Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

ladsin

Apparently I'm being incendiary today, but I'm interested in seeing how this Take goes over.

I was being facetious with the title, the point of this Take is to actually contest that claim that the fight is over. I've been seeing quite a few discussions about the lgbt community with nonmembers, and even some members, pointing out that the fight is over. LGBT has won and it's here to stay. They think that because there are a lot of gay people in media (proportionally) and because of the landmark rights case of Obergefell v. Hodges. I think this is a result of ignorance about a lot of what is still going on, and here I will attempt to rectify it by pointing out where we're still having problems. At this time I'll just focus on gay rights, but maybe will talk about Trans issues in the future as I'm admittedly not as knowledgeable on those issues.

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

America

I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones I'm currently aware of.

Arkansas

In 2017, a same-sex marriage ban was introduced in the Arkansas Legislature. It was sponsored by 21 lawmakers. It was initially rejected in a 17-7. The bill needed 18 votes to pass and thus failed by one vote. However, that same day, the vote was expunged and the Senate shortly passed it 18-9. It then failed in the House 29-41. The Arkansas Supreme Court recently passed a controversial decision about biological parents being listed on a child's birth certificates. Arkansas stated that, the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision ending state bans on same-sex marriage does not require equal treatment in other contexts.

Texas

The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of discriminating against same sex couples. According to the court same-sex couples are not guaranteed the same government-funded spousal benefits as their different-sex peers. Thus far the Supreme Court has refused to hear Texas' case, but they are still appellate process.

South Carolina

Several South Carolina legislators have just pushed forward legislation to redefine same-sex marriages as "parody marriages" stating that, "

Whereas, parody marriages and parody marriage policies are nonsecular for the purposes of the Establishment Clause; and

Whereas, marriages between a man and a woman and policies that endorse marriage between a man and a woman are secular in nature for purposes of the Establishment Clause; and

Whereas, civilizations for millennia have defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman; and

Whereas, marriage between and man and a woman arose out of the nature of things and marriage between a man and a woman is natural, neutral, and noncontroversial, unlike parody forms of marriage" Furthermore they then have the gall to also say, "

Whereas, the State of South Carolina's decision to respect, endorse, and recognize parody marriages and sexual orientation policies has excessively entangled the government with the religion of Secular Humanism, failed to accomplish its intended purpose, and created an indefensible legal weapon against nonobservers; and

Whereas, in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), there has not been a land rush on gay marriage, but there has been a land rush on the persecution of nonobservers by Secular Humanists and an effort by Secular Humanists to infiltrate and indoctrinate minors in public schools to their religious world view which is questionably moral, plausible, obscene, and is not secular; and"

You can read the bill in it's entirety here http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/bills/4949.htm

Zarda V. Altitude Express

Is a case that is determining whether or not employers have the right to fire their employees for their sexual orientation. This has already been ruled on, in that discrimination on the basis of race and sex are protected by our 14th and 15th amendments, but the new administration's Justice Department filed a brief stating that it did not think that civil rights laws protects individuals with a differing sexual orientation. Luckily it is not up to them, but we have yet to see how the courts will rule on this issue.

Negative Perception

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

Yes, it is certainly true and good that we are moving in the right direction, that does not mean that we are done. In America as many as 1/3 of the people that you meet will have a negative opinion of you just because you're attracted to someone else? How does this affect children? Well. The sobering effect is that this can, and with a high frequency does, lead children to take their own lives.

Suicide

"LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.2

LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.2
Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth. LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection."

Is this surprising when, perhaps not to this extent, LGB children have to deal with these sorts of people?

Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I can't believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed therselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE. No because being a fag doesn’t give you the right to ruin the rest of our lives. It you get easily offended by being called a fag then don’t tell anyone you are a fag. Keep that shit to yourself. I don’t care how people decide to live their lives. They don’t bother me if they keep it thereselves. It pisses me off though that we make special purple fag day for them. I like that fags can’t procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other AIDS and die. If you aren’t against it, you might as well be for it.

-Clint McCance- School Board Member

Worldwide

General

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

What's more, we shouldn't just be worried about the plight of people's in America. We are all one people, and should recognize, care about, and try to minimize the suffering of peoples around the world. I understand that many people are worried about how we best help those suffering in other countries, and I will not try to discuss that here, this is merely to talk about how just because America is doing better doesn't mean we can be at ease.

72 Countries around the world have criminal punishments for engaging in same sex behaviors, with 8 having capital punishment as a suitable punishment. I will talk about a few countries below.

Uganda

In 2014 with an 85% Christian population formulated a bill to add capital punishment as a viable punishment for same sex acts. It was then revised instead allowing imprisonment instead of death. Due to global outrage and the reneging of aid from countries like America the bill was eventually quashed and the old statute of 7 years imprisonment is allowed.

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

Saudi

It's hard to find any reliable statistics, but punishments include, "Fines, floggings, prison time up to life, death, whipping, and deportation." Apparently, the Saudi newspaper Okaz announced that over 260 people were arrested for homosexuality over a one-year period.

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!

*Not Saudi, just a demonstration of the idea*

Chechen

Chechen has been reportedly rounding up, torturing, and then killing homosexuals. In response the Chechen head stated that there were not gay men in Chechnya and if there were that their own families would kill them first.

In conclusion. The fight is not over.

Calm Down Gays, The Fight Is Over!
77 Opinion