LGBTQ+ And Discrimination ~ David Castillo

David Castillo

AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

What Is Civic Engagement?

Some definitions for civic engagement:

~The APA defines it as an individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern (https://www.apa.org/education/undergrad/civic-engagement)

~Youth.gov says that includes both paid and unpaid forms of political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service (https://youth.gov/youth-topics/civic-engagement-and-volunteering)

~Civic engagement, in my opinion, is defined as one's actions when it comes to social issues or problems the environment is facing. It is taking a stance and action done to create a path so that one's views for a better life are made into reality. The problem with calling something civic engagement is that one's community or environmental service is different for everyone. People who practice racial hate can call terrorizing people with different ethnicities or religious views civic engagement because they are ignorant and that is just their perspective on life. For example, there have been instances where people have attacked synagogues because they are ignorant towards people of that religion, and those same people call it a public service. That is my problem with civic engagement, is that it is a term that can be used wrong or used to justify one's actions. Though that is true for many words, it seems a more plausible case for this one. This doesn't go without saying that there are people who take civic action with an actual good cause and does things because it is right, morally or ethically. 

The social issue I chose was discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community. My community. It is an issue that has been in the public eye for years now and has made progress, but still falters in many areas today. People who are gay and holding hands are attacked on the street and trans people are killed due to ignorance and intolerance spread by cis straight individuals. They don't understand trans or queer individuals, and what people can't understand scares them and so their reaction is to fight against it. Even queer people can harbor internalized homophobia and may not be accepting towards individual who belong to their community because of a lack of understanding. 

Who Does It Affect?

~The individuals which are affected the most are people who identify as queer, trans, or poz (which means HIV positive) and all the other identities the + covers. The reason people have to come out to their families is because societal norm is to identify straight, but for some, that isn't the case. We have to come out so that we can let our family know who we really are and be accepted for who we are. Some of us aren't lucky enough to be accepted by our families, and some of us are even killed because a parent would rather have a dead child than a queer one. Thats why many times we tend to chose our families and when we meet individuals who can relate to our situation, we do our best to watch each others backs. 

 ~Trans people seem to be persecuted because they are different from what the masses see as normal or acceptable. It isn't just heterosexual people either, it is even members from our own community. Some trans people believe they are better than others because they are "passing" and some aren't. In the queer community, there is a lack of fight for trans rights because they have forgotten about them and chose to exclude them from our community which belongs to them as well. A good representation is the show, Pose. The show depicts life our queer, trans, and poz folk in the 1980's. It is an important show because it depicts what life was like for individuals at that time and the discrimination they had to go through, which some of us still go through today. 

~HIV positive people are seen as infectious only spreading death and contagious to anyone or anything they touch. This isn't the case, however, as with the right treatment they can become undetectable, which means an individual is incapable of spreading the disease because viral levels are so low. HIV is also listed as a disability now because it affects that individuals life or at least that's what people seem to think. But with the access to the right treatment, they can do anything without hinderance. That's the problem though, not everyone has access to the care they need and some people don't get tested due to the fear and stigma that comes with the diagnoses. It is the lack of education that makes people treat Poz people like the plague rather than an individual who just wants to live a normal life because they are normal.

~It affects us at home, in public, at school, in the workplace, and anywhere societal norms reach. People in the community fear for their lives in public because though there are safe spaces, they are limited. In other countries, being queer is a crime and people can be killed if they are found out. It isn't safe for people in our community in other parts of the world and so we need to work to change that. When ignorant people get together, it gives them false power and security to act a certain way against specific types of individuals. Unfortunately for my community, the masses seem to think poorly of the community and there isn't much safe spaces out there. 

What Can We Do? What Can You do?

 ~I understand the feeling of not being able to do anything because an action might seem too small and irrelevant, but in reality, the smallest things add up. One thing you can do is just by simply be kind and tolerant to anyone. Learn about our community, and place yourself in someone's shoes and really try and think. Make a connection and empathize with them, so that way you can try and find some of our fears and feelings relatable. Learn about gender identity and sexual orientation, especially the differences. Learn about pronouns and how to use them, because many people identify outside of the binary system. Even asking people what pronouns they use upon meeting them is fine because it shows that you're trying and accepting. Ask an individual questions when you get it wrong, it is a lot to take in and can be confusing, but the most frustrating thing is continuing to be wrong rather than trying to do something about it. Go to marches and take a stance for people who can't always voice things themselves or aren't safe doing so. Protect those who are discriminated against by using your safety in public and speaking out against hate. 

~People in the community need to stop turning against one another and also stop stereotyping each other. We should be better than that and know that stereotypes aren't norms, they are just what society pushes and thinks of us. Nothing should be able to define us except our actions and who we choose to be defined as. 

Statistics

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pride-interview-travis-salway-hiv-suicide-canada_n_5cc203a4e4b066119de3ac1d

• In 70 countries, being homosexual is a crime punishable by death

• 369 trans people have been killed between 2017 and 2018 because of violent acts towards them

• As of May 2019, 27 countries have made same-sex marriage legal, there are 195 countries in the world

• 42% of youth do not feel accepted in the community they live in 

• Suicide has surpassed HIV as the cause of death for gay and bisexual men

• LGBTQ+ youth are two times more likely to be attacked by peers

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pride-interview-travis-salway-hiv-suicide-canada_n_5cc203a4e4b066119de3ac1d

People

Jessica, 20

      ~"Yes it affects me, because you're my best friend."

Jason, 21

~"I don’t think I’ve been discriminated in a way that I’ve been for example denied services or truly treated differently actually that’s a lie. I’ve been like lectured by church people various times in public places just walking down the street. There’s the stuff with my parents but those I feel aren’t discrimination it’s more like prejudice."

Livan, 21

~ "Growing up was a lil tough on me just because i was constantly in an internal battle of deciding when and when not express my femininity. Like when I took selfies growing up, sometimes people would say I looked gay in them, but like in general it wasn't super intense I think, but it still hurt you know. Pero like i just feel that in the end, it's so heavy on my heart to know that people are being discriminated against, abused, and murdered just because they're expressing themselves in a way that feels true to their heart and soul. It's disgusting that american culture especially prides itself in individuality, yet it chews you up and spits you if you don't follow their standards or whatever. The gender binary and societal norms can fuck off"

Allison, 20
~"It doesn't personally affect me, but it mostly affects my morals and values and the way I believe people should be the way they want to be and how people have the prerogative to live their life the way they want to live their life."

Reflection

~This topic is really important to me because it isn't just stories or numbers, but it's my life. I don't always feel safe or comfortable in places and sometimes I get looks for the things I do or the way I am. Just recently, a white, old man made me feel so uncomfortable in a restaurant because he whistled at me and said "nice legs, try shaving though baby". All cause I was wearing a costume that showed my legs and he made me feel uncomfortable. I pull back my personality or become reserved in areas where I don't feel comfortable or safe and it is because I know not everywhere is safe and not everyone can be trusted. I am ready for the day I have to physically fight someone because they have become violent with me but I am scared that that day is going to come.
I know I didn't cover everything in this blog post, but its a lot to cover. There is also a lack of representation of the LGBTQ+ community on media and that is a whole other topic to discuss, but the few shows that do get it right, like Pose, make me sad but proud because of all that we endured and still we persevere and fight. Going to college has been somewhat great, despite the annoyance of having to go to classes, because I have met people who can relate to my trauma and problems I face. I’m not really surprised on how many people it affects, because some are in “the closet” and others are still unsure of there sexuality. What surprised me the most was when asking my friends if they were affected, and though some aren’t queer themselves, they immediately said yes because it affects me. It’s a nice thought to know your friends are there for you and recognize a struggle you may face. If I were to do this project again, I would talk to more people and people who don’t already know as well as advertise this blog post. Also, create a survey and get numbers from our campus so that the facts are more personal to us or have a more immediate connection.
All in all, I’m good with what I have done, it has felt like I have gotten some things off my chest.

Citations

Hobbes, Michael. “In Canada, Suicide Is The Leading Cause Of Death For Gay And Bisexual Men. This Epidemiologist Is Trying To Change That.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 9 June 2019, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pride-interview-travis-salway-hiv-suicide-canada_n_5cc203a4e4b066119de3ac1d.

Human Rights Campaign. “Growing Up LGBT in America: View and Share Statistics.” Human Rights Campaign, https://www.hrc.org/youth-report/view-and-share-statistics.

“LGBTI Rights and What Amnesty Is Doing to Protect Them.” LGBT Rights | Amnesty International, https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/lgbt-rights/.