Argumentative Side for LGBTQ Rights.

LGBTQ+ Rights

Angel Varner
English IV-Pd.
Mr. Tyra 
9 February 2021
LGBTQ+ Rights
Imagine with me, constant hate towards you. You always never feel in place with the surroundings around you. Where you feel you fit better in a museum because of how much people stare and judge you. Life is not an art competition where you need to debate on every piece of artwork to find which is better. Everyone is their own panting defining their personality. And the LGBTQ+ community tends to have the most colorful paintings. But all LGBTQ+ people are taught and in some cases forced the darkest color they can find to cover their personality. Today I have 6 trusted sources informing you in the most recent years about how we are all treated. And maybe, just maybe you can be that person who stands up and prevents murders, rapes, discrimination, and bulling. 
    The first article “The State of the LGBTQ Community in 2020” interviewed 1,528 adults (18 or older) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The major study concludes that many people continue to face discrimination and daily and that getting health care can be quite difficult. These discriminations affect their financial, mental, and physical well-being. People in the LGBTQ+ community have even claimed they changed themself to fit society to avoid “trauma associated and unequal treatment”. Kids are more affected by discrimination than adults, but the adults still seem to have to walk through hell. A future article will explain how many more risks LGBTQ+ community is to suicide than normal teens. The adults needing healthcare at the time is a big issue. The pandemic is among us and the deaths are calculated and raised by each day. There is a higher chance of people known in the LGBTQ+ community being denied the health care they need to survive from the world spreading virus. Here are some facts from the statistics of the interviews; “more than 1 in 3 LGBTQ Americans faced discrimination of some kind in the past year, including more than 3 in 5 transgender americans.” “Discrimination adversely affects the mental and economic well-being of many LGBTQ Americans, including 1 in 2 who report moderate or significant negative psychological impacts.” “To avoid he experience of discrimination more than half of LGBTQ Americans report hiding a personal relationship, and about ⅕ to ⅓ have altered other aspects of their personal or work lives.” “Around 3 in 10 LGBTQ Americans faced difficulties last year accessing necessary medical care due to cost issues.” “15% of LGBTQ Ameriacns report postponing or avoiding medical treatment due to discrimination.” Other facts can be listed deeper as we go into the 13 page front in back article if you print it off of on google docs. By the articles first graph it shows that the top people affected by discrimination in the community is Nonbinary/genderqueer/agander/ gender-nonconforming by 69%. The second is transgender by 62%. The most affected generation is Gen Z. Between male and female women are the ones affected the most. But even the rest of the world doesn't claim the TOP TWO of all discrimination. The next graph gives percentages on where discrimination mostly takes place. And about 50% are in major public spaces, 21% at school, 15% with law enforcement. But with the Gen Z school was the highest place they encountered discrimination at 46% compared to 41% in public places. 
    This second article called “In sprint to address LGBTQ rights, Biden reverses Trump-era ban on transgender people serving in the military”. This article is short but sweet and describes what Joe Biden OUR NEWEST PRESIDENT by 2021 is taking action against the discrimination. He didn’t just relieve Trump's ban, he put LGBTQ people in office! First the ban, he proposed the idea saying that disincluding trans people can be a loss of “qualified service members”. And I quote “America is stronger, at home and around the world, when it is inclusive.” the White House said  in a statement, “The military is no exception”. Biden seeks to support transgender equality- which the president has called, “the civil rights issue of our time,” - and gay and lesbian rights. FOr transportation secretary, Biden has chosen Pete Buttigieg, who would become the first openly gay cabinet member. Rachel Levine, tapped to be top health official would become the first openly transgender federal officer to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Biden has also pushed for passage of the Equality Act, which would add anti-bias protections for LGBTQ people in all 50 states, covering housing and public services in the ways that are currently in place in the 21 states. But, The legislation was approved in the House but not in the Senate. We need to make our voices louder so we can reach them. Our president is fighting for people being treated like people, for everyone to be equal, why can’t you back him up? Is life really going to be that difficult to look at a different perspective? Biden has also said that he would direct the Education Department to vigorously enforce and investigate any violations. Your children will be accepted and safe at the same time, what good parent doesn't want that for their kid? 
    Our third article “U.S. Supreme Court arguments on gay, transgender rights coincide with widening culture wars overseas”. Let's bring some past things up this time from 1964 to 2019. Did you know that people's gender were on the line for them keeping a job? The Supreme Court decided to look into weather gay and transgender workers were protcted by federal law. And by Trump's administration's standards, yes. They argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits worker discrimination “because of sex”. There is also a previous decision by the Supreme Court in 1989 based on gender stereotypes and a similar 2015 conclusion by the Equal Employment Opportunity commission. We all need to step in. The government can only do so much. I mean an incident in Brunei, suspended a law imposing the death penalty for gay sex ONLY AFTER Global protests. Even though public approval of same-sex marriage has risen in a number of countries there are growing fears of a conservative backlash supported by opportunistic, popular right-wing politicians. In Brazil the country’s Supreme Court recently criminalized homophobia, same-sex marriage has been legalized, and liberal institutions have made their support for LGBTQ individuals more visible. Even with all of this good news of the government being involved the president named Jair Bolsonaro, whose homophobic remarks are endangering LGBTQ individuals. A political opinion can change so much in it’s people. One of the main groups who support discrimination are Christian groups and have pushed for bans on sexual identity education. Even teaching about LGBTQ history or health seems to make people upset. An attack  actually was taken place during an LGBTQ+ parade in the eastern polish city of Bialystok, as anti-LGBTQ protesters attacked participants in the march. Let alone in Hungary a senior member of the Fidesz ruling party called for a boycott of Coca-Cola in August, after one of the company’s as campaigns featured same-sex couples. Even in France the far right recently joined forces with religious leader to rally against an effort by President Emmanuel Macron to allow single women and lesbian couples access to in vitro fertilization. The freedom party still suffered significant losses, in what may serve as a warning to other right-wing parties seeking to exploit anti-LGBTQ sentiments electorally. 
    Continuing on a separate article ( THE BIDEN PLAN TO ADVANCE LGBTQ+ EQUALITY IN A 'MERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD) Biden has been taking steps from when he's been vice president to now being president. But he is now having to reverse what Trump and his men have done. How did he do this? He did this by “blocking the ability of transgender individuals to openly serve their country, denying LGBTQ+ people access to critical health care, proposing policies allowing federally funded homeless shelters to turn away transgender people and federally funded adoption agencies to reject same-sex couples, and failing to address the epidemic of violence against transgender people—particularly transgender women of color—the Trump-Pence Administration has led a systematic effort to undo the progress President Obama and Vice President Biden made.” points made throughout this article are Explained more deeply please go to the website to fully understand the points they explain. But they cover how Biden will: protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination; support LGBTQ+ youth; protect LGBTQ+ individuals from violence and work to end the epidemic violence against transgender community, particularly transgender women of color; expand access to high-quility health care for LGBTQ+ individuals; Ensure treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the criminal justice system; collect data necessary to fully support the LGBTQ+ community; advance global LGBTQ+ rights and development. “No one should be fired, denied a home or access to services because of who they are or who they love” -Joe Biden, May 17, 2019. With this Biden will: empower federal agencies to be champions for equality; nominate and appoint federal officials and judges who represent the diversity of the LGBTQ+ people; ensure that leaders across the federal agencies are committed to fully enforcing our civil rights laws for LGBTQ+ individuals; ensure that we give the agencies charged with enforcing our non-discrimination laws the funds they need to fully pursue this obligation. In November 2019, the Trump-Pence Administration proposed a rule that will permit adoption and foster care agencies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ families to receive government funding. Biden is doing everything he can to make this world, starting with the US, a better place for LGBTQ+ people. Transgender people and non-binary people without identification documents that reflect their gender identiy are often exposed to harrasment and violence and denied empolyment, housing, criticle public benifits, and even the right to vote. “These children are the kite strings that lift our national ambitions aloft. And how we treat them is the measure of what kind of decency and honor we have as a society” -Joe Biden, June 1, 2019. If the president can make these moves so can you. 
    What the next article will give you is a strong sense of anger. “Raised to Hate: Kids of Westboro Baptist Church”. This is one of the worst ways kids are being raised. It may not be as bad as kids being raised to this day but some churches are still teaching kids to hate, not just on LGBTQ+ people but the military too! “Westbro, based out of Topeka, Kan, spreads the message that bbecause the United States condones homosexuality, aborion and divorce, all Americans are going to Hell. It’s a message they hammer home to their children from birth.” Matthew Shepard, a guy who lived in Wyoming, was beaten to death by two men because he was gay and the church held signs proclaiming Shepard was in Hell because of his sexuality. “The church members insist they actually love everybody, and that is why they and their kids do picket events. They say they are warning everyone of God’s anger in hopes people will change their ways. However, that message often riles up crowds and can be put in the church’s members and their young children into danger.” One of the guys, Bo, had even said,”military people mostly do the nastiest stuff.. Like they, like, let their kids be raped and stuff like that,” when he got asked why he thought military people were going to Hell. These kids are being raised to hate and discriminate. It’s not just what the governments say that affects everything. Parents teaching their kids as their brain is developed will make them believe almost their whole life that so many things are something that isn’t true. If you truly hate LGBTQ+ people, you need to actually pinpoint the reason. How do you know you weren’t just raised to think that way. Your thoughts and opinions ARE YOURS! You are free to think and feel as you wish. You don’t need to impress others because ‘it looks cool’ because it doesn't. Take this into consideration, maybe its not just the big things in life that were affected by bad raising of kids. “The children of the Westboro Baptist Church can be seen singing enthusiastically to the tune of songs like "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," saying instead, "Santa Claus will take you to hell," as well as the Beatles classic "Hey Jude" ("Hey, Evil Reprobate Jew").” Even lullabies were changed about people going to Hell. One of the kids, Lauren Drian, was raised this way. But as she reached her 20s she said she began to question the gospel she was surrounded by, questions that quickly drew the ire of her fellow congregants. “I saw some hypocrisy, and I mentioned them and they hated it” she said,”You’re not supposed to question anything.” She later got kicked out of her house and got divided from her family. Not because she left, but because her family refused to be around her. When she tried to apologise and ask if she could do anything in return to get them back, they didn’t cry. They laughed at her. And that was their response. 
    Lastly let's talk about another touchy subject. Teen suicide. Did you know that LGBTQ+ kids are one of the most vulnerable groups targeted groups for bulling. And that these teens have a higher rate in low-self esteem than normal kids who are bullied. Them feeling constantly out of place, having to hide themselves from everyone, and feeling misunderstood has cause many teens in the community to end their life. 18 year old Tyler Clementi, 15 year old Bill Lucus, and 13 year olds Asher Brown and Seth Walsh were living in different corners of America- New Jersey, Indiana, Texas, and California- but each of them was subjected to the same kind of intolerance and cruelty. Including a callous violation of their own privacy. Approximately 90% of gay, lesbian, transgender pr bisexual middle and high school students report being physically or verbally harassed in 2009. And the years have just gotten worse from their.  36,909 suicides happened in the year of 2009. Amd there were 47,511 suicides in 2019. But guess what? There where 1.38M estimated suicide attempts in 2019. And it has been calculated that around 84% of those suicides, attempts, where teens. Parents are responsible for their kids’ behavior, and they need to teach them to intolerant of intolerance. All parents are subjected to teaching their kids what they need to learn. If you have a child who is feeling guilty or ashamed of the sexual thoughts he or she is having, parents need to know and give them reassurance that there's nothing wrong with different sexual thoughts or sexuality in general. Pushing kids away from the LGBTQ+ community can most of the time do the opposite. The child will feel you don’t understand them if they are having secret feelings to the same sex and can turn away from thier parents and result in runaways, suicides, or even pushed further into the community. Teens want to spend time with their parents. Teen long for the acceptance of their parents but never admit it. But the key thing is is that Teens only want to spend time with their parents and be able to talk openly about their lives without feeling judged. You as a parent should have tolerance, respect, appreciation, and love raised into your kids mind, and you should treat them the same that you teach them to do for others. 
    Here we talked about touchy subjects, the government, what you can do, and steps that have already been taken. Every person counts. You may not think you affect the world but lets put it in a scenario. Lets say you have a child and you teach them against falling in love with the same sex. They could easily be bullies and cause other kids to attempt suicide. And let put it as, you are just affecting one person right? It’s just your kid, you're not directly affecting anything right? WRONG! Your kid affects at least 10 people in each classroom. Lets just say they only talk to half that much. But those 5 kids interact with other kids. Let's say at least 2 other kids. Just 3 rounds into just talking to your kid and your kid talking to their friends and their friends talking, in this scenario you’ve affected 10 others lives. And it does just stop there. Parents wire their kids’ brains to think negative of others. Just three parents doing this already affects 30 people. It is time for you to make a change. Because doing anything does something. 

Works Cited

A National Public Opinion Study “The State of the LGBTQ Community in 2020” https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/reports/2020/10/06/491052/state-lgbtq-community-2020/ 
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021
Missy Ryan, Samantha Schmidt and Matt Viser “In sprint to address LGBTQ rights, Biden reverses Trump-era ban on transgender people serving in the military” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-reverses-transgender-military-ban-trump/2021/01/25/38960998-5f1b-11eb-ac8f-4ae05557196e_story.html
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021
Rick Noack “U.S. Supreme Court arguments on gay, transgender rights coincide with widening culture wars overseas” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/10/08/us-supreme-court-arguments-gay-transgender-rights-coincide-with-widening-culture-wars-overseas/ 
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021
None stated, “THE BIDEN PLAN TO ADVANCE LGBTQ+ EQUALITY IN A 'MERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD” https://joebiden.com/lgbtq-policy/  
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021
GLENN RUPPEL, KELSEY MYERS and EAMON MCNIFF “Raised to Hate: Kids of Westboro Baptist Church” https://abcnews.go.com/2020/raised-hate-kids-westboro-baptist-church/story?id=10809348
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021
Harold S. Koplewicz, MD “LGBT Teens, Bullying, and Suicide” https://childmind.org/article/lgbt-teens-bullying-and-suicide/ 
    Today, Accessed 9 February 2021, back to 25 january 2021