Political Issue

Policies affecting LGBT community

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Over time there has been witnessed a shift in the value system that gives rise to many political issues that were not widely known in past. Political issue is the issue of national interest that divides general public and is considered as the subject of intense partisan debate, advocacy as well as voting. For the past few decades, LGBT has emerged as one of the primary issues that clash with the political policies and sometimes rights being given to LGBT communities serve as political issues upon which people are having opposing views. Public and governmental policies are divided into two groups. The first group consists of people who are in favor of rights of LGBT communities and believes that legislative bodies must keep in consideration this community while formulating the government policies. On the hand, there is a group of people who are against making of special government policies for this community. This fact cannot be denied that government policies are affecting the lives of gay, lesbians, and transgender and there is a need to be more careful while formulating these policies. There are numbers of legal barriers that LGBT community is facing in the recognition of their same-sex relationships and relation to their children (Gayles, et al, 2019). Major issues that this community is facing are issues that affect children of LGBT, discrimination, elder rights, hindrance in the equal access to social services, etc. Though many of the LGBT rights are being legalized by the United States Supreme Court but still discrimination in housing and job is there in some of the states.

Authorities that are involved in the making of such policies need to keep in consideration Church, state and moral values that are being practiced, but it is a bitter reality that government policies are affecting lives of bisexuals in various ways and it has become a political issue as well. Firstly, they face the issue of discrimination at workplaces; despite formulation and implementation of laws, still there are areas where the LGBT community is not being given jobs and houses easily. Next LGBT community faces issues of parenting i.e. children they adopt are not easily accepted in society because of having bisexual parents. Supporting the issue of LGBT community, a report regarding challenges faced by LGBT at workplace claims that most of the time gay, trans and bisexual choose not to disclose their sexuality at work. Fear of homophobia restricts them to show their private lives to their co-workers and clients. Transgender whose job has nothing to do with their gender, are forced to leave their work when they undergo the transition phase. LGBT community is attacked and subjected to abuse. Sexual minorities are stigmatized and excluded for being who they are and the government needs to look into this matter by making policies that would protect this community at workplaces. According to PEW Survey, around 21% of LGBT workers report discrimination that they faced at workplace against hiring, pays and promotion.

LGBT workers are discriminated and bullied twice as compared to the heterosexual employees. Also senior and elder LGBT members are not been provided with rights that would protect them during the last phase of their life (Redcay, et al, 2019). It is a bitter reality that there are no federal laws against discrimination done against homosexuals, based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. There are only around twenty-two states that are supporting this community by protecting their basic rights of freedom of choice. So as a whole, it could be said that the LGBT community is facing many political and social issues that are hindering them from living a happy and contented life. Human right organizations and bodies that make U.S government policies need to pay attention towards formulating policies that would facilitate this community.

References

Gayles, T. A., & Garofalo, R. (2019). Exploring the Health Issues of LGBT Adolescents. The GLMA Handbook on LGBT Health, 133.

Redcay, A., McMahon, S., Hollinger, V., Mabry-Kourt, H. L., & Cook, T. B. (2019). Policy Recommendations to Improve the Quality of Life for LGBT Older Adults. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 1-8.