding of her true nature. Her parents rejected her differences due to the fact that they were so focused on society’s view of the social norm. Having no one to confide in, Jess was forced to set out on her own to find people she could connect with and help her to explore identity. This book demonstrates both society’s demand for conformity and the pressures that queer people face in an unjust world; Jess’ success in battling this social pressure inspires people to...
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...the chance to join you tonight. I also took a trip out to California last week, where I held some productive bilateral talks with your leader, Lady Gaga. (Laughter.) She was wearing 16-inch heels. (Laughter.) She was eight feet tall. (Laughter.) It was a little intimidating. Now, I don’t want to give a long speech. Cyndi Lauper is in the house. I can’t compete with that. (Applause.) But I wanted to come here tonight, first of all, to personally thank Joe for his outstanding years of leadership at HRC. (Applause.) What he has accomplished at the helm of this organization has been remarkable, and I want to thank all of you for the support that you’ve shown this organization and for your commitment to a simple idea: Every single American -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender -- every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of our society. It’s a pretty simple proposition. (Applause.) Now, I don’t have to tell you that we have a ways to go in that struggle. I don’t have to tell you how many are still denied their basic rights -- Americans who are still made to feel like second-class citizens, who have to live a lie to keep their jobs, or who are afraid to walk the street, or down the hall at school. Many of you have devoted your lives to the cause of equality. So you know what we have to do; we’ve got more work ahead of us. But we can also be proud of the progress we’ve made these past two and a half years. Think about it...
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...INTRODUCTION LGBT rights have been a hot topic in India during the last few months due to the Supreme Court of India‘s decision of recriminalizing gay sex. The issue of gay rights is very cloudy in our great nation. Most of this is due to the problems with the issue, the reasons for controversy, and the pros and cons of the issue. First of all, both sides have too many problems with gay rights for there to be a common ground on the issue. The biggest problem we find with the whole thing is the problem is not just fought by words, but also by physical means. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people frequently face violence motivated by their sexuality or gender identity. Violence may be executed by the state, as in laws prescribing corporal punishment for homosexual acts or by individuals engaging in intimidation, mobbing, assault, or lynching. Violence targeted at people because of their perceived sexuality can be psychological or physical and can extend to murder. These actions may be motivated by homophobia, lesbophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and may be influenced by cultural, religious, or political biases. Currently, homosexual acts are legal in almost all Western countries, and in many of these countries violence against LGBT people is classified as a hate crime, which such violence being often connected with conservative or religious leaning ideologies which condemn homosexuality, or being perpetrated by individuals who associate homosexuality to being weak...
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...Queer has become an umbrella term “that is a fluid label that acknowledges queers as different without specifying how or in what context”(PFLAG). The term queer has changed through time, similar to the change that has occurred in television as new characters are developed creating a diverse cast. Queers have been newly broadcasted in media. When queers were first portrayed in media, gay men were popular sidekicks in multiple sitcoms. For example , Will and Grace, used both gay men as best friends ,who offered comedic relief in awkward situations. There has been a shift in the portrayal of the LGBTQ community after Ellen DeGeneres revealed her own sexuality through her character Ellen Morgan in her sitcom Ellen. After Ellen’s coming out episodes emerged, the LGBTQ community was no longer in the background and now “gays are witty sidekicks, girls next door, doctors and lawyers, city officials, and teenage experimenters, garnering Emmys, accolades, and great ratings as they invade the family home through the ubiquitous tube”(Skerski 365). Ellen helped transition the role of queers from witty supporters, to significant serious characters. She made “sexual orientation [be the only] important aspect of her life, not the sole purpose of it”(Gibson, Alexander, Meem 310). Media has come a long way in the 20th century but many still don’t agree with the way queers are portrayed through media. Although shows have changed, people are still not satisfied in the way queers are viewed...
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...1. Introduction Philadelphia—the first Hollywood film to acknowledge HIV and homosexuality stars Tome Hanks in 1993. This film shows discrimination in hiring and firing, which are disability and sexual orientation. Discrimination exists in all places, at all times, not just in Canada. Even so, people still feel confused about the bounds of hiring and firing. The definition of this phenomenon is the different treatment of two equally qualified individuals on account of their age, gender and so on. In order to protect the rights of employees, governments establish laws and regulations to restrain employers’ behaviors. At the same time, moral standards can be a looser and more elastic limitation and judgments on people’s actions. To simplify, laws are clear rules written on paper, but moral standards are not clear and depend on different people. So, what is the boundary of employment? My answer is that law is the basic standard, and moral is the justice, and whether there are discriminations or not should be measured both sides—the employees’ and employers’. 2. Kinds of Discriminations Age discrimination One of the global issues is the rapidly aging population. There will be 77.3 million people with a life expectancy of 83 years, which is an estimate by the U.S. Disease Control Center 2010, for the first wave of baby-boomer generation from 1946 to 1964. At the same time, people are working longer than before, because people are living a healthier and better...
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...During the many years that Gay and Lesbian freedoms were being compromised many losses were had. Many men and women, despite biological birth were threatened, tortured, or murdered. It’s interesting to look back on these moments while trying to move forward to understand how much better things have become because of those who lost their lives for the pursuit of happiness. In this essay I will talk about the traumatic events that transpired and how they slowly led to Hate Crime Legislation. During Bill Clinton’s presidency, many painfully gruesome acts of gay bashing occurred. And due to the media’s interest in Clinton’s efforts to end the ban on gays and lesbians in the U.S. military, news of the bashings were heavily publicized. In December 31, 1993, a twenty-one year old trans man was killed. Brandon was killed when his rapists John Lotter and Tom Nissen attempted to make sure Brandon did not testify against them for the raping him when they found out that Brandon was born biologically female. In 1998 Matthew shepherd was brutally pistol-whipped, tortured and tied to a fence to die. When he was found he had experienced severe brainstem damage. This damage affected his ability to regulate body temperature, heart rate, and other vital functions. Due to his many lacerations and fractures his injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. He never regained consciousness and remained on life support until he eventually died. Due to this Clinton’s attempt to the addition...
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...the world to discover their policies and attitudes toward lesbian and gay people as prospective adoptive parents. A survey was used as the statistical procedure and a chi-square test was used as a statistical test. The statistical procedure used in this study of adoption is a questionnaire. They were mailed to directors of adoption programs from public and private adoption agencies across the United States. The total was 891. Two-hundred-fourteen of the questionnaires were used in the study. The questionnaires were from 194 private adoption agencies from 45 different states and 20 questionnaires from 20 public adoption agencies from 13 different states. From the 214 questionnaires used in the study, 165 were women and only 28 were men. The mean of their ages were 46.5. “The questionnaire was designed to identify current adoption agency policies and practices, as well as social casework attitudes, regarding adoption of children by lesbians and gay men.” The questionnaire conducted was of 13 questions. These 13 questions asked about agency type, religious affiliation, number of placements for adoption made within the two-year period of 1995-1996, percentage of placements involving domestic infants and toddlers, older, and special needs children, and children from foreign countries, awareness of state law on adoption of gay and lesbians, agency policy about this issue, number of adoptions from gay or lesbians from the two-year period, agency involvement in international...
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...LGBT Equality {Name} DeVry University LGBT Equality Rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people in the United States are comprised of a patchwork of laws in all levels of government. Currently, there are six states, plus Washington D.C., where same-sex marriages are legal. (Hamilton, 2012) Maryland has laws that recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, but does not allow same-sex marriages to occur in the state.(Davis & Wagner, 2010) Twenty-one states, plus Washington D.C., have laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.(Repa, n.d.) Adoption policies also vary greatly from state to state. LGBT rights have taken part of the fight that republicans and religious fundamentalists have waged against LGBT people and women’s rights that has swept the county in the last couple of years. Although some people believe that LGBT people should not receive equal marriage or adoption rights, there are many reasons to extend those basic rights to LGBT couples. In the United States, there is a patchwork of laws regarding LGBT rights. In fact, there is a Supreme Court judgment in 2003 that started the move towards equality. The landmark case was the Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down sodomy laws in Texas. This, by extension, invalidated other similar laws in 13 other states and territories. (Lithwick, 2012) In 2009, President Obama passed the Mathew Shepard act.(Weiner, 2010) This act brought about one of the largest...
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...full length color picture. I will be using 40 participants (20 males and 20 females) that either identify sexually as gay or straight. The participants will all be shown a series of 20 pictures for 30 seconds each, of males and females, and will be asked to identify whether they think the person shown in the picture is either straight or gay. The males and females in the pictures will have been previously identified as being either gay or straight. All results, statements and answers will be kept confidential. Does Gaydar Exist? The issue of a person’s sexual identity has always been a controversial issue for some. When it comes to the Gay and Lesbian community there is a saying or “Theory” that someone who identifies themselves sexually as homosexual has a sixth sense that is referred to as “Gaydar”. This means that for some reason it is believed that other homosexuals can spot each other out based on appearance alone. This idea that gays may have some sort of sixth sense or ability to tell if someone else is gay or not without that person verbalizing it themselves are been criticized and viewed as just stereotyping; However, if you socialize with anyone from the Gay and Lesbian community than you have probably seen Gaydar in action. Many argue that one cannot simply know someone else sexual identity by just looking at them, but the Gay community disagrees. More often than not Gaydar is mistaken...
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...Testing a theory A coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations commended the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today for announcing important changes to the way in which the “abstinence-only-until marriage” program will be administered. The coalition includes national LGBT organizations working on youth issues, including the Family Equality Council; Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); National Center for Transgender Equality; National Coalition for LGBT Health; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National; and The Trevor Project. The changes, which roll back the draconian and profoundly anti-LGBT ways in which the program was run during the Bush administration, will allow states to choose which sections of the program they will highlight and allow them to fund programs utilizing mentoring, counseling and adult supervision programs. In addition, the changes highlight the unique impact these programs have on LGBT youth so that states can work to lessen the harm caused, and they require programs to provide information that is "medically accurate," meaning it cannot be based on unproven or false information. "This is a major step in the right direction for all families. We applaud HHS and urge Congress to finally end destructive abstinence-only programs. All children deserve science-based education programs that are inclusive of everyone...
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