History and Challenges of LGBTQ Community in the United States

This paper evaluates the distinctiveness and history of the LGBTQ community in the United States, highlighting the discrimination and challenges they face. It discusses the growth of the LGBTQ community, discrimination faced by LGBTQ individuals, and the impact of heterosexism on their lives. The paper concludes with the hope for a reduction in discrimination and prejudices towards LGBTQ individuals.

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Introduction
Throughout its history, America has signified equal opportunity for people belonging to
all races, origins, religions serving as a guiding light of hope for any individual seeking for an
enhanced life. However, in the view of authors, regardless of its founding values and principles
of egalitarianism and acceptance, the United States further constitutes a long record of refuting
fundamental rights to certain individuals (Mayfield et al., 2017). The aim of the following paper
is to evaluate the distinctiveness, history of LGBTQ community. In addition to this, the paper
will highlight certain discriminations and injustice which the community has been encountering
for long.
Discussion
History of LGBTQ community
Studies of Jowett (2017) indicate LGBT history which originates from the initial recorded
events of same-sex affection and sexuality of ancient civilizations. These events further entailed
history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) individuals as well as beliefs, values and
cultures across the world. Mayfield et al. (2017) have noted that after the Stonewall riots in 1969,
LGBT activists pursued greater number of radical politics by joining associations like Gay
Liberation Front. The foundation of LGBT is aimed to underline a range of sexuality and gender
identity-based cultures and typically represents any individual who is non-heterosexual or non
cisgender instead of exclusively to individuals who belong to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
transgender community. However, according to Martos, Wilson and Meyer (2017), to distinguish
such an inclusion, an accepted variant adds the letter ‘Q’ for the individuals who are recognized
as queer or questioning their sexual identity as LGBTQ since 1996. Queer has also undergone
complex history which involves a derogatory use by individuals who have harmful activities in

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mind. However, over the past three decades, queer has developed a position in fields of
academia, politics and further in domain of popular culture (Mayfield et al., 2017).
Distinctiveness of LGBTQ Community
There can be identified significant growth of LGBTQ community at international as well
as national level (Martos, Wilson & Meyer, 2017). The historic LGBT declaration at the United
Nations Human Rights Council adopted in the year 2014 has been led by administration and
government from the global south, chiefly Latin America and further supported by other nations
from all over the world including South Africa. Eskridge Jr (2017) has observed the status of the
LGBTQ community as good litmus analysis for the status of human rights in the society due to
its vulnerable marginal recognition. Furthermore, as lesbians counterfeited greater number of
public identities, the terms ‘gay and lesbian’ gained substantial universality. Lesbians who
obtained a greater essentialist perspective that they had been born homosexual and further used
the descriptor ‘lesbian’ to characterize forms of sexual attraction (Semenova et al., 2015). Such
attraction has typically been regarded as separatist, apprehensive opinions and views of lesbian-
feminists to be unfavourable to the cause of gay rights. Jowett (2017) have stated that these
concerned opinions eventually have been pursued by bisexual as well as transgender individual
further seeking recognition as legitimate categories within the larger community.
However, according to Swann et al. (2016), while public attitudes have been changing
significantly over the past few decades regarding youths reveal their personal events and
experiences concerning sexual preferences. Reports of Lopez-Baez and Wheat (2017) reveal
over 58% of all LGBTQ adults have made revelations of their sexual orientation or sexual
preferences while around 39% have confessed about their gender identity to their fathers.
Furthermore, within the LGBT populace, there can be observed a greater social reception has

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developed as a result of greater number of Americans knowing certain individuals to be
belonging to LGBTQ community. Additionally seven in ten LGBT adults state that individuals
acquainted of any individual who belong to the LGBTQ community has facilitated the society to
be more tolerable as well as justifiable. Comprehensive studies of Heckert (2018) have noted the
rate of Americans acknowledging as well as embracing homosexuality in society has augmented
by 45% to 63% over the last decade with distinct differentiations on ideas regarding religious
affiliation, ideologies and practices. Broader transformations in the American society have
further stimulated some of the greater dignity for individual liberation and autonomy.
Discrimination and Challenges faced by LGBTQ community
Reports of Lopez-Baez and Wheat (2017) have revealed significant personal experiences
of LGBTQ Americans related to discriminations, marginalization and injustice across several
aspects of life. Reports based on individual forms of discrimination, a major proportion of all
LGBTQ people have encountered insults along with insensitive and hateful comments related to
sexual orientation and gender preferences. Furthermore, according to Ghabrial (2017), the stigma
attached to gender preferences and recognition have been positioned outside the probable
heterosexual, non-transgender standards and norms relegates several LGBTQ individuals to the
marginal sections of the society. Such marginalization typically excludes LGBTQ people from
wide-ranging support structures often engaging their own families. Lopez-Baez and Wheat
(2017) have found that acts of discrimination and bias concerning sexual orientation, gender
preference and recognition prevent LGBTQ individuals from accessing chief public facilities
related to education, employment and health care services resulting to significant health
divergences. There can be identified wide ranging detrimental events faced by LGBTQ people
related to institutional marginalization. In the opinion of Martos, Wilson and Meyer (2017),

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LGBTQ individuals remain imperceptible in poverty studies as they are understood to be
infertile with lesser rate of family liabilities resulting to elevated overall incomes in comparison
to heterosexual households. Additionally, with the exemption of HIV/AIDS, people belonging to
LGBTQ are considered as not calling for any financial, social, or health-related services
(Semenova et al., 2015). For instance, at least one in five people belonging to LGBTQ
community have revealed personal marginalization related to their sexual recognition while
applying for jobs or higher educational opportunities (Pietkiewicz & Kołodziejczyk-Skrzypek,
2016).
At this juncture, Pietkiewicz and Kołodziejczyk-Skrzypek (2016) have stated that while
assessing local community, LGBTQ people of the United States tend to receive a considerable
amount of injustice, inequality, marginalization in local areas against both LGB as well as
transgender. Furthermore, reports of Swann et al. (2016) have indicated that around 90% of all
LGBTQ people are of the opinion that there are acts of discrimination and injustice against
LGBTQ people in the United States. On the other hand, Lopez-Baez and Wheat (2017) have
found divergences in acts of marginalization and prejudice against LGBTQ people in United
States. According to Higa et al. (2014), the homosexuality has drawn relevance from labelling
theory. LGBTQ individuals are typically labelled as a specific section of people who constitute
deviant sexual orientation and gender identity with low behavioural sense. These factors have
thus been signified to exhibit sexual incongruity resulting them to be positioned at the
marginalized section of the society. Pietkiewicz and Kołodziejczyk-Skrzypek (2016) have stated
that when LGBTQ people identify them having a diverse sexual orientation from the mainstream
society and further reflect on the people and are thus labelled by the society as a deviant
individual. Thus, because of this labelling, LGBTQ people remain at a marginalized section of

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society with reduced self-dignity and lack of confidence which tends to create an unconstructive
impact on all facets of their life whether being individualistic, professional or social life (Swann
et al., 2016).
Furthermore, Semenova et al. (2015) intend to recognize that heterosexuals are granted a
considerable privileged place in the society. Heterosexism has understood that heterosexuality is
regarded as a norm further acknowledging acts of prejudice and marginalization in favour of
heterosexuals and in opposition to the LGBTQ community of the United States. However, from a
conflict perspective, authors have recognized the way heterosexism has been institutionalized as
it blocks potential proactive as well as defensive legislation for LGBTQ community. Heckert
(2018) have further accentuated on acts of heterosexual biases in social welfare policy further
recognizing its effect in three ways. Such an impact have been noticed in regulations which
unambiguously target LGBTQ people as nonstandard or deviant and through federal
explanations that believe that all families show certain forms of heterosexuality as well as
through policies that neglect LGBT economical deficiency and social requirements due to rising
stereotypes regarding affluence among LGBT families (Swann et al., 2016).
Conclusion
On a concluding note, the American government’s endeavours to efficiently employ the
transgender multitude prohibition have already been blocked by several federal courts and
legislations. However if U.S Donald Trump keeps on combating against obstructions, the
Supreme Court could in due course have to undergo a decision-making procedure between
aspects required by the US administration are essential in relation to military readiness along
with the investigation illustrating such a position is groundless and speculative. These
endeavours give LGBTQ communities in the United States with significant hopes and

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anticipations towards curtailing the rate of discrimination and prejudices towards these
individuals.

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