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Christian Saucedo
Professor Stuewe
English 1301
28 June 2016
Issues within the LGBT Community
The LGBT community has always been a very
controversial topic when being discussed. LGBT
members have been fighting for their freedom and rights
that other Americans get the privilege of having for
example, when it comes to gay marriage. The law
granting same-sex marriage has been passed in all 50 U.S. States, but this does not mean that all
people support this law. There has been more discrimination and hate towards these people since
the law has been passed. Many still stand by their argument that the LGBT community should
not have certain rights and privileges due to the fact that they are not the same and it is going
against the norms of our society by giving them these certain privileges. LGBT or not, they are
still human and this is a concept that many people choose to ignore. Many members of the LGBT
community have been forced into the shadows of our society today due to the shameful looks
and harsh reactions from the rest of society. Young adolescents have to hide who they really are
from their parents in fear of not being accepted since the rest of society makes being an LGBT a
bad thing. The issues that members of this community go through may not seem as important to
some as other issues going on in the world, but these people are human as well and have
emotions. The LGBT community has to endure many issues when it comes to transgender
bathrooms, the hate they receive, and discrimination in the work place.

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The LGBT community has been fighting for transgender bathrooms for quite some time
now. The argument is that by allowing transgender into the bathroom in which they identify
with, they will be putting their children in danger and risk of confusion. The article "Transgender
students' access to bathrooms is at front of LGBT rights battle by Emma Brown and Moriah
Balingit states, It's about all the children that we have to protect from the opposite biologic sex
when they're young and vulnerable and impressionable. In defense of this, more people are
becoming aware of the fact that transgender people do exist and have rights, they are just afraid
of something different that has come to light. Society has a hard time accepting new things and
going along with the changes in society, but if children are taught and enlightened about whom
transgender people are then the dilemma wouldnt be as much of a controversial issue.
Transgender individuals should be able to use the bathroom with the gender in which they
identify with. Society may not be aware of the fact that they could have been using the same
bathroom as transgender individuals before and that their children are also put at risk by sending
them to a public restroom by themselves. In the article Transgender Bathroom Case May Go To
Supreme Court by Ariane de Vogue and CNNs Supreme Court Reporter, it is stated that for the
first time it is questioned whether a federal civil law is considered sexual discrimination, which
just proves that more people are gaining knowledge on who transgender individuals really are.
In addition, the issue of criticism and violence that is shown towards the LGBT
community has only gotten worse. In the article Pride parades tinged with sadness
after Orlando massacre. The shooting that had occurred in Orlando, Florida affected many
people. It was supposed to be a good night in this gay club for many people, but what was a that
night ended up being a nightmare for many individuals and their families. Members of the LGBT

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community no longer feel safe knowing that interacting in these clubs could be dangerous due to
the hate people have for them.
Furthermore, in an article called Should states pass laws requiring educational
institutions to implement anti-bullying measures? it is stated that Due to the power imbalance
inherent in bullying, experts note, a student who is perceived to be different from the norm is
more likely to be the target of bullying than a student whose appearance, attitude, or lifestyle can
be considered more mainstream.. Kids in school should not have to go through bullying just for
being themselves. Being lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender is frowned upon in many
instances, especially among young adolescences. Once one LGBT member is being picked on it
is not likely that it will be stopped due to the fact that in most cases, the adolescent that is doing
the bullying is trying to get attention from the rest of his or her peers. Schools do not promote
bullying but with LGBT members being different it is easier for children and young adolescents
to get away with this act.
Discrimination in the work place does not only exist for women and different races, but
for members of the LGBT community as well. The director of Freedom for All Americans Matt
McTighe states, "The ability to live openly and to earn a living is so central to every American
and certainly every LGBT American," said Matt McTighe, director of Freedom for All
Americans in the article The next gay rights battle: Ending discrimination in the workplace by
Sandhya Somashekhar. Meaning that all Americans should be treated the same in a work place
no matter the circumstance. No one should have to feel discrimination in a professional
environment. There have been many controversial issues in a work place, another being that an
LGBT member may not get hired for a job due to the fact that they are frowned upon. An
employer should feel responsible for how all of their employees feel. If an employee is getting

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the job done, then they should not be discriminated due to their sexual preference or orientation.
Since this is unfortunately not the case, many members of the LGBT community find it difficult
to find a job. Many argue that having a LGBT member in their work place can make other
employees or customers feel rather uncomfortable, but this is just a pathway for more
discrimination in the work place. Not wanting to hire someone because they are believed to have
more of a flamboyant behavior due to their sexual preference would also be stereotyping in the
work place. At times an employer will refuse to hire someone because of what they think that
their behavior will be once they are working so they do not bother to give them a chance.
There is more to the LGBT community than what people make them out to be. Just
because they dont particularly fit into the norms of our society at the moment doesnt mean that
they should be treated any different. Society norms change and with the right knowledge and
open mindedness society can grow accustomed to the changed and begin to accept the LGBT
community for who they are. There are many issues in our society that need to be focused on, but
the controversial issues that the LGBT community withstands should not be shunned and looked
down on as a minor problem in todays society. Acceptance is a key point to moving forward in
this situation and to have an open mind as to what is happening and the consequences that people
have to endure because of the discrimination. By looking at the LGBT communitys issues of
transgender bathrooms, hate and discrimination in work places, one can conclude that they are in
fact, being, neglected in our society.

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Brown, Emma, and Moriah Balingit. "Transgender students' access to bathrooms is at front of
LGBT rights battle." Washington Post 29 Feb. 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
Web. 28 June 2016.
Bullying. Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 28
Pride parades tinged with sadness after Orlando massacre. Reuters. Issues &
Controversies. Infobase Learning, 26 June 2016. Web. 28 June 2016.
Somashekhar, Sandhya. "The next gay rights battle: Ending discrimination in the workplace."
Washington Post 5 June 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 June 2016.
"Transgender bathroom case may go to Supreme Court." CNN Wire 7 June 2016. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 28 June 2016.