Natalie Davis-Lopez

FHS-2450

OPTION A: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

What are some of the obstacles that LGBT people face in society? How are those obstacles

similar to other "out-groups"? How are they dissimilar?

I think that a lot of those people in the LGBT community face all types of challenges in regards

to society as well as with themselves. I can only imagine how hard it would be to not only not

understand yourself but not be understood by society as well. It seems like a majority of the

people that deal with these type of things find solace among each other. But a lot of the obstacles

that they face are implemented by society due to the way that things are normalized. Anything

that isn’t within the normal range usually is seen as taboo. So groups such as LGBT and any

other out groups do have the shared similarity of being out of societies restraints.

Some obstacles that I have become aware of through media and having friends that are part of

the LGBT community, is the limited amount of resources. When someone in this group is trying

to discover themselves and needing some form of guidance it is very limited. There are not as

many resources for them to refer to when it comes to sexual education or ways of accepting their

identity. For the most part, these people figure it out through friends or people in similar

situations. But not through educational programs which offer a lot of other resources. In schools,

sexual education courses do not offer a substantial amount of information on the subject. So that

can be frustrating for adolescents and young adults trying to figure themselves out.

Along with the lack of resources for LGBT people, they are also shamed for their sexual

preferences. It's not something that a lot of people are used to so bullying takes place. This can
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FHS-2450

happen between a child and their parent or family. As well as in school with students, and

sometimes with teachers. It can cause damage to their confidence and shame for the person.

Which can lead to suicide or even self-harm. This is experienced by not only the LGBT

community but also those in outgroups. Bullying usually takes place within a school

environment, at home, or even on the internet so they really have a hard time finding a safe

space.

It can also be very hard for them to understand how they fit within society because people

constantly tell them that they are doing something wrong. Trying to find their identity and

constantly being told that what they feel is wrong can be hard, and make it seem impossible to

want to socialize. This can cause them to feel the need to hide their identity or even pick on

people that are out of the closet. With the amount of ridicule and stereotypes that circulate about

the LGBT community, it may be impossible for some to feel comfortable embracing the

lifestyles that suit their inner needs. But society definitely doesn’t make it any easier on the

process. Religion can also play a big role in how some might choose to embrace their true

selves.As said in the text,” Coming out to yourself also necessitates identifying who you

are,”(Knox & Milstein, 2017, p. 244) In religious households, homosexuality can be considered a

sin.

A lot of outgroups don’t have the amount of information or recognition that LGBT communities

do. You rarely hear about them nowadays but homosexuality is becoming more prevalent and

talked about. Another difference is that homosexuality is something that occurs biologically

while outgroups are more of a social problem. Outgroups also don’t have any resources which is
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something that LGBT groups don’t have as well. So in some ways, they are similar but in other

aspects they are different.

References

Knox, D., & Milstein, S. (2017). Human Sexuality: Making Informed Decisions (5th ed.) [with

Salt Lake Community College supplement]. Redding, CA: BVT Publishing.