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Melissa Payne
English 1050
Dr. Stephanie Maenhardt
August 4, 2018
Equality
“The fight for dignity and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)
people is reflected in the tireless dedication of advocates and allies who strive to forge a more
inclusive society (Obama).” Identity is a person’s own sense of self, it is who we are as human
beings. In this paper I will be reflecting on different gender identity stories and the equality that
these people experience. These stories include, same sex marriage, transgender people, images
people present and how everyone involved are treated in society.
Author Tracey Cooper Harris writes an article on “Why Marriage Matters…It’s About
Family.” The title of this paper says so much, marriage does matter, and it sets a huge foundation
for many families. Having a family is important, it’s the people who we fall onto when we need
support. This article made me feel sad for same sex marriages and the challenges that they go
through. When same sex marriage became legal, you would think that they would automatically
get the same rights as everyone else. I have learned that this is not the case. There are many loop
holes that gay marriages go through to be whole. Equality is all that people are wanting when
coming to terms with their own identities. If two people love each other and are married, the
spouse
should be able to receive the same support as any other gendered spouse. Student Traci Adolph,
week 6, said that, “Coming from a military family, it was interesting to see what laws were in
place
and how Maggie and Tracey become the 'poster-child' for VA benefits for same-sex marriage.
The
lawsuit citing "Cooper-Harris vs USA" was hard for me to read. I can't imagine what it felt like
for them (Adolph).” I can imagine, it must have felt absolutely, horrible. All genders deserve the
same treatment and rights in any marriage. Same sex marriages are not the only people who are
dealing with equality rights in the U.S., Transgender people are fighting battles everyday of there
own.
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Author Gavin Grimm’s article “I’m transgender and can’t use the student bathroom. The
Supreme Court could change that” was eye opening for me. I used to think that I would not want
a person who was once a male to come into the women’s restroom. It was fear that they wanted
to use that as an excuse to perv on women. It was me, instantly judging another person and not
knowing what they were really experiencing or going through. This article helped me view
transgenders very differently. In one part of the article Grimm wrote, “I continue to suffer daily
because of the school boards decision to make my bathroom use a matter of public debate
(Grimm).” Going to the bathroom is a very private thing to begin with. The school board could
have approached this a little more privately to spare this person the humiliation. This case was
brought to the Supreme Court, just by a person going to the bathroom. If you really think about
it, it sounds ridiculous a person having to fight for equality to just use the bathroom. It opened
my eyes to the pain that they as individuals go through trying to reveal their true selves. People
can be cruel, even if a person wears something that society perceives as different, that person is
judged instantly as being something they are not. Author John Bonner experienced just that.
In Bonners article, “Will you join me,” brings to light hateful words even straight people
experience. Bonner has lived his life being labeled as a “faggot,” since the age of 5 to 17 and
now in his adulthood. Could you even imagine a 6​th​ grader saying “faggot” to another 5yr old
child on the playground at school or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t even think my own
5yr old has heard that word. When I look back at, growing up and being in middle school and all
the way up through high school, I was called a lesbian many times. The reason for this was,
because I was not promiscuous and sleeping around like the rest of my friends. I wish someone
would have stuck up for me. These words are hurtful and make even a straight person question,
their own identity. This article reminded me of some hurtful things that happened in my past. It
made me realize how much compassion that we as Americans need to have for everyone in this
world. No matter where you go in life, someone will always have a hateful comment, attack you
by your appearances or look at you differently if you do not meet their standards of normal. We
are all wanting to be accepted and treated equal, even straight people. Though Bonner
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experienced a few hateful words said to him through the years. The main people that are
targeted for hate crimes are those in the LGBT community.
Author Haeyoun Park and Iaryna Mykhyalyshyn write an article on, “L.G.B.T. People
are More Likely to Be Targets of Hate Crimes Than Any Other Minority Group.” This article
was shocking to read. The most surprising was reading that “As the majority of society becomes
more tolerant of L.G.B.T. people, some of those who are opposed to them become more radical
(Park).” Why are people so offended by how these people choose to live their lives? Who really
has the time to go on a shooting rampage at a gay night club. Innocent people being brutally
murdered for just being human. This explains to me how hard it really is for people, in the LGBT
community, to come out and tell people who they really are. Another sad piece that I read from
this article was, “transgender women of color are facing an epidemic of violence that occurs at
the intersections of racism, sexism and transphobia.” These people probably live in constant fear
every day of their lives. The saddest of all is most hate crimes go underreported. Underreported
because they are too afraid to come out to family members and employers. Everyone wants
to be themselves, even straight people have a hard time finding their happiness. The road for
equality seems long for the LGBT community. President Obama addresses a speech that gives
them hope for the future.
President Barack Obama released a “Presidential Proclamation—LGBT Pride Month,
May 31, 2016.” Obama couldn’t have said it better in this speech. The road has not been “easy or
smooth (Obama),” for the LGBT community. The LGBT has been fighting a long battle for
equality. All that they are wanting is to be included into society. The hate that is all around this
group of human beings is heart breaking. The long road that they have been dealing with has
changed many hearts and depleted some hate. The Supreme Court ruling for marriage
equality was a huge milestone for the LGBT community. The ruling for this shows that justice is
being served to this community and is welcoming them in as equal. We need to stand by people
for who they are, this is America. The choice to be who we are should be a freeing experience.
Though the LGBT has come a long way for justice, it seems that they still have a long way to go.
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This community should be celebrated for who they are. They have fought a long battle of hateful
things through the years and deserve nothing but love and respect like all Americans.
We are all the same, human beings, being human. It should not matter if a person is in a
same sex marriage, wants to change their gender, or are dressing like the opposite sex. The list is
endless and every one of us are different in our own unique way. Hating or hurting another
individual for who they are is a waste of time. The world needs to focus more on loving one
another and accepting people for who they are. These stories gave me a deeper understanding for
what people deal with in this world. Equality is what they deserve and without it there is no
liberty for them.
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Works Cited
Adolph, Traci. “Student.” Week 6 Responses. 18 July 2018.
Bonner, John. “Will You Join Me?” 19 Nov. 2016.
Grimm, Gavin. “I'm Transgender and Can't Use the Student Bathroom. The Supreme
Court Could Change That.” 27 Oct. 2016.
Harris, Tracey Cooper. “Why Marriage Matters... It's About Family.” 27 July 2015.
Obama, Barack. “Presidential Proclamation-- LGBT Pride Month, 2016.” 31 May 2016.
Park, Haeyoun, and Iaryna Mykhyalyshyn. “L.G.B.T. People Are More Likely to Be
Targets of Hate Crimes Than Any Other Minority Group.” 16 June 2016.