In the United States there were no federal laws banning any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation until recently when President Obama signed an order which forbids organizations who work in partnership with the federal government to partake in any form of discrimination against people on either the basis of their gender identity of their sexual orientation (Obama to sign Executive Order). This topic has been of concern for decades and will now fill a gap which gay rights activists have been attempting to fill for years. This matter is of concern because until the executive order was signed by Obama, businesses in 29 states in the US were able to discriminate against their employees by either demoting them or blatantly discriminate against them based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. This paper aims to describe various strategies to curb discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Those who identify as transgender, gay, lesbian or bisexual tend to experience various forms of discrimination each and every day. These ‘microaggressions’ take place within different social settings, either at school, among family members and in the workplace. Such experiences can be linked to the feeling of being victimized and can even in more serious cases cause people to contemplate suicide. Kevin Nadal, in his book “That's So Gay!: Microaggressions and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community”, describes various cases of such microaggression towards the LGBT community and analyzes ways in which readers can reflect upon these social concerns. Nadal also provides detailed advice for educators, students and also health practitioners who aim for a more accepting view of the LGBT community in today’s society (That’s so Gay!).
Legislation is one way to curb discrimination, but there are other ways people can protect themselves from these heinous acts. For example, companies and organizations must work together to protect employees from transphobic violence and homophobic attacks. Employers must also work to prevent such events from ever occurring. If such events do take place, employers are responsible for repealing the laws which criminalize transgender people and homosexuality, while at the same time prohibiting any instances of discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Employers must work together to safeguard the freedom of expression for all LGBT people under their watch (Combating discrimination).
References
"Combatting Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity." United Nations Human Rights. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
Parsons, Christie, and Michael Memoli. "Obama to Sign Executive Order Curbing Discrimination against Gays." Los Angeles Times. June 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
