HOMOSEXUAL
RIGHTS - This is an essay I have written for my Ethics class in school. Enjoy..?
According
to Wikipedia; Homosexuality
is
romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual activity between
members of the same sex or gender.
Homosexuality
is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation, along with
bisexuality and heterosexuality, (plus asexuality). Scientific and
medical understanding is that sexual orientation is not a choice, but
rather a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors,
especially with regard to early uterine environment. While there are
those who still hold the view that homosexual activity is "unnatural"
or "dysfunctional", research has shown that homosexuality
is an example of a normal and natural variation in human sexuality
and is not in and of itself a source of negative psychological
effects. Prejudice and discrimination against homosexual and bisexual
people, however, have been shown to cause psychological harm.
Homosexuals.
They
exist in all classes, social groups, races, positions, and countries,
regardless of their age or origin. As far as historians can trace
back the past, homosexuals have always been in existence, including
Julius Caesar, Plato, and Alexander the Great. In individual cases,
homosexuals are often harassed, insulted, kicked, punched, and thrown
at by fellow classmates, co-workers, and even family members just for
being gay. These discriminations base on prejudices and stereotypes
that society has of the gay community.
Among
the most common stereotypes are those which carry fear and ignorance.
Gays are said to be "child molesters", “coprophiliacs”
and "sex-crazed maniacs". They are considered extremely
"immoral" because they do not follow social customs,
"unnatural" because homosexuality violates the basic
functions of genitals and contradicts the nature. Homosexuality is
considered a voluntary act or a type of behaviour on which a person
can act upon or choose to do so. From that point of view, the
anti-gay protesters consider homosexuality a rightful crime as any
other. So, naturally, an axe-murderer is considered to be in the same category as a man loving another man. Some countries even went so far and banned it, punished by
death including Sudan, Tunisia, Nigeria and many, many more. A
dizzying 78 countries have marked homosexuality as either illegal and
in some cases even punishable by a death penalty.
On
the other hand, gays defend themselves by arguing that homosexuality
is a characteristic with which they are attached in the early
childhood or even with birth. Gays do not have a choice over their
homosexuality as heterosexuals do not have a choice over their
heterosexuality. Hence, gayness is a condition over which they do not
have, just as no one has control over his or her ethnic race, origin,
outer appearance, or the class they he or she is born in. In
addition, empirical research on adult sexual orientation and
molestation of children has shown that gay men are not more likely to
molest children than heterosexual men.
Christianity
on homosexuality.
Christianity,
the largest-spread religion on Earth is said to be against
Homosexuality and any other type of sex-changing lifestyles.
Religious leaders reason that Jesus asks the mankind in the Bible "to
go out and have children." Since homosexuals are not able to
reproduce children, homosexuality is, therefore, from their
prospective an act of sin. I would like to point out that not
everyone on Earth is Christian, and I personally have no reason to
believe homosexuality is a sin. It's a natural phenomenon
which
occurs in more than a thousand animal species as well. Just as you
are born left-handed, you are born homosexual. I think no one should
have to live in fear because of bigotry and disapproval of others.
Let's
rewind back to the 1960s
About
half a decade ago, we were fighting for legalisation of interracial
marriage. Looking back, I’ve
noticed something that had bothered me:
The
most common negative comment opposing interracial marriage was:
Quote:“We're
just protecting the sanctity of marriage.”
What sanctity
exactly? The one where you deny a basic human right to another human
being based solely on their skin colour? I didn't think
so either.
Anyway, we fought and fought and won the fight.
Interracial marriage was officially legalised and soon after a while,
it didn't seem to matter any more. Today, in the beginning
of
the 21st
century there seems to be less and less frowning upon interracial
marriage and racism in general.
That is
progress.
The exact same quote that I've just put as an example
for anti-interracial marriage is being said against marriage
equality, today. And every time I hear it, I point out that
interracial marriage was once considered an 'abomination' too, and
look where we are now? Exactly.
The
other most common negative comment opposing homosexual people adopt
and marriage equality.
Quote:
“Opposite-sex
relationships are the only type capable of producing children through
natural intercourse, and the only ones assured of providing children
with both a mother and a father. Affirming only opposite-sex
relationships as marriage thus makes perfect sense.”
When
did marriage become something you were needed to do before you wanted
to have children? In my knowledge,
a marriage is a private promise between two people that love each
other and want to be recognised as united in front of the law. And as
far as I'm concerned those two people may be of any nationality,
race, religion, sex and etc. And when we're already on the subject of
a child having a mother and a father:
Gay
adoption:
One
of the most common comments I hear opposing gay adoption is;
'A
child should have a mother and a father'. Following
the logic of that sentence, we can safely assume that the reason a
child should be raised by a female and a male, is because the child
should lead a balanced childhood. Meaning that the child would be
provided with equal amount of femininity and masculinity. Because God
forbid, a son spent more time with his mother and became slightly
more feminine guy and 'became' a homosexual. My personal opinion is
that by this statement,
you are promoting inequality
among sexes and stereotypes. You're celebrating the genetic
differences between men and women and categorising them simply based
on their sex.
You're stating how a person of a particular sex
should act.
Example: If you are A) a woman – you must act
feminine, submissive, wear bright red or pink colours (because they
are labelled lady-like), be emotional and have long hair.
If you are B) A man – you should act masculine, dominant,
wear darker colours, never show feelings or emotions and have short
hair.
I
understand that women are genetically more caring, patient and
compassionate and men are physically and emotionally more strong and
stable but that's not a reason to label us and decide on how we have
to act or dress. I strongly feel two mothers or two fathers would be
just as good and capable of parenting as a mother and a father. I
think a child in an orphanage wouldn't care for the sex of his new
adopting parents. He would care about getting a caring family.
Being
LGBT in Croatia (straight from wikipedia, you don't have to read this
part.)
Both
male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in Croatia, but
households headed by same-gender couples are not eligible for the
same legal protections available to opposite-gender couples. Croatia,
as a whole, is still considered to be rather conservative,
especially in public reactions regarding lesbian,
gay, bisexual,
transgender (LGBT)
rights and
visibility of LGBT people. In the last few years there has been no
mass organized or group violence towards LGBT activism and
manifestations, however, hate
speech and
severe incidents against LGBT community and individuals occasionally
happen. Despite all that, there has been a significant improvement in
terms of LGBT rights since the first LGBT pride in
2002. Republic of Croatia bans all anti-LGBT
discrimination, unregistered cohabitations have been
introduced, and more and more politicians and celebrities
support LGBT rights, with some decided to go out of the
closet.
Same-sex
sexual activity was legalised in 1977. The age
of consent was equalised in 1998 when it was specified as 14 by
the Croatian Criminal Code. The acts themselves ban "sexual
relations with a child" while it is later defined that a child
is a person under
the age of 14.
Gender transition is legal in Croatia, together with birth
certificate amendment, but change of sex is always stated. However,
on 29 May 2012 it was announced that the government will
take extra steps to protect transsexual and transgender people. Sex
reassignment surgery will not have to be stated in birth
certificate anymore, thus making sure that information of that kind
stays private. Same law treatment is planned for people who have not
gone through sex reassignment surgery, but have been going
through hormone replacement therapy.
Since
2006, the country has had hate crimes legislation covering
sexual orientation. This law was first applied in 2007, when a man
who violently attacked the Zagreb Pride parade was charged and
convicted to 14 months in prison. Police
arrested a 25-year-old man
and charged him with a hate crime for the incident of the
attempted to throw five or six Molotov cocktails on Zagreb
Pride in June 2007.
Summary
table:
Same-sex
sexual activity legal since 1977 - Yes
Equal
age of consent since 1998 – Yes
Anti-discrimination
laws in employment under Labor laws - Yes
Anti-discrimination
laws in the provision of goods and services - Yes
Anti-discrimination
laws in all other areas (incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech,
hate crime) -Yes
Same-sex
marriage(s) - No
Recognition
of same-sex couples - Yes
Adoption
by same-sex couples - No
Gays
allowed to serve in the military - Yes
Right
to change sex legally -Yes
Access
to IVF for lesbians - No
MSMs
allowed to donate blood - No
Recognition
of sexual orientation and gender identity for asylum request -
Yes
For my final thought, I'd like
to say: Live
and let live.
You do not have to accept other people's lifestyles, you don't have
to live their lifestyle but if you don't want other people
discriminating against your lifestyle then don't do the same to
others. \m/
-M
