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Gender and race a social construct
Race and gender inequality
Social construction of gender and race
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The differences between race and gender are socially constructed. However, not everyone can conform to the same ideas surrounding difference race and gender roles. In Naisargi Dave’s paper on Queer Politics in Contemporary India and Smadar Lavie’s essay on Gender, Race, and Bureaucratic Pain, both authors discuss how people use different forms of agency to gain power in in their society and government. This paper will aim to analyze these papers, as well as to demonstrate the similarities and differences between them.
Naisargi Dave’s paper on Queer Politics in Cotemporary India focuses on the importance that activism and agency has on the power and influence that the LGBTQ community has in India. Overall, the paper attempted to illustrate
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The first exercise seeks to establish the idea that it is not acceptable to exclude people who identify themselves as a member of the LGTBQ community. Instead, activism seeks to promote awareness and acceptance for these members so a sense of cohesion in the community can be created. This can be practiced on the individual level by teaching members of society the importance of accepting different beliefs. Activism is used as a method for LGTBQ citizens to feel included in society and to not feel ashamed of their identity. Overall, queer activism is focused towards searching for and cultivating ethics (Dave 2011, 5). Several arguments against the LGTBQ community claim that same-sex relationships are morally wrong. Queer activism aims to refute this claim by stating that people should be allowed to be with whomever they love. It is important to note that queer activism in India tried to establish its own set of beliefs that are different from the ‘Western’ views towards lesbianism (Dave 2011, 10). This was done to prevent Western imperialistic views from dictating what is acceptable in
In Vicki L. Eaklor’s Queer America, the experiences of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people in the years since the 1970s gay liberation movement are described as a time of transformation and growth. The antigay movement, threatened, now more than ever, created numerous challenges and obstacles that are still prevalent today. Many of the important changes made associated with the movement were introduced through queer and queer allied individuals and groups involved in politics. Small victories such as the revision of the anti discrimination statement to include “sexual orientation”, new propositions regarding the Equal Rights Amendment and legalized abortion, were met in turn with growing animosity and resistance from individuals and groups opposed to liberal and
There is arguably no group that has faced more discrimination in modern society than queer people of color. Although often pushed together into a single minority category, these individuals actually embrace multiple racial and sexual identities. However, they suffer from oppression for being a part of both the ethnic minority and queer communities. As a result, members are abused, harassed, and deprived of equal civil rights in social and economic conditions (Gossett). In response to the multiple levels of discrimination they face in today’s society, queer people of color have turned to the establishment and active participation of support organizations, resources, and policies to advocate for overall equality.
However, depending on their environment or the quality of one’s relationship to another person; the individual’s sexuality can be discussed with those closest to them. When their sexual orientation is revealed or “outed”, the individual has both opportunities such as accepted by families and peer groups and problems such as dealing with homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in their homes, schools and the communities in the presence of others and their opinions; making them feel let down, abandoned and dejected. According to Kathryn Dindia’s article “Going Into and Coming Out of the Closet: The Dialectics of Stigma and Disclosure” those who identify as bisexual, lesbian, gay or transgender are subject to stigma of AIDS or mental illness because “...the stigma is difficult or impossible to conceal, whether to reveal or conceal is an issue for the discreditable…”(85). Stating the individuals who came out as the “discreditable”, as have noted when the individual decided to reveal their sexual orientation they have ordeals such stereotypes, hatred, microaggressions and stigma. The chapter speaks into social sense unlike the next reading “Out of the Closets and Into the Courts”, Ellen Andersen narrates coming out in a more legal manner. During the Counterculture Movement and the 1970’s, Andersen pointed out and stressed “...gay men and lesbians needed legal representation…”(17) as well as protection by law enforcement, although earlier said the Stone wall Riots was provoked by acts of police brutality and the court system. Especially in American society, the book additionally states that the Gay Rights
For many generations, especially in North America, homosexuality was not accepted in any way, shape, or form. Many believed that it was a medical illness that was curable, when in reality, people were, and still are, ignorant and could not come to terms that everyone in this world is different from one another. For many instances of being treated unjust, many individuals in the gay community did not want to “expose” themselves and remained in the “closet”. As means to make gays and lesbians proud and take a stand for who they are, a movement spread across internationally. This movement is known as “The Gay Liberation” movement which occurred between the late 1960s and the early to mid 1970s (“Gay Liberation”). The Gay Liberation movement urged individuals of the gay community to “come out,” revealing their sexuality to their loved ones as a form of activism, and to counter shame with gay pride (“Gay Liberation”). The Stonewall Riots are believed to have been the spark that ignited the rise of the Gay Liberation movement; it influenced the way the gay community is viewed socially and how their rights are politically present day.
Across the globe, gender systems vary in ways that often exclude individuals who don’t identify within their realms. From the binary structure of the West, to the ternary system of India, there are many ways in which societies conceptualize gender. Gender systems are generally considered inherent to humanity, and are seldom questioned or altered. This has led to the marginalization and discrimination of individuals who diverge from the implemented structure.
It may seem absurd that gays and lesbians who represent about four per cent of the population should attempt to transform society. Of these only a minority is promoting these goals. But these activists have used specious guilt tactics to capture the moral high ground. With the complicity of the media and politicians, they wield power way out of proportion to their numbers.
She is convinced that there is no reason of the why and when gender differences have to be accepted in society. Therefore, she protests against all the barriers presented for the gay communities. Even though gays people do win and live in an undisturbed private life. Still many differences and unacceptable are going to continue in existence. The critics that the author describe are not new they are echoes of criticism and racism against LGH. She discusses and try to work hard between the community for a solution to recognize and acceptance of all races in the gay family not only between the whites the battle if squeal right represents how cultural recognition is in the need of solution. Therefore, she encourages others that the movement is focused on bringing justice to accomplish conformity regions disenfranchisement and political domination that LGBT population is unconsciously no producing harsh differences in their lives. The movement is about changing for the good of the gay community and make a history for the actions and movements to some equality and agenda success. Finishing on the LGBT protection for
Throughout history, efforts towards gay rights journeyed on an uphill battle and were not majorly successful until recent years. Starting with the Cold War period in the 50’s, there was a growth in homosexual couples in the urban subculture where they were investigated and harassed by the police. During the 60’s, however, the march towards gay equality took a left turn and there was an increase in gay rights activism. Some goals of the activists were to decriminalize homosexual acts, receive equal treatment under the law, and for people to be educated by unbiased facts about homosexuality. Their efforts prevailed and the activists achieved the following: the right to publish gay magazines, victory of discrimination of employment cases, constraints on police harassment, opening of dialogue in scientific and religious communities, media visibility, organizational impulse, and denunciation of how gays are a mistreated minority. Although they achieved so many things,
...s gender identity. Caster Semenya’s harsh observation has led me to believe that equality among all races hasn’t been fully achieved and when you’re black and achieving success, it just brings more attention and question marks on whether your successes are fair and meeting the rules and regulations or what most people think is that they have somewhat and unfair advantage when it comes to their success.
In spite of the city promoting itself as a major global centre of LGBT community life, governance of spaces and urban politics have revealed alternative desideratum of the government in seeking to neutralize individual transgressiveness of queer identities by assimilating them into the hegemonic state, promoting a peaceful, white-collar, well-behaved gay/lesbian community (Bain, 2007: 17). Stemming from bathhouse raids to security of LGBT events in self-policing and commercializing of specify zones, shifts to neoliberalism give rise to a new relationship between LGBT communities, non-LGBT individuals, the market, and the state. In this paper, I argue
Our understanding of the way we think is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of understanding our own society. It is for this reason that the fields of psychotherapy, psychology, psychiatry, and sociology are so incredibly important. Within these areas of study, the boundaries of normative life must fall away in order for us to truly understand our minds. When there is discrimination in a field as extensive as the understanding of the human psyche, we run the risk of wholly alienating entire segments of the population. Until about the 1980s, there was systematic and overt discrimination against gay members of the psychological field who wanted to either get help, or pursue a career. A major advocate for LGBTQ acceptance into this arena,
Radu Ban and Vijayendra. (2007). The Political Construction of Caste in South India. Working paper
Halwani, Raja, Gary Jaeger, James Stramel, Richard Nunan, William Wilkerson, and Timothy Murphy. What Is Gay and Lesbian Philosophy? 2008. MS. Oxford, UK. San Diego Mesa College Academic Databases. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
The implementation of gender quotas in electoral politics is a mean to combat the democratic deficit that occurs when a social group is excluded from the political sphere due to structural or cultural reasons. Quotas are a form of affirmative action/positive discrimination which is meant to remove the structural and cultural obstacles that keep women out of the formal political ...
In North America, LGBT rights are often discussed through institutions, social media, and organizations supporting such cases. However, one can notice that leaving this North American mindset results are dramatically different in attitudes towards LBGT issues. This literature review will be centering on LGBT rights in India, and will focus upon the Supreme Court decision that upheld Section 377 of the Indian Constitution and repealed the Delhi High Court’s ruling. This research paper will additionally investigate the exact timeline of each decision by highlighting the history of Section 377 of the Penal Code of India, the ruling of the Delhi High Court in 2009 and finally what the Supreme Court’s ruling was in December of 2013. Moreover, it will focus and discuss the discourse behind why the Supreme Court reinstated criminalizing gay sex in the country. Lastly, this research paper will offer a critical perspective by addressing a possible solution in order to gain awareness and take a stand against the Supreme Court for reinstating criminalization of gay sex in the country.