Henry 1 Angel Henry John Kubler English 114B 25 March 2014 Everyone Should Have The Same Rights

LGBTQ is short for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, and questioning. There are many people who are in the LGBTQ community but dont come out about it because the people in this world are very judgmental. Homosexuals feel as if they are alone in this world and cant be themselves. Gay and lesbian people are as diverse as the rest of the population, they share the same experience of discrimination. The constant pressure of dealing with the homophobia of others makes depression even greater. Especially in this world because they really have no rights if they was to even associate themselves with the LGBTQ community. People in the LGBTIQ community should have the same right just like people that are considered normal genders, especially when gay guys, schools, and marriage is involved. Gay men are looked upon as disgusting creatures. When they are seen together people act like they dont exist that they arent human. In the study What Lips These Lips Have Kissed: Reguring the Politics of Queer Public Kissing by Charles E. Morris III & John M. Sloop they say Public kissing between men remains crucially problematic, we claim, despite current mainstream gay visibility (2). Since seeing men show affection in public to their significant other is such a problem they end up keeping it a secret from everyone. They are tired of being judged so instead they hide their true feelings. Men gay, bisexual, and transgender should be able to have the same limits a heterosexuals has. Just because they are a little different doesnt mean they shouldnt be able have feelings for the same sex. Marjane Satrapi the author of Persepolis 2 the Story of a Return talks about how when she lived in Vienna she lived in a communal apartment and said my

Henry 2 eight housemates were eight men, all homosexuals (44). I like the fact that this book shows homosexuals living together like it was nothing wrong with it. When she told her mom that they were gay she was shocked but she didnt judge at all. If people found out that eight gay guys lived together it would really be a problem but its not their business. I bet if eight straight guys lived together people would say they a family or theyre brothers. If the general public doesnt care about straight guys living together why care if it was homosexuals. Whats the difference? Nothing at all. High schoolers are or have been harassed on the basis of their sexual identity. At school they hear many comments from people who are anti-gay. I know you cant stop someone from making remarks but they should at least know that its wrong. There is a French film called My Life in Pink is about Ludovic a young boy who cross-dresses and generally acts like a girl. He had one friend until he started talking about how he was going to marry him. He ended up losing that friend and getting kicked out of school on top of that. Just because he was different and the parents didnt like it doesnt mean he should have to get kicked out. He had to sneak into the girls restroom and have a lookout so no one would know he was in there. Even though it is only a movie it does happen in school. Im not saying its ok for him to use a girls bathroom but there should be somewhere he could go where he feels comfortable. Just like a normal teens when it comes to bullies and harassment they should be able to go to the principal and not be judged. On YouTube there is a video that talks about a couple Erin and Katie who are both transgender. They met through their parent but before they met and went through their change, they went through a lot at school. Erin said he was bullied for ten years because he looked like a girl but talked and acted like a boy. Katie at age seven felt really depressed that she got to the point when she was going to commit suicide. In the video it says a staggering 41% transgender will attempt suicide (4:44). I feel that if teens have supportive adults at school and home they wouldnt want to die.

Henry 3 There really should be something for teens of the LGBTQ community when it comes to harassment especially in schools. Middle school and high school is the hardest for teens and they are discovering themselves. This is the point in time when they can get all the help they need. There shouldnt be different rules in schools just because they feel like that person is different. Same-sex marriage is the most controversial issue in the world. It is legal in 17 states and banned in 34 states. Before the U.S government expanded recognition of same-sex marriages in federal legal matters, spouses participate in bankruptcy cases, prison visitation rights, and survivor benefits for police officers and firefighters killed on the job. In the article U.S. expands legal benefits, services for same-sex marriages by Evan Perez it says "will change the lives of countless committed gay and lesbian couples for the better (1). Its taking them a while to finally recognize same-sex marriages but it is getting to where it needs to be. They are finally getting the same rights just like heterosexual couples have. Attorney General Eric Holder even said "It is the (Justice Department's) policy to recognize lawful same-sex marriages as broadly as possible, to ensure equal treatment for all members of society regardless of sexual orientation" (1). He is certainly right they need to be recognized as a normal couple not some type of outsider. Just because they married someone of the same-sex does not mean that they arent married; they went through the exact same process. Gay couples have just as much of a right to marry as heterosexual couples. Not letting gay couples get married is a form of discrimination. People need to open up their minds and stop being so uptight. If getting married is the business of only the couple, why does it matter to anyone else if they get married? Love is love. No one should be denied of their right to marry the one they love, boy or girl. There are many people who believe that the LGBTQ community should not have the same right as heterosexuals. In 2013 a bill was passed saying that public K-12 schools allow transgender students to choose which locker room and restroom that pleases them. In the article Californias

Henry 4 K-12 transgender bathroom bill sparks war on privacy rights by Brandon Brice talks about how they is controversy over this bill being passed. In the article is says Religious groups as well as conservative families have begun filing petitions. . . . that the new law violates their childrens rights to privacy (1). These people against the bill are really making a big deal out of nothing. I was that age once its really not that confusing especially if the parent teaches their child about homosexuals. However, there are many supporters of this bill. They say that it will help protect young students from bullying, teasing and mental abuse (1). The supporters are right this will stop a lot of bullying that goes on. Students will feel more comfortable being somewhere they feel that they fit in. These are places they dont have to go and be in the corner somewhere they can be themselves and not feel bad about it. In this point in life if the LGBTQ community doesnt have the same rights as everyone else is just shocking. Even though they have a different sexual preference doesnt mean that they should be some type of outcast. People need to realize the problem does not lie with LGBTQ individuals, but with the attitudes and behavior of the society around them. Plus with the constant pressure of dealing with the homophobia of others makes depression and other problems, quite common. A lot is changing but its just taking too long for it to actually happen. not letting these people have the same rights as everyone just makes our world look bad. We are supposed to all be considered equal but I guess thats a lie.

Henry 5 Works Cited A Boy Who Was A Girl Fell in Love With A Girl Who Was A Boy. YouTube. 09 Oct. 2013. Web. (24 Mar. 2014). Brice, Brandon. Californias K-12 transgender bathroom bill sparks war on privacy rights Washington Times Communities. 4 Dec. 2013. Web. (24 Mar. 2014). Morris E. Charles, John M. Sloop. What Lips These Lips Have Kissed: Reguring the Politics of Queer Public Kissing. Mar. 2006. Web. (24 Mar. 2014). My Life in Pink, Dir. Alain Berliner, 1997. Film Perez, Evan. U.S. expands legal benefits, services for same-sex marriages. CNN. 10 Feb. 2014. Web. (24 Mar. 2014). Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2: The Story of A Return. New York: Pantheon, 2004. Print.