The Struggles of Being Gay in America

The Struggles of Being Gay in America

Erin Sterner

COM 172

August 12, 2014

Suzanne Mahler

The Struggles of Being Gay in America

Mark Carson, Matthew Shepard, Aaron Webster, and Roberto Duncanson, are names from a very long list of anti-gay crime victims who defied a fearful community, and lost their lives for it. Carson, Shepard, Webster, and Duncanson were all victims of horrendous crimes that prematurely ended their lives. For some, homosexual relationships may not be considered natural or normal, however, it is every American’s constitutional right to choose his/her own lifestyle Shelly Reese (1997) reports, that in 1996, middle school student, Jamie Nabozny was awarded nearly $1 million after being urinated on, physically assaulted, verbally harassed, and forced to endure an enactment of rape. These despicable acts were reported to school administrators, but were ignored. Failure to take action was a blatant violation of Jamie’s civil rights and this assault on individual rights is repeated throughout the world. Fear, discrimination, and inadequate legal protection are some of the challenges faced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community, placing them at an increased risk of becoming victims of anti-gay crimes (gay-bashing).

Fear is a significant aspect of society, particularly towards those with alternative sexual lifestyles. Members of society who are not knowledgeable about the LGBT community have a fear of the unknown, and often times, allow ignorance to be the driving force behind antic-gay crimes. At the same time, members of the gay community fear gay repercussions they might encounter in public, at work, school, or home, if exposed. Social exile, alienation, isolation, and physical assault are possible reactions that it worries about, if exposed. For gay youth, trying to understand where they fit in or why they are attracted to members of the same sex can be confusing. They often times feel alone, awkward, or...