JordanNakanishi

11/13/15
Period5
TheFighttoStopDiscrimination
Section1:BackgroundandCurrentSituation
Overtheyears,federalcivilrightslawshavebeencreatedtoprotectthoseofrace,
ethnicity,age,andreligionbutnotsexualorientation.Itisnotuncommonforlesbiansandgay
mentoexperiencediscrimination,hostility,andfatalviolencejustbecauseoftheirsexual
orientation.ThethirdhighestcategoryofhatecrimesreportedtotheFBIarethosecommitted
againstindividualswhoidentifyasgay,lesbian,transgender,orbisexualaccordingtothe
HumanRightsCampaign,theseoffensesmakeupto,14%ofallhatecrimesreported
nationally.AlthoughcontroversysurroundingLGBTindividualshasexistedforcenturies,after
oneofthefirstmajorprotestsforhomosexualrightscalledtheStonewallriotsin1969theLGBT
communityhasfocusedonlegalprotectionfromdiscrimination(Gays2015).LGBTpeople
arevictimsofprejudiceinthelabormarket,hospitals,military,schools,andeventheirown
familiesjustforbeingwhotheyare.Theseviolationsoftheirrightsareduetodeeprooted
homophobicandtransphobicfeelingsandthelackofsufficientprotectiongivenbylaws
prohibitingdiscrimination.Insteadofhavinglawsprotectingthemfromthisbias,thereare
discriminatorylawsineffectinupto77countriesthatpunishconsensual,privatesamesex
relationshipswiththeconsequenceofprosecution,imprisonment,andeventhedeathpenalty
(Combatting2015).
Section2:PreviousSolutions

Inanattempttoenddiscriminationagainstanemployeesgenderidentityandsexual
orientation,theEmploymentNonDiscriminationAct(ENDA)wasintroduced.Thislawwould
alsoprotectthosewhoassociatedwithtransgender,bisexual,gay,orlesbianindividualsand
protectallworkersfromretributioniftheycomplainaboutthediscriminationofsexualorgender
identity.Thislawwasfirstintroducedin1994tocounteracttheissueofpeopleoftheLGBT
communitywhoarefired,nothired,andharassedonthejobatalarminglyhighrates(Hunt
2011).Thereareabout8.2milliongayemployeesthroughoutthecountryandaccordingtoapoll
bythePublicReligionResearchInstitute,aroundsevenintenAmericansconcludethatgaysand
lesbiansencountereitheralotorsomediscriminationintheworkplace.Thelegislation
failedtopassin1995,1996,1997,and1999(OKeefe2014)buteventuallypassedin2007
(Hunt).However,manyLGBTgroupswithdrewtheirsupportofthemeasurebecauseofthe
religiousexemptionaddedtothebill.InastatementmadebytheNationalGayandLesbianTask
ForceExecutiveDirectorReaCarey,Asoneoftheleadadvocatesforthisbillfor20years,we
donottakethismovelightlybutwedotakeitunequivocallywenowopposethisversionof
ENDAbecauseofitstoobroadreligiousexemption(Hunt2011).
Thezerotolerancepolicyinschoolspunishesanyviolationofschoolrules,regardlessof
ignorance,unintentionalmistakes,orextenuatingcircumstances.Theseinfringementsmay
includethepossessionofaweapon,drugs,oralcoholoncampus,orthethreateningofothers
withviolence.Althoughthispolicyisineffectforthesafetyoftheschoolsstudentsandfaculty,
itmaynotbethebestsolutiontostoppingbullying,includingbullyingagainstLGBTstudents.
85%ofLGBTstudentsareharassed,while40%undergophysicalviolencefromtheirpeers.
Contrarytoexpectations,thezerotolerancepolicydoesmoreharmthangoodforstudentswho

identifyasLGBT(Zero2015).In2012anIndianapolisteennamedDarnellYoungfiredastun
gunintheairathisschoolinselfdefenseandwasexpelled.Youngwasanopenlygaystudent
whowastormentedbybulliesformonthsandhadwentwithhismothertodiscusstheissuewith
theprincipalwhosimplyinstructedYoungtotonedownhisflamboyantstyle.Youngscaseis
oneofmanyotherunsuccessfulapplicationsofthezerotolerancepolicy.Astudentwhoharasses
anotherwithhomophobicslurswilllearnnothingfromashortsuspensionfromschoolandthe
administrationwillhavelearnednothingofthestudentandthecircumstancesconcerningthe
issueorthestudenthimself(Laub2012).Withthispolicyenacted,schoolsafetyhasnotbeen
improvedandhasinsteadlostthecapacitytoconsidereachstudentscircumstances,usetheir
betterjudgement,andtreatthemasindividuals(Zero2015).
Section3:MyProposedSolution

Insteadofusingthesecurrentschoolpolicies,thebestsolutiontocounteractissueof

LGBTdiscriminationistoimplementLGBTinclusivecurriculumintoacademicsandeducate
people.Inrecentyears,supportforsamesexmarriagehasbecomeincreasinglyaccepted
althoughnearly40%ofpeoplestilloppose.ManypeoplemaydisapproveofLGBTrights
becausetheyhavenevermetorinteractedwithsomeoneofthecommunityandthereforefeel
uncomfortablewiththetopic.Studentslearnatayoungageoftheaccomplishmentsoffigures
whohavehelpedtocreateabetterunderstandingoftheircultureandcelebratethehistoryof
women,AfricanAmericans,andHispanics.Ifstudentswereabletolearnthehistoryof
significantLGBTfiguresorunderstandhowtheStonewallriotscreatedachangeinLGBT
recognition,theywillcometorealizethatLGBTindividualsarentsodifferentfromthemselves
(Nicodemo2015).StudentscouldlearnaboutLGBTissueswithinoursocietyandtheirstruggle

forcivilrightsandhardshipsagainstbullying.Thiscontentcanbeeffortlesslyincorporatedinto
existinglessonsabouthumanrights,currentevents,andliteraturetoinformstudentsfroma
youngageandhopefullyreducestereotypesandmisconceptionsabouttheLGBTcommunity
(Why2015).
AlargeamountofharassmentanddiscriminationofLGBTindividualsoccursonschool
grounds.AccordingtoasurveybytheGay,Lesbian,andStraightEducationNetwork(GLSEN),
aboutthreeinfourstudentsreportbeingverballyharassedduetotheirsexualorientation,and
overathirdofthemreportedbeingharassedphysically.56.7%ofthesestudentsdidnotdisclose
thisinformationtotheschooland61.6%ofthosewhodidclaimtonothavereceivedaresponse.
Overhalfofthesestudentsalsoclaimtohaveencountereddiscriminatoryschoolpolicies.This
tormentingresultsindetrimentaleffectssuchasincreasedabsences,depressionrates,and
decreasedinterestinfurthereducation.TheGLSENrecommendsteachersandschoolstomake
inschoolresourcesforLGBTstudentsmorereadilyavailableandtoactivelysupport
GayStraightalliancesanduseSafeSpacestickerstodemonstratetheirsupportforstudents
whoneedsomeonetotalkto.Thesemethodsarelinkedtolessharassmentandcontributedto
studentswhofeelmoreconnectedtotheirschoolcommunity(Study2015).
AsimportantasitisforstudentstobeeducatedinLGBTissues,teachersmustalsobe
informedofwhattoteachandhowtohandleoncampusincidentsaswell.Accordingtothe
surveyconductedbyGLSEN,lessthanafifthofsurveyedstudentsreportedschoolfaculty
interveninginincidentsconcerninghomophobiccomments.Ifteachersbecamemoreawareof
theirstudentsgenderexpressionandsexualorientation,theymaybemorepreparedtointervene
inthosesituationsandmoreinvolvedintheirexperiences(Study2015).AsstatedbySharon

Robinson,PresidentandCEOoftheAmericanAssociationofCollegesforTeacherEducation
(AACTE),Asinstancesofbullyinginschoolspersist,itismorecriticalthaneverthatweequip
teacherswiththeknowledgeandconfidencetoaddressdiscriminationandotherbehaviorsthat
threatenstudentsafetyWiththeassistanceofsupportiveeducators,schoolbehaviorand
culturecanbechangedtoleadtoanimprovedatmosphereforstudentsacademicallyand
psychologically(Nicodemo2015).
Section4:AddressPossibleObjections
OneofthebiggestoppositionstotheLGBTmovementisbecausepeopleclaimthat
samesexmarriageandrelationshipsareagainsttheirreligion.RepublicanpoliticianRick
Santorumdeclaresthatifchurchesareforcedtoperformgaymarriages,itwouldbe,
...tantamounttogovernmentestablishingreligion.Hebelievesthatbytakingpartingay
marriagestheyarebeingforcedtobelieveandpracticesomethingcompletelydifferenttowhat
theydo,andregardsthisasaviolationoftheFirstAmendment(Mantyla2015).Thisrefersto
theassumptionthatmarriageisareligiouscustomthatshouldnotbetamperedwithwhenin
reality,thereisnoreligiousceremonyrequiredforacoupletobelegallymarriedandisa
sociolegalinstitutiongovernedbythestate.PeoplethinkthatteachingLGBTideasinschool
maycorruptthemindsofchildrenandteachthemvaluesthatarevastlydifferentfromtheirown.
Inactuality,itwouldbebeneficialforchildrentounderstandtheimportanceofacceptingothers
regardlessofsexualorientationorgenderidentityandwillproduceadultswhoaremoreopen
minded.Eventuallytheywillcometounderstandthatreligiondoesnotencompassorbeaffected
bythemarriageofagaycouple.AnotherclaimisthatLGBTindividualswillinfluenceoreven
harmchildrenintheirupbringing.Thosewhoareopposedtoequalityclaimthatchildrenneedto

haveamotherandafatherinordertothrive,andthatsamesexcouplesdenythesechildrentoa
typicalupbringing.Accordingtoresearchhowever,thereisnoevidencethatshowsadifference
thepsychosocialoutcomesofsamesexoroppositesexcouples(Lipp2013).Althoughthe
LGBTmovementhasgainedenormousmomentuminrecentyears,discriminationisstillpresent
inmanyways,preventingpeoplefromlivingthenormallivestheydeserve.
Section5:CalltoAction
Whenpeoplearediscriminatedagainstbecauseoftheirsexualorientationorgender
identity,theyaredeniedtheirbasichumanrightswhicheachandeveryhumanshouldbeentitled
toregardlessoftheirrace,gender,ethnicity,oranyothercharacteristicofwhotheyare.Itis
crucialthatchildrenbeeducatedearlyintheirlivesaboutLGBTindividuals,whotheyare,and
howtheyshouldbeacceptedforwhotheyare.Educatingchildrenearlywouldbethemost
effectivesolutiontotheproblembecauseaslongasafoundationislaidearlyon,informationcan
bescaffoldedastheygrowolderandcontinuetounderstandtheimportanceofacceptanceand
tolerance(Kaeser2011).Theywilllearntoreflectupontheirownactions,standuptoprejudice,
andlearnfromandacceptthosewhoaredifferent.LGBTstudentswillfeelmoreacceptedand
theeducationalexperiencewillbeimprovedforeveryone(Why2015).Ifchildrendonot
acquirethisknowledgeoranintroductiontothistopic,theywontbecomecomfortableoraware
ofLGBTrightsandwillbelesslikelytospeakupforthemselvesorothersiftheyneedto.

Todenysomeoneajobbecauseofwhotheyareortotreatthemdifferentlyforthesame

reasontakesawaytheirabilitytoliveanormallifelikeothersaroundthem.Theleastpeoplecan
doistoacceptothersforwhotheyarebecauseitisntacrimefortwopeopleofthesamegender

tobeinaconsensualrelationship,butitistodenythemtheirbasicrightssimplybecauseof
beingwhotheyare.
WorksCited
"CombattingDiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity."
UnitedNationsHuman
Rights
.OfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRights,n.d.Web.9Nov.2015.
"GaysandLesbians."
TheLeadershipConferenceonCivilandHumanRights
.TheLeadershipConference,
Web.09Nov.2015.
Hunt,Jerome."AHistoryoftheEmploymentNonDiscriminationAct."

19July2011.Web.09Nov.2015.
Kaeser,Fred."TeachingYourYoungChildaboutHomosexualityandTransgenderism."
PsychologyToday
.
N.p.,14Dec.2011.Web.09Nov.2015.
Laub,Carolyn."WhyZeroToleranceIsNottheSolutiontoSchoolBullying."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,16May2012.Web.09Nov.2015.
Lipp,Murray."10TakedownsofPeopleWhoStillOpposeGayMarriage."
Mic
.N.p.,26June2013.Web.09
Nov.2015.
Mantyla,Kyle."PresidentSantorumWontEnforceSamesexMarriageRulingsinceItsaviolationofthe
FirstAmendment."
LGBTQNationRSS
..,10June2015.Web.09Nov.2015.
Nicodemo,Anthony."TimetoAddLGBTEducationIntotheClassroom."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,4Apr.2015.Web.09Nov.2015.
O'Keefe,Ed."ENDA,Explained."
WashingtonPost
.TheWashingtonPost,4Nov.2014.Web.09Nov.2015.
"Study:TeacherSupport,InclusiveCurriculaImportantforLGBTStudents."
EducationWeek
.Web.09Nov.
2015.

"WhyAddressGayIssueswithChildren."
Groundspark
.Web.13Nov.2015.
"ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com."
ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com
.,01Oct.2015.Web.
09Nov.2015.


AnnotatedBibliography
"CombattingDiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity."
UnitedNationsHuman
Rights
.OfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRights,n.d.Web.9Nov.2015.
ThiswasacrediblewebsitethatgaveanoverviewofLGBTdiscriminationandthelawsthatarein
effectinothercountriestoshowthescopeoftheissue.Iusedthemostoftheinformationfromthis
articleinmyintroductoryparagraphtoshowhowwidespreadthisprejudiceisandwhyitsaproblem.
"GaysandLesbians."
TheLeadershipConferenceonCivilandHumanRights
.TheLeadershipConference,
Web.09Nov.2015.
ThiswasacrediblewebsitethatgaveabriefhistoryoftheLGBTmovementandadescriptionofthe
discriminationthatLGBTindividualsface.Iusedthemajorityoftheinformationfromthisarticlein
myintroductoryparagraphtointroducethehistoryoftheissueandwhowasinvolved.

Hunt,Jerome."AHistoryoftheEmploymentNonDiscriminationAct."

19July2011.Web.09Nov.2015.
ThisarticleprovidedinformationabouttheEmploymentNonDiscriminationActwhichdescribed
LGBTdiscriminationintheworkforceandtheprogressofthebilltocounteracttheeffectsofthe
issue.Itdescribedthehistoryofthelegislationfromitsintroductiontopassing.
Kaeser,Fred."TeachingYourYoungChildaboutHomosexualityandTransgenderism."
PsychologyToday
.
N.p.,14Dec.2011.Web.09Nov.2015.
ThisarticledescribedtheimportanceofteachingchildrenfromanearlyageabouttheLGBT
communityandteachingchildrenwhywemustbetolerantandacceptingofpeoplewhomayseem
differentbutactuallyarent.
Laub,Carolyn."WhyZeroToleranceIsNottheSolutiontoSchoolBullying."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,16May2012.Web.09Nov.2015.

Thisarticletalkedaboutthezerotolerancepolicyinschoolandgaveausefulanecdoteaboutagay
studentwhowassuspendedforanactselfdefence.Itgaveanexampleofanunsuccessfulresultofthe
policy.
Lipp,Murray."10TakedownsofPeopleWhoStillOpposeGayMarriage."
Mic
.N.p.,26June2013.Web.09
Nov.2015.
IusedthisarticletorefertoclaimsmadebythosewhoareagainstLGBTlawsandtohelpgather
ideasaboutcounterargumentsandtogetanideaabouttheideasoftheopposingside.
Mantyla,Kyle."PresidentSantorumWontEnforceSamesexMarriageRulingsinceItsaviolationofthe
FirstAmendment."
LGBTQNationRSS
..,10June2015.Web.09Nov.2015.
ThisarticleshowedoppositionfromaRepublicanpoliticianandhisreasonsforopposingthe
legalizationofsamesexmarriagebecauseofitsinterferencewithreligion.Iusedthisarticleto
acknowledgeandrefuteacounterargument.
Nicodemo,Anthony."TimetoAddLGBTEducationIntotheClassroom."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,4Apr.2015.Web.09Nov.2015.
ThisarticleexplainedtheimportanceofincorporatingLGBTideasintotheclassroomandthepositive
effectitcouldhaveonchildren.TheauthorsuggestedthatifchildrenlearnedofLGBThistorythey
willbecomemorefamiliarandopenaboutthetopic.
O'Keefe,Ed."ENDA,Explained."
WashingtonPost
.TheWashingtonPost,4Nov.2014.Web.09Nov.2015.
ThiswebsitedescribedtheEmploymentNonDiscriminationActandgavestatisticsofLGBTworkers
intheworkforce.IusedthestatisticsIfoundabouttheamountofpeopleintheworkforceandthe
opinionsofcoworkersinmypaper.
"Study:TeacherSupport,InclusiveCurriculaImportantforLGBTStudents."
EducationWeek
.Web.09Nov.
2015.

ThissourceincludedstatisticsaboutLGBTstudentsandtheirexperiencewithbullyinginschool.It
demonstratedtheamountofharassmenttheyexperienceregularlyandhowteachersinadequatelydeal
withtheissue.

"WhyAddressGayIssueswithChildren."
Groundspark
.Web.13Nov.2015.
ThissourcegaveinformationaboutwaystoimplementLGBTcurriculumintoschoolsandthepossible
benefitsitcanhaveonchildrenandtheirmindsets.ItexplainedwhyLGBTcurriculumisnecessaryand
howchildrenshouldlearnabouttheseissuesfromayoungage.

"ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com."
ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com
.,01Oct.2015.Web.
09Nov.2015.
Thisarticledescribedthezerotolerancepolicyimplementedinschoolsandtalkedabouthowthis
policydoesnthavetheintendedeffectonstudents,especiallythoseidentifyingasLGBT.