Issues of the LGBT

In the past, LGBT has been a tricky topic and has been highly criticized. It has been practiced in Rome, Egypt, China and the South Pacific all over the world and goes back to ancient times. Historically, relations between the same sex were formed in Ancient Greece. The Greeks were initially registered in the 19th century for women's homosexuality and were distributed rapidly but secretly as it was tabou. However, such relationships did not interfere with marriages because a married woman would always have a man, but a woman at the same time. As more individuals joined the bandwagon, so did the oppression that they received from the society that strongly believed in morals and values (Ferentinos, 2015). Over the years, the LGBT persons have been subjected to violence, employment discrimination, and healthcare challenges. Various movements came up with the aim of fighting for the rights of this group, but not much progress has been made. The LGBT are still discriminated within the society, at schools and workplaces. The topic on the discrimination of the LGBT individuals is significant since it highlights some of the issues that the persons have over the years faced. It also reveals some of the steps that have been made in ensuring that the individuals are recognized as a part of the society. It also addresses some of the measures that can be embraced with the aim of dealing with the issue. Recently, for instance, Australia passed the bill that legalized same-sex marriages, and this was historical because the country has historically strongly opposed it. DiscussionIssue related to oppression of LGBTOne of the major issues faced by the LGBT individuals is violence. The gays, lesbians and transgender experience disproportionately high rates of physical and psychological violence from the society. According to the FBI, in 2013, bias against sexual identity and orientation accounted for 21% of the hate crimes across the U.S. Additionally, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs discovered that in the same year, the death rates of LGBT increased by 2.6% compared to the previous year. In the same year, 12 transgender women accounted for the 34% cases of homicide that were reported. Based on the statistics, it is evident that despite the human rights that different moves have fought for across the years, the gays, Lesbians, and Transgender are still treated as outcasts in various parts of the world (Riviello, 2006). In the Middle East countries, for example, they are termed as sinners that lack space in the community. Those found engaging in such practices are killed. Evidently, this shows that violence and oppression against the group is there to stay and despite efforts by some nations and non-organizations trying to make them feel part of the society, individuals will continue treating these persons with the opposition. Connection of the issue to educationEducation is one of those areas that are considered diverse and where individuals from varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds meet with the aim of improving their knowledge. Over the years, however, learning institutions have become platforms where the LGBT persons are openly discriminated. In the institutions of higher learning in some countries, for instance, the individuals are side-lined and are denied some of the necessary resources (Scaccia, 2018). The same case applies to high schools and lower grade schools. Consequently, some of these students are psychologically impaired with a majority contemplating suicide. It should, however, be noted that some education curriculum have been designed in such a way that students are taught about the rights that the LGBT individuals have. Such students are advised on the need for treating the same sex relations individuals as members of the community and not as outcasts. Schools are instrumental in the mitigation of the oppressions faced by the LGBT individuals. Connection of the issue to workplace settingIn various countries around the world, the LGBT persons are openly discriminated at their workplaces. According to the 2013 Pew Research Center survey, 21% of those gays and lesbians that were surveyed claimed that their employers treated them unfairly on a regular basis due to their sexuality and gender identity. The report by the National Black Justice Coalition shows that estimated 50% of the black LGBT have in one way or the other been subjected to discrimination at their places of work. Additionally, 47% claimed that they were either fired unfairly or were denied a promotion despite their hard work. Based on the proportionately high rates, it is evident that in various organizations, issues of oppressing employees because of their gender identity are still rife and this has contributed to a reduction in some of these individual’s productivity by extension a decline in the firm’s performance (Harper & Schneider, 2003). In as much as 22 states across the U.S. have passed laws that make job discrimination due to gender identity illegal, not much progress has been made regarding protecting the LGBT employees. A majority of these workers are till today filing cases of harassment and oppression at the workplaces. Most of them claim that they have been stigmatized to the extent that they can hardly report to work and constructively handle their tasks (Scaccia, 2018). The Employment Non-Discrimination Act that was initially introduced in Congress in 1994 with the aim of ensuring that all the workers are protected from discrimination in the workplace has never been passed into law. Apparently, this implies that the oppression faced by the LGBT group at the work setting may carry on into the future. Connection of the issue to the societyThe society has over the years been critical in promoting oppression against the LGBT. In most communities around the world, the persons are considered to as going against cultural norms and values, hence the reason behind the treatment that they receive. In the Arab and Islamic nations, such individuals are regarded as sinners, and those found promoting the practice are subjected to different types of punishments, including death (Jones & Ward, 2010). The persons have difficulties reporting health concerns or accessing care and insurance, and this has ended up contributing to high rates of disease prevalence among them. Some of these LGBT have on several occasions reported the disparity that they face at the hands of community members such as relatives, correctional officers, and healthcare practitioners. In the recent past, however, societies have decided to embrace the same-sex relations, with countries such as France, UK, the U.S. and Australia being on the frontline in advocating for the equal rights among all individuals. Measures that need to be put in place to address the issuesThere are various measures that can be embraced with the aim of addressing issues faced by the LGBT individuals. Within the educational set up, for instance, policies need to be implemented that protect these persons from the oppressions from their fellow students or teachers (Riviello, 2006). All schools need to set aside an office that will solely address issues of homosexuality oppressions. A campaign awareness program also has to be rolled out that educate the students on accepting the LGBT persons as a part of the society.At the workplace, various measures can be implemented with the aim of protecting rights of the LGBT. Implementation of regulations and Acts that protects all the workers from any oppression is the first step in dealing with the issue at an organizational setup. The employers are supposed to abide by the set regulations (Jones & Ward, 2010). As a part of the companies’ cultures, inclusivity has to be a major pillar, and this will help in eradicating some of the challenges faced by the LGBT employees.Within the society, campaign and awareness program can be pivotal in addressing some of the issues faced by LGBT individuals. The community needs to be educated about human rights and the essence of accepting the persons from the LGBT group as members of the society (Mallon, 2013). They have to be advised against violence, and inappropriate treatment directed towards the gays, lesbians, and transgender and instead show them love and passion. ConclusionDespite the various measures that have been put in place, the LGBT persons still face oppression and discrimination in various parts of the globe. Through campaign awareness programs and enactment of laws that will protect the individuals, the issues that they have over the years faced within the society, at the workplaces, and in educational setups will amicably be addressed.ReferencesFerentinos, S. (2015). Interpreting LGBT history at museums and historic sites. Walnut Creek, California: AltaMira Press.Harper, G., & Schneider, M. (2003). Oppression and Discrimination among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered People and Communities: A Challenge for Community Psychology. American Journal Of Community Psychology, 31(3-4), 243-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/a:1023906620085Jones, R., & Ward, R. (2010). LGBT issues. Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic.Mallon, G. P. (2013). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Families and Parenting. Encyclopedia of Social Work. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.158Riviello, R. J. (2006). Interpersonal Violence among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Individuals. Academic Emergency Medicine, 13(5Supplement 1). doi:10.1197/j.aem.2006.03.247Scaccia, A. (2018). 4 LGBT Issues to Focus on Now That We Have Marriage Equality. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 January 2018, from https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/4-lgbt-issues-to-focus-on-now-that-we-have-marriage-equality-20150629