In 1967, Mike Wallace ran a report saying, “Americans consider homosexuality more harmful to society than adultery, abortion, or prostitution.” “Two out of three Americans look upon homosexuals with disgust, discomfort or fear.” And “a majority of Americans favor legal punishment, even among consenting adults.”
Even when there are policies protecting LGBT patrons, some employees believe it is there duty to discriminate. On 6/7/11, the following article was posted: Macy's may have become synonymous with the holiday shopping season after its appearance in the Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street," but not all is merry and bright at a Texas branch of the popular retail chain, where an employee was fired after she refused to allow a transgender woman to use the ladies' fitting room.
As the Houston Chronicle is reporting, an altercation erupted when store employee Natalie Johnson stopped a customer, whom she apparently described as a man in makeup and women's clothing, from entering the ladies' fitting room at the Macy's outlet in the San Antonio Rivercenter. The following video shows her story.
This topic is especially important because policies to protect LGBT employes are not often followed. In 2009, a study was conducted regarding the hiring processes with transgender candidates. Here's their executive summary, "We found a 42% net rate of discrimination against transgender job seekers. In eleven out of the 24 employers tested, the transgender job applicant received no offer, but the control group tester did. Only in one instance did a transgender tester receive a job offer in our first round." You may read the whole report here: http://www.maketheroad.org/report.php?ID=1196
As the Houston Chronicle is reporting, an altercation erupted when store employee Natalie Johnson stopped a customer, whom she apparently described as a man in makeup and women's clothing, from entering the ladies' fitting room at the Macy's outlet in the San Antonio Rivercenter. The following video shows her story.
This topic is especially important because policies to protect LGBT employes are not often followed. In 2009, a study was conducted regarding the hiring processes with transgender candidates. Here's their executive summary, "We found a 42% net rate of discrimination against transgender job seekers. In eleven out of the 24 employers tested, the transgender job applicant received no offer, but the control group tester did. Only in one instance did a transgender tester receive a job offer in our first round." You may read the whole report here: http://www.maketheroad.org/report.php?ID=1196
Important Terms
Internalized homophobia: Self hatred about one’s own sexuality.
Hate crimes: Threats, harassment, or physical harm and is motivated by prejudice.
Microaggressions: Often unexamined prejudices acted upon in mundane situations. These would be things like,
"I know you're not like this, but did you hear the one about the gay guy who..."
"Hey, you used to be a woman, can you tell me more about how women think?"
Sometimes, microagressions are as simple as not making eye contact with someone, using the wrong pronoun, looking uncomfortable around a person, or ignoring someone.
Double discrimination: Comes from both dominant society and gay organizations. Bisexuals and transgendered folks have faced years of double discrimination.
Institutional homophobia: Government, businesses, churches, and other institutions and organizations discriminate.
Internalized homophobia: Self hatred about one’s own sexuality.
Hate crimes: Threats, harassment, or physical harm and is motivated by prejudice.
Microaggressions: Often unexamined prejudices acted upon in mundane situations. These would be things like,
"I know you're not like this, but did you hear the one about the gay guy who..."
"Hey, you used to be a woman, can you tell me more about how women think?"
Sometimes, microagressions are as simple as not making eye contact with someone, using the wrong pronoun, looking uncomfortable around a person, or ignoring someone.
Double discrimination: Comes from both dominant society and gay organizations. Bisexuals and transgendered folks have faced years of double discrimination.
Institutional homophobia: Government, businesses, churches, and other institutions and organizations discriminate.
You might want to read about some of the hate crimes against LGBT individuals. These include:
Hate Crimes
October 28, 2009 | President Barack Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law (as a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act). Before signing the legislation, President Obama says, "I promised Judy Shepard when I saw her in the Oval Office that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event." View photos and video of the bill signing.
Here's a video on
The True Story of Matthew Shepard 'A Victim of Hate' ( R.I.P )
Matthew Shepard went to public school in Casper until his junior year of high school when he moved with his family to Saudi Arabia. He was elected by his peers to be a peer counselor. He was easy to talk to, made friends easily and actively fought for the acceptance of all people.
Matt’s college career eventually took him back to Wyoming where he studied political science, foreign relations and languages at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
On October 7, 1998, two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, abducted Matt and drove him to a remote area east of Laramie, Wyoming. He was tied to a split-rail fence where the two men severely assaulted him with the butt of a pistol. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later, he was found by a bicyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matt died on October 12 at 12:53 a.m. at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado with his family by his side.
Hate Crimes
- Gay Gang Murders (1980s through 1990s)
- Brandon Teena (d. 1993)
- Tyra Hunter (d. 1995)
- Mathew Shepard (d. 1998)
- David Morley (d. 2004)
- Jody Dobrowski (d. 2005)
October 28, 2009 | President Barack Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law (as a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act). Before signing the legislation, President Obama says, "I promised Judy Shepard when I saw her in the Oval Office that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event." View photos and video of the bill signing.
Here's a video on
The True Story of Matthew Shepard 'A Victim of Hate' ( R.I.P )
Matthew Shepard went to public school in Casper until his junior year of high school when he moved with his family to Saudi Arabia. He was elected by his peers to be a peer counselor. He was easy to talk to, made friends easily and actively fought for the acceptance of all people.
Matt’s college career eventually took him back to Wyoming where he studied political science, foreign relations and languages at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
On October 7, 1998, two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, abducted Matt and drove him to a remote area east of Laramie, Wyoming. He was tied to a split-rail fence where the two men severely assaulted him with the butt of a pistol. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later, he was found by a bicyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matt died on October 12 at 12:53 a.m. at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado with his family by his side.
Trans Hate Crimes are more common than LGB crimes.
Trans Hate Crimes – Chrissy Lee
Polis - 04/24/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/24/chrissy-lee-polis-victim-mcdonalds-beating_n_852962.html
ROSEDALE, Md. -- A transgender woman whose brutal attack at a McDonald's restaurant in Maryland was captured on video that later went viral said Saturday she was the victim of a hate crime.
Twenty-two-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis told The Baltimore Sun that since the attack last Monday, "I'm just afraid to go outside now because of stuff like this."
This video is hard to watch. The abuse starts around the 1:00 minute mark.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/24/chrissy-lee-polis-victim-mcdonalds-beating_n_852962.html
ROSEDALE, Md. -- A transgender woman whose brutal attack at a McDonald's restaurant in Maryland was captured on video that later went viral said Saturday she was the victim of a hate crime.
Twenty-two-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis told The Baltimore Sun that since the attack last Monday, "I'm just afraid to go outside now because of stuff like this."
This video is hard to watch. The abuse starts around the 1:00 minute mark.
The level of violence against transgendered individuals has also inspired a "Transgendered Day of Remembrance." This occurs every November and involves lighting a candle for all of the people who were murdered for being trans. As you will see in the video of last year's group, the murders are usually very graphic:
Cultural/Institutional Homophobia
When groups begin to target individuals or other groups, we have a cultural or institutional bias. These may include:
This is, again, common for trans people: A California-based teen is hoping to spearhead a national boycott of Girl Scout cookies after the organization's controversial decision to admit a 7-year-old transgender child to a Colorado troop this past fall.
When groups begin to target individuals or other groups, we have a cultural or institutional bias. These may include:
- Social groups
- Religious organizations
- Educational system
- Legal system
- Institutional Homophobia - Social groups
This is, again, common for trans people: A California-based teen is hoping to spearhead a national boycott of Girl Scout cookies after the organization's controversial decision to admit a 7-year-old transgender child to a Colorado troop this past fall.
The Boy Scouts has also had its share of struggles. On May 24, 2013, the Boy Scouts announced that they would accept gay boys as scouts (but not leaders). This led many religious groups pull out of the scouts.
Institutional Homophobia - Religious organizations
Westboro Baptist Church family disowns daughter — 20/20
God hates America because the country has supported anti-Biblical behaviors like homosexuality.
Despite these limitations, we are making strides. There is a growing acceptance of LGBT individuals. This was highlighted in Cincinnati recently. Here's the article: http://www.npr.org/2014/04/30/307967244/gays-in-cincinnati-from-second-class-citizens-to-fully-accepted?ft=1&f=1001
Westboro Baptist Church family disowns daughter — 20/20
God hates America because the country has supported anti-Biblical behaviors like homosexuality.
Despite these limitations, we are making strides. There is a growing acceptance of LGBT individuals. This was highlighted in Cincinnati recently. Here's the article: http://www.npr.org/2014/04/30/307967244/gays-in-cincinnati-from-second-class-citizens-to-fully-accepted?ft=1&f=1001
Institutional Homophobia - Educational system
From LGBT in school: 'I lost a lot of my friends'
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
June 10, 2011 11:38 a.m.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/10/lgbt.acceptance/index.html
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also just released the largest government report to date on the topic of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and risky health behaviors. It found that these teens are more likely to engage in substance use, behaviors related to attempted suicide or that contributed to violence, among other things.
Study authors say lack of acceptance from friends and family is the likely culprit. Discrimination, disapproval from families and social rejection at school can all contribute to these outcomes, said Laura Kann of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, and lead author of the report.
This corroborates what many smaller studies have found, including research from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The group's analysis found that LGBT students are less likely to want to continue education beyond high school if they are experiencing victimization.
From LGBT in school: 'I lost a lot of my friends'
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
June 10, 2011 11:38 a.m.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/10/lgbt.acceptance/index.html
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also just released the largest government report to date on the topic of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and risky health behaviors. It found that these teens are more likely to engage in substance use, behaviors related to attempted suicide or that contributed to violence, among other things.
Study authors say lack of acceptance from friends and family is the likely culprit. Discrimination, disapproval from families and social rejection at school can all contribute to these outcomes, said Laura Kann of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, and lead author of the report.
This corroborates what many smaller studies have found, including research from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The group's analysis found that LGBT students are less likely to want to continue education beyond high school if they are experiencing victimization.
Institutional Homophobia – Legal/Occupational system
LGBT Discrimination in the Workplace
Up to 43% of Gay people experience harassment or discrimination (prohibited in 21 states).
Up to 90% of LGBT people experience harassment or discrimination (prohibited in 14 states).
LGBT Discrimination in the Workplace
Up to 43% of Gay people experience harassment or discrimination (prohibited in 21 states).
Up to 90% of LGBT people experience harassment or discrimination (prohibited in 14 states).
Heteronormativity
Perceived reinforcement of certain beliefs about sexuality within social institutions and politics.
From this point of view, heterosexual families with children are the only natural manifestations of sexuality.
Here is a court case on how heteronormativity can affect employment and equal protection.
Perceived reinforcement of certain beliefs about sexuality within social institutions and politics.
From this point of view, heterosexual families with children are the only natural manifestations of sexuality.
Here is a court case on how heteronormativity can affect employment and equal protection.
In order to confront institutional prejudice, we have to create institutional responses. This will take time, but we are already making some progress. In 2011, the South African government, together with a group of other supportive nations, led a successful resolution on LGBT issues that called for a high-level panel discussion as well as a report outlining the vast array of human rights abuses that take place every day across the globe based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
It gets better
Even though there is significant prejudice and discrimination, this doesn't have to define us.
In September 2010, syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage created a YouTube video with his partner Terry Miller to inspire hope for young people facing harassment. In response to a number of students taking their own lives after being bullied in school, they wanted to create a personal way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBT youth that, yes, it does indeed get better.
Here is the video that Pixar published. President Obama has a video, too (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyAFbSDPVk)
Even though there is significant prejudice and discrimination, this doesn't have to define us.
In September 2010, syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage created a YouTube video with his partner Terry Miller to inspire hope for young people facing harassment. In response to a number of students taking their own lives after being bullied in school, they wanted to create a personal way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBT youth that, yes, it does indeed get better.
Here is the video that Pixar published. President Obama has a video, too (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyAFbSDPVk)
Discussion Question
What are typical ways LGBQ and TQI people might experience discrimination at Central Washington University? (Address LGB and trans issues separately).
When you address this, please address microagression issues as well as more blatant forms of discrimination. Maybe a professor who ignored them, not feeling like they had a "group" on campus, feeling like they couldn't display any affection, etc.
What are typical ways LGBQ and TQI people might experience discrimination at Central Washington University? (Address LGB and trans issues separately).
When you address this, please address microagression issues as well as more blatant forms of discrimination. Maybe a professor who ignored them, not feeling like they had a "group" on campus, feeling like they couldn't display any affection, etc.