We have witnessed tremendous economic progress over the last few decades but economic progress doesn’t always translate to social progress. One of the groups that has been subjected to systematic discrimination is homosexuals and almost all of this discrimination has been driven by inaccurate beliefs and/or prejudiced ideals. The critics have accused homosexuals of everything from spreading AIDS and breaking traditional family system to triggering moral decline of American society. Time has come for the society to own up to its mistakes and grant same rights to homosexuals that are available to their heterosexual counterparts because they will promote both economic and social interests of the society.
Some individuals mistakenly believe homosexuality is abnormal which could not have been further from the truth. Often a trait possessed by a minority proportion of the population is as normal as a trait possessed by the major proportion of the population. We never consider people who are left-handed as abnormal even though they make just 10 percent of the total population . We think of left-handers as just individuals who tend to be different from the majority but normal in every regard. We should adopt the same attitude towards homosexuals who comprise about 20 percent of the total population according to the Bureau of Economic Research . Homosexuals just tend to be different from the majority of the population but normal in every regard. We should also treat homosexuals as equal because even scientific research has proven that sexual preference is usually determined by genes and is not a lifestyle choice as some mistakenly assume. Thus, it doesn’t make sense to consider homosexuals as abnormal as genes play a major role in determining one’s sexual preference and a significant proportion of population is homosexual or has homosexual tendencies.
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"Homosexuality in the USA".
Under the U.S. Constitution, all citizens must be treated equally. But unfortunately, citizens who are homosexual tend to be treated as second class citizens and do not have the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. Current laws impose both economic and social hardships on homosexual Americans. For example, married couples enjoy greater custody and guardianship rights. Homosexual Americans cannot legally marry in most U.S. states and as a result, they cannot inherit the estate of their deceased partners. Similarly, denial of the right to marry also means homosexual Americans do not benefit from lower estate taxes . Thus, we have to treat homosexual Americans just as their heterosexual counterparts in order to ensure they enjoy the same rights and benefits as U.S. citizens that everyone else does.
Some people may have objections to homosexual lifestyle but such objections are often influenced by their religious beliefs. While the critics have the right to their opinion, they should not expect their opinions to have an influence on public policies. There is clear separation of church and state in the U.S. and homosexuality may be prohibited by most religions but it is not ethical or constitutionally legitimate to engage in any form of discrimination against Americans with homosexual lifestyle.
Homosexuals have long been the subject of systematic discrimination not only in other countries but even vibrant democracies like the U.S. as well. Homosexual Americans still have not achieved the same rights available to their heterosexual counterparts but things are gradually improving as evident by the growing support for same-sex marriage. Even scientific research has proven homosexual tendencies have genetic basis. In addition, possessing a trait associated with a minority group doesn’t equate to being abnormal but merely being a part of minority group. Education is always the best solution to prejudice and stereotypes and it is up to us to educate others who may have biased opinions or little understanding of homosexuality.
- Eveleth, Rose. What Percent of the Population is Gay? More Than You Think. 24 October 2013. 24 June 2014. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/
- Hoffman Polland & Furman, LLP. Same-Sex Marriage Legal Pros and Cons. n.d. 24 June 2014. http://family.findlaw.com
- Kens, Katie. 11 Little-Known Facts About Left-Handers. 29 October 2012. 24 June 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
- WebMD. Is There a ‘Gay Gene’? 28 January 2005. 24 June 2014. http://www.webmd.com/
