In the past couple of decades, there has been a rapid change in attitudes and perceptions towards sex, gender roles and homosexuality all over the world. In the United States alone there has been acceptance and tolerance as a result of political and social forces that instigated change in attitude towards issues dealing with sexuality, sex, gender and same-sex relationships. Homosexuals were never tolerated and were branded as criminals and psychologically challenged but the case is different today. The change in attitude and perception towards sex, gender and homosexuality have taken place because society has become accommodative of each other
Issues surrounding this topic have received broad media coverage, policy change as well as political campaigns that focus on educating the masses about the rights and privileges of all Americans regardless of their sexual or gender affiliations. All that boils down to the socialization of society where values are taught and they in return help in the transformation of attitudes and behaviors of the rest of the American society towards sex, gender and homosexuality issues (Tischler, 2014). For instance, in the 1950s, homosexuals were branded as criminals, in the 1970s through the 1990s; it was removed from the list of known psychiatric disorders. Today gays are widely accepted, and America is becoming more sensitive about issues affecting other people who are different in many ways.
If only the media, policy makers and political attitude were positively changed towards transgender issues as well! Through that, Americans will embrace other people who are different. In fact, if the media take up the transgender issue and disseminate positive messages about these people then perhaps society will get to learn more about their plight and embrace them. Also, if policy makers come up with policies supportive of transgender individuals then they will be protected by law and other Americans will have to respect and accommodated them. If political campaigns are also done to draw support for them then perhaps the American society will become convinced that they too are normal persons whose take on sexuality matters should be respected.
Reference
Tischler, H. L. (2014). Cengage Advantage Books: Introduction to Sociology. Belmont: Cengage Learning.
