Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Social Movements
Diversity Organizations
During the early history of the United States, women were considered to be fit for only one job: conception. For a woman being a homemaker was a natural or traditional role. Women had few rights and even fewer educational opportunities. They were considered to be weaker than men in terms of performing physical labor, and were also considered less intellectual than men. During early education, girls showed great accomplishment, but when they began high school, their achievement decreased because of lack of educational support. Young girls were expected to learn the trades of their mother and to become a wife and mother; they were never expected to complete their education.
The 20th century was a big turn for women in the sense of equality and education rights. Finally women were allowed to vote, work, and pursue higher education. Now women have the right to …show more content…
choose not to have children. They are allowed the right to utilize birth control as well as the right to abortions. In the workforce and especially the military, women are expected to perform the same physical labor as men. Women are now also allowed to pursue any level of education they choose, and women now represent 67% of college graduates in the U.S.
There are many concepts of masculinity and femininity in society and in the media. One classic example of society’s concepts is the association of color related to gender; blue represents boys and pink represents girls. Another example would be that boys should play with cars while girls play with Barbie dolls or Disney princesses. The media is also one source that portrays many constructions of masculinity and femininity. An example is that thin, beautiful, blond women are mostly dumb, whereas a woman who is not quite so beautiful and maintains a larger size is considered ugly but very smart. For men, one concept is a man who is good looking is successful and smart and men who aren’t fortunate to look like models are not smart or successful.
Another group that had a terrible social history in the U.S. was the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual (LGBT) group. Between the 17th and 19th century sexual relations between persons of the same sex was considered a crime called sodomy; these actions were considered capital offenses. Persons who were caught cross dressing served lifetime imprisonment and even received corporal punishment. At the turn of the 20th century, many of the LGBT people went into hiding or chose not to announce their sexual orientation in fear of prosecution. In the 1920’s there was a group that attempted to support gays but was immediately put to rest. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s that society began to acknowledge LGBT and after much support Illinois became the first state to make a gay relationship non-illegal. Finally in the 1990’s, the U.S. accepted that they could not take away any person’s rights as Americans but they did enforce two laws; the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) which allowed homosexuals to join the military as longs as they kept their sexual orientation secret, and Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which kept the government from recognizing any gay marriages, even if the state did in which the couple lived in.
Currently, the fight for recognizing LGBT and their rights to marriage and dependent benefits has been the strongest yet. Section 3 of DOMA, which prevented the recognition of same-sex marriages, has been overturned. This means that the government cannot refuse federal benefits to married couples of the same sex. The fight to legalize same-sex marriage has been ongoing for nearly 15 years. Today, there are 17 states in the U.S. that recognize same-sex marriage, and the hope of the LGBT community is that DOMA Section 2, which rules that states have the right to deny any recognition of same-sex marriage, can be overruled completely and make same-sex marriage completely legal in the U.S.
There are many social and political issues that both women and LGBT have in common. It is said almost everywhere that both women and LGBT are fighting together because both groups and as individuals are still seen as the second class in this country. Gloria Steinem, a writer and political activist, stated that the war on each of these groups were in fact the same war, and share an irritated symptom of a neglected illness—heterosexual men’s unwillingness to share power. Socially it is still hard for a woman to be seen at the top of her game: successful, popular, and well paid. Equally it is hard for same-sex couples to walk through the city holding hands or showing affection without receiving ugly looks by people passing by. What these two groups want the most is to live by what the Declaration of Independence states: “All men are created equal”. Socially both groups as individuals are judged for their differences which make them an unprotected target. They are not offered jobs, or accepted into some social clubs, and they are even allowed the opportunity to practice religion in some areas. Politically, women and LGBT are not allowed to hold prestigious government roles. A woman cannot be president and neither can a gay white man. For both groups, the fight is for equality; which will probably be fought side by side until both groups finally win.
References
Academia & Education.
(2014) Women Moving Millions. Retrieved from http://www.womenmovingmillions.org/how-we-do-it/facts/
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). (n.d.) Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Retrieved from GLAAD website http://www.glaad.org/marriage/doma
Greenberg.Morris, B. (2014). History of Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Social Movements. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from APA website http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/history.aspx
O’Connell, M. (2012) LGBT Rights and Women’s Rights Same Thing… The Class. City Watch, Volume 10 Issue 64. Retrieved from http://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3583-lgbt-rights-and-womens-rights-same-thing
Peterkin, C. (2010). Femininity and Masculinity in the Media. Indian Daily Student. ,Retrieved from http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=74958
Roadmap to Victory. (n.d.) Freedom to Marry. Retrieved from websitehttp://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/roadmap-to-victory
Women’s International Center. (1994) Women’s History in America. Retrieved from WIC website
http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm
During the early history of the United States, women were considered to be fit for only one job: conception. For a woman being a homemaker was a natural or traditional role. Women had few rights and even fewer educational opportunities. They were considered to be weaker than men in terms of performing physical labor, and were also considered less intellectual than men. During early education, girls showed great accomplishment, but when they began high school, their achievement decreased because of lack of educational support. Young girls were expected to learn the trades of their mother and to become a wife and mother; they were never expected to complete their education.
The 20th century was a big turn for women in the sense of equality and education rights. Finally women were allowed to vote, work, and pursue higher education. Now women have the right to …show more content…
choose not to have children. They are allowed the right to utilize birth control as well as the right to abortions. In the workforce and especially the military, women are expected to perform the same physical labor as men. Women are now also allowed to pursue any level of education they choose, and women now represent 67% of college graduates in the U.S.
There are many concepts of masculinity and femininity in society and in the media. One classic example of society’s concepts is the association of color related to gender; blue represents boys and pink represents girls. Another example would be that boys should play with cars while girls play with Barbie dolls or Disney princesses. The media is also one source that portrays many constructions of masculinity and femininity. An example is that thin, beautiful, blond women are mostly dumb, whereas a woman who is not quite so beautiful and maintains a larger size is considered ugly but very smart. For men, one concept is a man who is good looking is successful and smart and men who aren’t fortunate to look like models are not smart or successful.
Another group that had a terrible social history in the U.S. was the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual (LGBT) group. Between the 17th and 19th century sexual relations between persons of the same sex was considered a crime called sodomy; these actions were considered capital offenses. Persons who were caught cross dressing served lifetime imprisonment and even received corporal punishment. At the turn of the 20th century, many of the LGBT people went into hiding or chose not to announce their sexual orientation in fear of prosecution. In the 1920’s there was a group that attempted to support gays but was immediately put to rest. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s that society began to acknowledge LGBT and after much support Illinois became the first state to make a gay relationship non-illegal. Finally in the 1990’s, the U.S. accepted that they could not take away any person’s rights as Americans but they did enforce two laws; the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) which allowed homosexuals to join the military as longs as they kept their sexual orientation secret, and Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which kept the government from recognizing any gay marriages, even if the state did in which the couple lived in.
Currently, the fight for recognizing LGBT and their rights to marriage and dependent benefits has been the strongest yet. Section 3 of DOMA, which prevented the recognition of same-sex marriages, has been overturned. This means that the government cannot refuse federal benefits to married couples of the same sex. The fight to legalize same-sex marriage has been ongoing for nearly 15 years. Today, there are 17 states in the U.S. that recognize same-sex marriage, and the hope of the LGBT community is that DOMA Section 2, which rules that states have the right to deny any recognition of same-sex marriage, can be overruled completely and make same-sex marriage completely legal in the U.S.
There are many social and political issues that both women and LGBT have in common. It is said almost everywhere that both women and LGBT are fighting together because both groups and as individuals are still seen as the second class in this country. Gloria Steinem, a writer and political activist, stated that the war on each of these groups were in fact the same war, and share an irritated symptom of a neglected illness—heterosexual men’s unwillingness to share power. Socially it is still hard for a woman to be seen at the top of her game: successful, popular, and well paid. Equally it is hard for same-sex couples to walk through the city holding hands or showing affection without receiving ugly looks by people passing by. What these two groups want the most is to live by what the Declaration of Independence states: “All men are created equal”. Socially both groups as individuals are judged for their differences which make them an unprotected target. They are not offered jobs, or accepted into some social clubs, and they are even allowed the opportunity to practice religion in some areas. Politically, women and LGBT are not allowed to hold prestigious government roles. A woman cannot be president and neither can a gay white man. For both groups, the fight is for equality; which will probably be fought side by side until both groups finally win.
References
Academia & Education.
(2014) Women Moving Millions. Retrieved from http://www.womenmovingmillions.org/how-we-do-it/facts/
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). (n.d.) Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Retrieved from GLAAD website http://www.glaad.org/marriage/doma
Greenberg.Morris, B. (2014). History of Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Social Movements. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from APA website http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/history.aspx
O’Connell, M. (2012) LGBT Rights and Women’s Rights Same Thing… The Class. City Watch, Volume 10 Issue 64. Retrieved from http://www.citywatchla.com/archive/3583-lgbt-rights-and-womens-rights-same-thing
Peterkin, C. (2010). Femininity and Masculinity in the Media. Indian Daily Student. ,Retrieved from http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=74958
Roadmap to Victory. (n.d.) Freedom to Marry. Retrieved from websitehttp://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/roadmap-to-victory
Women’s International Center. (1994) Women’s History in America. Retrieved from WIC website
http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm