Equality and Diversity: UK Laws on Homosexual Rights and Protections

This essay provides an overview of the legal protections afforded to homosexual individuals in the United Kingdom, addressing issues of equality and diversity. It begins with an introduction to the concepts of equality and diversity, highlighting the challenges faced by homosexual individuals in society. The main body of the essay presents a case study of a young homosexual man, Anthony, and examines various scenarios where he might encounter discrimination, such as in the workplace, housing, public accommodations, and educational institutions. For each scenario, the essay outlines relevant UK legislation, including the Equality Act 2010 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, that provides legal recourse and protection against discrimination. The essay also discusses legal provisions related to gender marker updates on passports and the legality of same-sex marriage. The conclusion reiterates the prevalence of discrimination against homosexual individuals and emphasizes the importance of legal frameworks in promoting their well-being and equal treatment. The essay references several academic sources to support its arguments.

Equality and Diversity

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................2

INTRODUCTION
Equality, as the term suggest it is for ensuring that everybody in this world has an equal
or same rights, and it is ensuring that no one can treat differently or provide the protection
against discrimination due to their physical characteristics. The term diversity refers to, people
have to valuing the differences, respecting the differences and provide recognition to the
differences of other people. Both the term showing about the equality and respecting the
characteristics of homosexuality of the homosexual people. In the society homosexual people
have to faces number of problems. So, Government made lots of legislations for solving their
problems. Therefore, in this essay we going to discuss about those problems and its legislation
for providing support to the homosexual people. Homosexuality terms refer to attraction of two
person who are belonging to same gender or sex. In our society till now for many people, it is to
hard to accept the homosexuality. Therefore, homosexual people faces lots of discrimination and
stigma on the daily basis. All of the negative actions and perceptions about these people can
affect their mental and physical health. Homosexual people face many barriers at the different
stages of life. They face discriminative behaviour at different level of societies like at health care
hospitals , schools, work place and so on (Ehis, Esene, and Ibezim, 2021). Homosexual people
also faces the discrimination, intolerances, harassment, violence by heterosexual people due to
the fear or hatred of homosexuality.
MAIN BODY
In the case study of Anthony, he is only 21 years and a homosexual. He have to faces
many type of threat due to his sexuality like his own father does not ready to accept his sexuality
therefore Antony confined only in his mum. He also faces to get adaptation in his school because
his friends bullied him regarding his sexuality. Antony wanted to solve out these difficulties so,
he need some legislative support for his position , which is made to solve out the homosexuality
problem. There are different different legal landscape for homosexual people, which is evolving
constantly. Therefore, as Antony faces the so many discrimination and inequality at different
level of life and he wanted to know about the support of legislation so, these are the different
situation and these legislation for supporting the rights of homosexual people (Harvey, 2019).
The different situation and the supporting legislation for homosexual people are following:
1: Scenario: Discrimination, related with sexuality at the work palace by his colleague.
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According to the Equality act 2010 , employer with 15 in number or more employees are
prohibited to discriminate the people on the basis of their sex. Few courts have passed the rule
that the equality act 2010 also posses the right to ban the discrimination on the basis of the
gender identity or sexual orientations. There are many many states and cities which are in
support for banning the discrimination which is related to sexuality. If Antony feel that he has
facing any discrimination at work , then he can file a complaint (Janssen, 2021).
2: Scenario: a landlord ,refuse to rent to Antony.
The equality act 2010 for homosexuality, also prohibits the sex determination by the
landlord. It is also believed that the court should also interpret to protect the rights of homosexual
people. There are states and local laws, which also bar the discrimination regarding this. Some
housing provider that receive fund from the housing development department or federal housing
administration have restricted to follow equal access rule, means ban the discrimination on the
basis of sexuality and gender identity during the housing development program.
3. Scenario: Antony faces discrimination in public accommodation, like different shops,
restaurants, malls, cinema halls and so on ( Lee, and Lin, 2022).
The sex determination regulation 2008 of UK provides the support for homosexual
people that if he felt any discrimination with related to his sexuality at any accommodation like ,
in any goods , facilities or services then he can file a complaint against that discrimination.
4. Scenario: homosexual people facing discrimination during the schooling.
The equality act 2010 bans the discrimination on the basis of sexuality by public in
educational institutions like school ,colleges and different private institution. Several UK courts
protect the rights of homosexual people from discrimination or the harassment by other people.
Some amendments protect the rights of homosexual people to express himself at public palace
like they have right to organized sex separated programs and provide them facilities according to
their needs. Some local and states laws also protect the the rights of homo sexual people and also
provide some laws to decrease the discrimination on the basis of their sex or gender (Lashley,
2021).
5: Scenario: Antony ,who is homo sexual can use the public rest room with their identities.
According to the amendment of equality act 2010 every people of united kingdom have
same rights for using any public facilities with their identities. So if Antony feel any discriminant
behaviour by any heterosexual people of facilities authority, then he have right to file a
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complaint in the local court directly or in local police station. And the court have right to treat
that case under the act criminal justice act 2003, which is protect the right of homosexual people.
6: Scenario: How do Antony update the gender marker on his UK passport (Radich, A., 2021).
According to the law of UK government there is no need to show the medical
documentation for establishing or updating the gender or sex designation on the UK passport.
According to Antony he can simply fill the gender option according to him which is more
appropriate for him. The x designation on the UK passports is not currently available. Therefore,
there is no any legal obligation for different gender marker on the united kingdom's document.
7: Scenario: Antony want to married with same sex then what the legislation to protect his
decision.
According to the Marriage ( same sex couples ) act 2013 which came into force on march
13, 2014, same sex marriages becomes legal in United Kingdom, which allow the homosexual
couples to do marriage according to their choice. The first homosexual marriage in united
kingdom already take place on march 29, 2014. Therefore, Antony have rights to do homosexual
marriage without and discrimination or stigma.
CONCLUSION
Through the above discussion, it is concluded that there are so many discrimination and
stigma in the society by which a homosexual people have to suffered on the daily basis. Like
they have to faced those stigma in their school, work place , restaurant even they does not safe in
their ow home, they have to faced bullied by their friends and colleague. Due to all these stigma
or discrimination now government started to provide some legislation so, that homosexual people
can also make their like better and live happily and respectfully in the society.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ehis, b.s., Esene, h. and Ibezim, h.u., 2021. same sex consciousness and activity among
university students in southern nigeria. annals of medical and surgical practice, 6(2), pp.81-
92.
Harvey, A., 2019. Discrimination in British nationality law. In Citizenship in Times of Turmoil?.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
Janssen, D.F., 2021. Homosexual/Heterosexual: First Print Uses of the Terms by Daniel von
Kászony (1868–1871). Journal of homosexuality, 68(14), pp.2574-2579.
Lashley, C., 2021 Hidden in plain sight? Covert prejudice and subtle discrimination. In Prejudice
and Discrimination in Hotels, Restaurants and Bars (pp. 19-31). Routledge.
Lee, I.C. and Lin, W.F., 2022. Us versus them: The debates on the legislation of same-sex
marriage (1994–2015) in Taiwan. Journal of Homosexuality, 69(4), pp.655-676.
Radich, A., 2021. Veganism and the Law in Australia. Law and Veganism: International
Perspectives on the Human Right to Freedom of Conscience, p.1.
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