Discrimination of the LGBT Community: Religion, Fear and Unnaturalness

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Recommended: Homosexuality: nature or nurture

I grew up in a semi-religious but open household and have a lot of religious fanatics on certain sides of my dad’s family. Though, I still never officially came out of the closet to the rest of the family, I’ve stated gender means nothing in love multiple times or that I don’t care about a person’s gender or previous gender. I know for a fact I would be shunned away from certain parts of family because of my outlook on love. My story isn’t as bad as some families get. Teens are thrown out on the street because they like the same-sex or relentless bullying from peers or family leaves suicide as the only option young teens can think of. Often times, the LGBT community is discriminated because of religion, fear, and others believe it is unnatural. Religion is the biggest factor in the discrimination towards the LGBT community. Religious people against homosexuals often quote homophobic passages from the Bible, defending their religion and right to be against their LGBT neighbors. Some groups are more tolerant and accepting of their neighbors. According to an interview by Redman (2006), a reverend stated “While some of our toughest adversaries come from faith, so do some of our most profound supporters” (pg. 198). Religion often plays a part in the politics and right issues in the court. Even though our country is supposed to separate church from the state, it doesn’t stop the judicial system from allowing religion to play a big part in the decision making of a bill. Freedom of religion shouldn’t trump the life, liberty and happiness our forefathers decided upon for the foundation of our country. However, because people fear the unknown and refuse to take part in educating themselves, the cycle continually circles around. Discriminati... ... middle of paper ... ...ause they are different or ‘deviant’ from the apparent ‘natural’ world. Works Cited Bennett-Smith, M. (2013, July 09). Homophobia, sexual prejudice driven by fear of unwanted sexual advances by gays, lesbians: Study. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/09/homophobia-fear-unwanted-advances-study_n_3566556.html Byfield, L. (2002). In a few more years the Bible will be banned. Report / Newsmagazine (BC Edition), 29(13), 9. Douglas, K. (2009). Homosexual selection. New Scientist, 204(2737), 48-51. MacFarlane, G., & Markwell, K. (2004). HOMOSEXUALS, NATURALLY. Nature Australia, 27(12), 52-59 Newman, E. (2011). LGBT fear treatment in long-term care. Mcknight's Long-Term Care News, 32(5), 22. Redman, D. (2006). "Where All Belong:" Religion and the Fight for LGBT Equality in Alabama. Berkeley Journal Of Gender, Law & Justice, 21195-212.

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