Throughout most of human history, the only sexual orientation that was socially acceptable was heterosexuality. However, sexual tolerance has changed drastically since the beginning of the 21 st century as more people have come to openly identify as homosexuals or transgender. In the past sexuality was rarely discussed and people were expected to follow a certain norm, but today, there are various attitudes regarding the topic. While there has been a significant increase in tolerance, discrimination based on sexual orientation still exists.
In a recording of 2010 council proceedings, Joel Burns the representative for Fort Worth, Texas, addressed the issue of teenage bullying directed towards homosexual adolescents. He highlighted a few names including Asher Brown, Seth Wolsh, and Justin Aeburg who all committed suicide after being bullied about their sexual orientation in school. He also mentioned the case of Billy Lucas who did not identify as gay but nevertheless was bullied on the same grounds. In this video, Burns condemns institutions for turning a blind eye to such behavior and at times propagating it by advocating anti-homosexual policies (Burns, 2010). It is a shame that such young boys have been made to feel that they do not belong due to their sexual orientation to the point that they commit suicide. These incidences show that even though most people are aware of LGBT, they are not always accepted without judgment.
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Burn message to such teens who find it difficult to cope with their sexuality is that it gets better and that they should allow themselves to live long enough to see this (Burns, 2010). Coming from a state as conservative in its beliefs as Texas, it is easy to understand why such boys despair and take their own lives. However, the councilman himself is a testimony that things get better because he was elected to office even though he identified as gay and even had a husband. Besides, gay teenagers can always move to more accepting cities when they grow up. Burns’ message about stopping the bullying is also important. All people are different from each other in a way and it is wrong to be harassed for this. This kind of behavior turns into discrimination and hate crimes among adults.
According to Susan Miller’s article published on USA Today, things do not change as much as people would expect and LGBT people are often discriminated against in various ways. In 2015, the U.S Supreme Court passed a law that legalized same sex marriage in all 50 states. Although this was viewed as a huge win for the LGBT community, it did not change much (Miller, 2018). Before this law, same sex marriage was legalized in at least 39 states and other laws that allow people to be discriminated against due to their sexual orientation only exist in 19 states plus the District of Columbia (Miller, 2018).
As a result of discrimination, LGBT people have reported a disruption of their daily routines because they feel unsafe even in public places (Miller, 2018). Although the cases have reduced significantly, such people have often been victims of hate crimes where they are physically harmed due to their sexual orientation. This is not so different from the bullying described by Joel Burns; it is an extension of it. Homosexuals and transgender individuals tend to be selective about the public places they visit because some of them are not accepting of their orientation so they avoid the risk of being insulted or turned away.
Religious beliefs are often used to justify discriminating against LGBT members. Recently, a Colorado baker was sued by a gay couple for refusing to make them a wedding cake citing that this would be a violation of his religious beliefs (Miller, 2018). Although the baker won the case as the First Amendment states that religious beliefs should be respected, the implications for LGBT people everywhere are significant. They too have rights that should protect them against such discrimination. Furthermore, people who simply hate LGBT can effectively use religion as an excuse to discriminate against them.
Another sign that sexual tolerance is not as widespread as is thought is that LGBT people are not allowed to publicly show affection (Miller, 2018). Most people feel uncomfortable at seeing a gay couple kissing on the street or holding hands while it is okay for heterosexual couples to do the same. Therefore, most people do not even recognize their own bias against people with different sexual orientation but it exists. LGBT members may find it hard to feel safe in the current society even in the spaces they create for themselves. In 2016, a mass shooting occurred in Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando but it was never recognized as a hate crime.
Legislation is not doing much to change the situation. Although same sex marriage is legal, there are many ways in which LGBT are discriminated against (Miller, 2018). It does not matter that a gay person can get married if they have to avoid some stores or cannot get some jobs due to their sexual orientation. Although some cities and counties have made laws to reduce discrimination, they are often overridden by state and federal laws on the same. More laws need to be created to increase sexual tolerance and safeguard the LGBT community.
Miller’s article makes one question the truth in Joel Burns’ message that it gets better. Even though more people are aware of the LGBT community, it does not appear like things get better for them as they grow older. The constant fear of being turned away at a store or missing an opportunity due to sexual orientation is still very real for these people. Perhaps what happens is that LGBT people become tougher and they learn to ignore the discrimination but it does not get better.
References
Burns, J. (2010, October 13). Councilman Joel Burns on His Inspiring Speech [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OneJjieA-6w
Miller, S. (2018, January 16). 'Not just about a cake shop': LGBT people battle bias in everyday routines. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/01/16/not-just-cake-shop-lgbt-people-battle-bias-everyday-routines/1031339001/
