Dustin Jethro

RHET 1312-22
Professor Cox
04 April 2016
One Step Forward, and 50 Years Back: The Rampant Bigotry of Recent Laws
Passed to Discriminate Against Those in the LGBT Community
Many would agree that hate runs rampant throughout the world today.
In modern America, some of the most common forms are racism,
islamophobia, misogyny, and homophobia. Around the world, other forms
exist or take standard forms of hate and oppression and multiply them by a
factor of 10. In some places in the world, homosexuality is an actual crime,
punishable by death. For the United States to be the forefront of compassion,
tolerance, and acceptance (the best way to end hate in the world), its
citizens have to band together and be accepting of all, regardless of race,
sex, gender, sexual orientation, or nation of origin. Currently, however,
places in the United States are not so accepting of those who are in the LGBT
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/sexual) community, and currently
laws have been passed that allow for active discrimination against those who
are LGBT, one law even going so far as to attempt to ban anti-discrimination
laws for them. Thankfully, many are opposed to this, to the point of boycotts
by celebrities and even local governments.

Homosexuality is seen as a crime in many places around the world,

with some going as far as to make it punishable by death. In Saudi Arabia,
same-sex intercourse is punishable by prison, lashings, or in some cases
death. In Singapore, same-sex intercourse between males is punishable to up
to two years in prison (though this has not been enforced since 1999), and
same-sex intercourse for women has been legal since 2007(Itaborahy, Zhu
17, 18). On the other side, there are many nations that actively support LGBT
rights. Chile has a law banning all discrimination against homosexuals, with a
legal method to change official gender through the legal system (Itaborahy,
Zhu, 17) (Chakrabarty). Currently, same-sex couples cannot marry. Brazil has
a similar system with transfer of gender legally, and same-sex marriage has
been legal nationwide since 2013 (Jusbrasil). In contrast, the United States
legalized same-sex marriage in 2015 with the exception of the American
Samoa (Liptak). However, many US citizens do not agree with the decision to
legalize same-sex marriage, and even less so with transgenders /
transsexuals. Very recently, bills have been passed that essentially allow
active discrimination against the LGBT community.
Very recently, North Carolina legislature passed a law forcing
transgenders/transsexuals to use the restroom marked with the sex labeled
on their birth certificates. The passing of the bill was met with extreme
reactions from LGBT activists, and even Senators in the North Carolina
Senate. Senate Democrats protested the bill reaching the Senate by walking
out and not voting. Along with the Bathroom Bill as it has affectionately

been named, the bill also restricts cities from passing antidiscrimination laws
for LGBT persons, citing that the state laws preempt any local ordinances.
Chris Sgro, the executive director of Equality NC stated:
Legislators have gone out of their way to stigmatize and marginalize
transgender North Carolinians by pushing ugly and fundamentally untrue
stereotypes that are based on fear and ignorance... (Kopan, Scott)
In addition to North Carolinas Bathroom Bill, very recently, Mississippi
passed a law under the guise of religious freedom, that some call
discriminatory. The bill states that it protects those who believe that
marriage should be between one man and one woman from being
discriminated against. The bill allows for citizens to deny those LGBT persons
marriage, adoption, and foster care services. The bills also allows them to
fire, refuse to employ them, or rent/sell property. In reality, Mississippi
legalized discrimination. The ACLU of Mississippi quickly responded, posting a
tweet which said [The MS Governor] just made discrimination a part of state
law. Though the focus is implied to be on LGBT, the focus can theoretically
be applied to the divorced, single mothers, and even those of other faiths
that require special clothing (McLaughlin).
One of the most common arguments for these laws to come into effect
is religious freedom, however, if that is the case, LGBT individuals should not
be the only ones forced to experience discrimination. Under laws like this,
any religious organization can be founded and used for the basis of

discrimination against any peoples. A similar situation happened very

recently, when Pope Francis (the current leader of the Catholic Church) called
for remarried divorcees to be able to accept and receive communion. Among
the change, Pope Francis also called for priests to be more inclusive and
compassionate, and to stop discrimination against homosexuals. Pope
Francis also reiterated his belief that the marriage of God is marriage
between a man and a woman, stating It is not the position of the Church to
put it on the same plane as marriage between a man and a woman,
(Lavanga). Of course, this was met with mostly positive results, minus some,
like Rev. Russell Moore, the president of the Southern Baptists Ethics and
Religious Liberty Commission, who tweeted Man, #AmorisLaetitia is a mess
(Moore).
While for certain steps have been taken towards ending hate towards
those in the LGBT community, the entire world seems to be a long way off
from completely ending the bigotry towards them. Legislation such as North
Carolinas Bathroom Bill, and Mississippis recent bill focusing on religious
freedom. What these lawmakers either do not understand or do not care
enough to understand is that they are allowing for active discrimination, and
discrimination should never be embraced or encouraged, no matter what
guise it is under.

Liptak, Adam. "Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right

Nationwide." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 June 2015. Web.
08 Apr. 2016.
same-sex

<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/us/supreme-court-

marriage.html?_r=0>.

"Justia Autoriza Alterao No Registro De Transexual Que Trocou De Sexo."

Justia Autoriza

Alterao No Registro De Transexual Que Trocou De Sexo.

Jusbrasil, 1 Jan. 2010. Web.

09 Apr. 2016. <http://expresso-

noticia.jusbrasil.com.br/noticias/135663/justica autoriza-alteracao-noregistro-de-transexual-que-trocou-de-sexo>.

Itaborahy, Lucas Paoli, and Jingshu Zhu. "State-Sponsored Homophobia."

State-Sponsored Homophobia (2014): 1-95. State-Sponsored Homophobia.
International Lesbian Gay

Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association, 15

May 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.

Chakrabarty, Saheli. "JURIST - Chile Congress Passes Anti-discrimination

Law." JURIST Chile

Congress Passes Anti-discrimination Law. University

of Pittsburg School of Law, 05 Apr. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.

<http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2012/04/chile-congress passes-antidiscrimination-law.php>.

Kopan, Tal, and Eugene Scott. "North Carolina Governor Signs Controversial
LGBT Bill." CNN. Cable News Network, 24 Mar. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.

McLaughlin, Eliot C. "Mississippi OKs Religious Freedom Bill." CNN. Cable

News Network, 06

Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.

<http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/05/us/mississippi

governor-signs-

religious-freedom-bill/index.html>.
Lavanga, Claudio. "Pope Francis Softens Communion Ban for Divorcees." NBC News.
NBC News, 08 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.
Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Celebration, Confusion, Dismay over Pope's Words." USA
Today. Gannett, 08 Apr. 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/04/08/pope-francis-divorce
marriage/82802970/>.
Moore, Russel(@drmoore). Man, #AmorisLaetitia is a mess. 8 April 2016, 7:21 AM.
Tweet.