American claims to be the free and the land of the brave. Unfortunately, we still need to do a lot to make sure it is a place equal for everyone. I believe anyone who is able to serve in the military has a right to do so. To truly live up to what America is supposed to be, we have to spread tolerance, have empathy, and fight for equality.

Why LGBTQ+ bans Should Be Repealed and Why you should help

Unjustified bans on the LGBTQ+ breeds hate, ignorance, and intolerance within the military and America. LGBTQ+ members have served in the military throughout United States history since the American Revolution. By applying bans, the military just loses valuable members.

No Harm to Military

Studies have been done saying that the LGBTQ+ community harms the military and there are also many studies that say the opposite. The truth is that there is not enough data or openness about LGBTQ+ service members.  Something to think about is the fact that without any data, no side can be proven. The justification of bans on LGBTQ+ starting in the 1950s had no real basis in reality. From the information that does exist today, it can be argued that LGBTQ+ poses no considerable harm to military strength, cohesion, or healthcare.

Healthcare

One study found a dramatic difference in health issues for LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ individuals in civilians. Due to DADT being repealed only recently, some are looking to non-service members to predict the differences in health care needs. “Studies of LGBT civilians from the general population indicate that there are important health differences between LGBT civilians and non-LGBT civilians. In civilian studies, LGBT individuals consistently show increased stress and psychological vulnerability when compared to their non-LGBT peers Specifically, LGBT civilians have higher rates of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use and abuse compared to non-LGBT individuals” 1.  That being said, “When it comes to health, men are the weaker sex” 2. One study found “Black, Hispanic, and other/multiple race veterans reported much worse health than White veterans” 3. Factors in life, in biology, differences in socially accepted behavior, and discrimination all affect the health of everyone in America. By arguing that LGBTQ+ members are more at risk for certain diseases seems weak compared to this evidence. Saying White men shouldn’t serve because they are at higher risk to “become alcoholics, or to have bladder cancer” 4 seems like a ridiculous notion to many. Every military service member can have multiple health issues, just because they are different does not mean that they will cost the military a dramatic amount of money. There are also plenty of studies done that have evidence that LGBTQ+ has no extreme differences in medical health. (See the arguments for LGBTQ+ tab). This shows that whatever differences may exist are not so great that it would cause an extensive gap between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+

How to Help

Multiple organizations help LGBTQ+ individuals in all aspects of life. GLAAD uses multiple tools such as the new, social media platforms, and entertainment to

 boost acceptance of LGBTQ+. The Trevor Project was founded for suicide prevention and protection of LGBTQ+ youths who are disproportionally affected by mental health issues such as depression. The Modern Military Association is the nation’s largest non-profit organization helping LGBTQ+ veterans receive equal and fair treatment. All of these organizations accept volunteers. Individually, there are many ways to help the acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. First, one can elect public officials who support the LGBTQ+ community. Legislation can be revolutionary, take laws against child labor, protection for domestic abuse victims, and the landmark Civil Rights law of 1964. All these laws helped to change the world and how individuals are treated for the better and laws regarding LGBTQ+ individuals in the military are no different. 

The remarkable law passed by Obama repealing DADT and the Supreme Court deciding to make homosexual marriage legal in all states are examples of how political officials can make a difference if elected into office. Legislation has the power to determine right from wrong. It is an idea that over a long period of time, can shape the moral outlook of society. Laws preventing discrimination and hate eventually creates a society where persecution is frowned upon. Another way an individual can help is by informing themselves and others. By educating the younger generations and proving harmful myths wrong, public opinion can be changed. The power that public opinion has over society is unbelievable. That is why changing public opinion and military views are so important for acceptance. Legislation can be made, but it doesn’t immediately fix inequality. Take the 1964 civil rights amendment. Despite it being illegal to be discriminatory toward minorities like African Americans, it still was a constant. People cannot change overnight and even today there is still plenty of persecution, but people can no longer be outwardly hateful without repercussions. When the general public agrees something is wrong, people will do what they can to stop that injustice. If the majority of Americans agree that LGBTQ+ should not be discriminated against and takes action against persecution, a more equal society can be created. It all starts with individuals that come together to create a movement. 

Citations and Footnotes

1 Goldbach, Jeremy T., and Carl Andrew Castro. “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Service Members: Life After Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Current Psychiatry Reports, 2016. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s11920-016-0695-0.

1/ 4 Grimm, Alexandra. 2015. “War of the Words – Harvard Political Review.” University Wire, Feb 23. http://library.ramapo.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.library2.ramapo.edu:2443/docview/1862979836?accountid=13420.

3 Sheehan, Connor M, Robert A Hummer, Brenda L Moore, Kimberly R Huyser, and John Sibley Butler. “Duty, Honor, Country, Disparity: Race/Ethnic Differences in Health and Disability among Male Veterans.” Population research and policy review. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Decem

Harm to LGBTQ+ Just Trying to Serve their Country

Legislation and discriminatory practices that justify hate and persecution. The bans on transgender and LGBT individuals contribute to a sense of enduring discrimination, fear, and harassment for all minority individuals in the military. The stress LGBTQ+ face harms the military because it’s service members are harmed. These bans also do not support inclusiveness. It separates LGBTQ+ and prevents acceptance and toleration of all people in the military.

Healthcare

One study found a dramatic difference in health issues for LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ individuals in civilians. Due to DADT being repealed only recently, some are looking to non-service members to predict the differences in health care needs. “Studies of LGBT civilians from the general population indicate that there are important health differences between LGBT civilians and non-LGBT civilians. In civilian studies, LGBT individuals consistently show increased stress and psychological vulnerability when compared to their nonLGBT peers Specifically, LGBT civilians have higher rates of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use and abuse compared to non-LGBT individuals.”2  That being said, “When it comes to health, men are the weaker sex.” 3 One study found “Black, Hispanic, and other/multiple race veterans reported much worse health than White veterans.” 4 Factors in life, in biology, differences in socially accepted behavior and discrimination all affect the health of everyone in America. By arguing that LGBTQ+ members are more at risk for certain diseases seems weak compared to this evidence. Saying White men shouldn’t serve because they are at higher risk to “become alcoholics, or to have bladder cancer.”5 seems like a ridiculous notion to many. Every military service member can have multiple health issues, just because they are different does not mean that they will cost the military a dramatic amount of money. There are also plenty of studies done that have evidence that shows LGBTQ+ individuals have no extreme differences in medical health. This shows that whatever differences may exist are not so great that it would cause an extensive gap between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+

Unit Cohesion

As for unit cohesion, one study found that when there is acceptance within LGBTQ+ groups there are positive results and unit trust. When there is harassment, however, it “was negatively associated with social
cohesion”(Goldbach). Instead of changing negative attitudes toward LGBTQ+, many leaders, legislators, and civilians decided LGBTQ+ individuals had no place in the military. At a glance, one can think this is a logical conclusion and that bans have a function. But, now let’s talk about women. Women have always been in the military, but in different roles than men. They were nurses, prostitutes, and washerwomen until world war 1 when women were allowed to fight.  In World War 2, there was such a need for service members, the united states allowed women to actually enlist by 1943. Women, African Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and any other minority in the military were just as crucial to the war efforts as their white male peers.

Conclusion

Due to the vast amount of data against the justification of LGBTQ+ bans in the military, all legislation supporting said bans should be repealed. It causes harm to the LGBTQ+ community, minorities, and the military. There is no reason LGBTQ+ individuals should be restricted and the bans cause more harm than anything.

1 Goldbach, Jeremy T., and Carl Andrew Castro. “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Service Members: Life After Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Current Psychiatry Reports, 2016. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s11920-016-0695-0.

2/ 4 Harvard Health Publishing. “Mars vs. Venus: The Gender Gap in Health.” Harvard Health.  Accessed April 14, 2020. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mars-vs-venus-the-gender-gap-in-health

3 Sheehan, Connor M, Robert A Hummer, Brenda L Moore, Kimberly R Huyser, and John Sibley Butler. “Duty, Honor, Country, Disparity: Race/Ethnic Differences in Health and Disability among Male Veterans.” Population research and policy review. U.S. National Library of Medicine, December 2015. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4714796/.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is defined as “a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.” 1 Your nervous system gets stuck in a response associated with a life or death situation. PTSD was first noticed after ww1 when many veterans experience previously mentioned symptoms. Back then it was called shellshock, deriving its name from the shells shot by both sides in trench warfare. However, it was discovered that soldiers who were nowhere near exploding shells experienced symptoms as well.

Soldiers and Mental Health

PTSD is most commonly associated with military veterans. Many times men and women returning from war have a difficult time adjusting to civilian life. Typically veterans have intrusive reminders of the trauma, negative changes to mood and health, extreme avoidance of things associated with trauma, and being on guard or jumpy at all times. Somethings that can help PTSD in soldiers and others, in general, include rhythmic exercising such as running, swimming, rock climbing, and basketball. It helps focus attention on your body, burns of adrenaline, and helps you stay in the moment. Mindful breathing and meditation can help as well with many mental health disorders including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Sensory input can cause a PSTD trigger, but can also help. Each person is different and can discover which sensory input can help you relax. Connectin with others is also really important to establish support systems and make you feel less isolated.

PTSD Outside of the Military

Despite PTSD mostly being associated with veterans, it can apply to anyone who experienced any kind of trauma. “Today, about 7.7 million American adults have PTSD, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.” 2 This can include people experiencing physical ailments, people who have been through robberies, domestic abuse, rape, children who live in areas with high crime, children who have been through school shootings as so on. I was diagnosed with a mild form of PTSD after getting a concussion that gave me daily headaches for the next six years. It is a lot more common than people think. You might not think something is traumatic, but trauma is relative. It depends on the person and many other numerous factors.

PSTD and Terrorism

“The large body of research conducted after the 9/11 attacks in the past decade suggests that the burden of PTSD among persons with high exposure to 9/11 was substantial” 3 Everyone involved can develop PTSD including victims of the attack, bystanders, and emergency personnel. Different people experience different reactions but “almost everyone who was at the scene of an act of mass violence will have stress reactions in the immediate aftermath. The initial relief to be alive may be followed by distress, fear, survivor guilt or anger.” 4 The increasing number of mass violence attacks are causing distress for many. I know someone who was next to a bomber at the Port Authority bus station. Without knowing he was the bomber, the person I know tried to save him. PTSD and guilt were some of the things he experienced afterward. There are increasing anti-war movements and organizations for peace. The debate over gun laws in America is just one example of how people are trying to stop mass shootings, especially in schools No matter what the solution, the consensus it that mental health after mass violent attacks is a huge issue.

Sources

1 “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, July 6, 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967.

2 History.com Editors. “PTSD and Shell Shock.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, October 2, 2017. https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/history-of-ptsd-and-shell-shock.

3 Neria, Yuval, Laura DiGrande, and Ben G Adams. “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following the September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks: a Review of the Literature among Highly Exposed Populations.” The American psychologist. U.S. National Library of Medicine, September 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3386850/.

4 “VA.gov: Veterans Affairs.” What to Expect in the Wake of Mass Violence, October 6, 2017. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/types/mass_violence_help.asp.

“PTSD in Military Veterans.” HelpGuide.org, February 17, 2020. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/ptsd-in-military-veterans.htm.

How it’s Going

For my project, I have been able to find a lot more research than I anticipated. That being said I am also running into plenty of difficulties. The databases I have used like ProQuest that perfectly fit what I need are almost always out of date, so I have to use it for historical aspects. I have been using a good amount of reliable internet sources like human rights campaign, glaad, gallup poll, and isidewith. I ran into multiple dead ends with researching databases until the discovery of Jstor text analyzer and Ramapo’s potter library online book search. I found one book that gives a vast history of LGBTQ+ evens all over the world involving all sorts of people. I finally found information about the Vietnam war and LGBTQ+ in the military during that time. On Jstor, I found information about DADT and actual accounts of how that affects non-LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ members. I also found information about gay church movements. My next step is talking about the Lavender scare and that was made extremely easy by a Jstor article I found. I am having trouble remembering what source said what though due to the massive amount of information I need that is spread out through many books and articles.

Sticking to Schedule

I am trying to stick to my schedule, but actually putting the information into my website it takes a longer time than I anticipated. I have been trying to trim down my website to make it easier, but it is difficult to choose what to exclude. For example, I cut down the history two to tabs, removed the people tab, removed the tab about military opinions, and so on. Now I have limited the research I have done on that and have now incorporated it into another tab. I have been able to finish the about me tab, the general information tab, half of the history tab, and two-thirds of the public opinion tab. I have to finish the solutions tab, the change and why tab, and the personal accounts tab. I hope to finish the public opinion and history tab this week and move on to the next tab, personal accounts. I hope each tab will take me a week to do.

Technology is NOT my Friend

Some technological challenges I have faced are me at a computer. I am awful with technology and have been struggling to navigate everything. I have finally gotten used to WordPress and do not mind using it. Tikitok looks nice but was difficult to use. I also figured out that you cannot embed the timeline on a website without paying, which is awful. I have also tried to include infographics but cannot seem to figure out how to use canva and other such online resources. My go-to is adding pictures and citing them or looking for an image labeled for reuse.

Overall

Overall the project is going well. It is going to be hard work, but I am hoping that in the end, it will all work out. I am glad I chose the topic I did because I am learning about something I am passionate about. I am also learning valuable skills that will help me as a history major, such as what and where to research, how to create a website about a historical topic and so on. (more…)

I fully anticipated difficulties in researching my topic. LGBTQ+ communities have not been advocated for until the 1950s and only recently has it been seen in a positive light. Policies like 600-20 also likely will skew information about LGBTQ+ in the military. This is not a topic that I can easily look up online and I was having difficulties finding sources on anything other than a general history. That being said, after a session with a school librarian, Christian Connor, I was able to find enough sources that half of my research is complete.

I was searching for mostly scholarly journals on the database Proquest, but the one specifically for social issues. I found numerous sources discussing LGBTQ+ in the military.  This source specifically focuses on men in the military and how homophobia of the working class has increased or decreased over the years. It mentions world war 2 and includes personal accounts of gay service members. For another source, an interlibrary loan would be necessary. The abstract proves that the full text would likely be helpful. The source states that a study was done that found no negative effect on the military after the DADA repeal, proving that LGBTQ+ being open in the military has no consequences. I also decided to look up blogs and newspapers to get information on public view. One newspaper was a NY Times article published in 1989. It talks about the debate in the pentagon over homosexuals in the military. Despite some saying the report to accept homosexuals was not flawed, the pentagon rejected the report on this basis, claiming it was biased. Another more current article is perfect to show the opinions of legislators about the recent ban of LGBTQ members in the military.  Congresswoman Hartzler said, “military service is a privilege, not a right.” 1 Finally, the last type of source I discovered was polls. I specifically used Gallup poll and I side with. There was a Gallup poll on how Americans are nearly evenly divided with slight favorability toward LGBTQ. In 1991, 50% compared to 43% still wanted to keep the ban on LGBTQ+ from joining the military. It will be interesting to see how it compares to modern-day opinion. 

Connors helped me find databases to search, how to request interlibrary loans, and how to search the school’s library for books. I also learned a lot while looking at multiple American textbooks throughout history. I did not expect to find anything relating to LGBTQ+, especially in the older textbooks. Instead, I looked for words involving Eisenhower, McCarthy, the Vietnam and Korean wars and so on. I was also advised to look at military records in the textbooks. I was so focused on those words, I actually forgot to check the more modern books for word homosexual. Created Equal: A Social and Political History of the United States second edition, published in 2006, had multiple pages on homosexuals in history. This includes events like the Stonewall riot of 1969 and the first gay pride parade. I am not only using the research methods for this class but also my other classes, for example, Critical Reading and Writing. I learned where to search to find specific sources, what to search, and that interlibrary loans are my best friend.

Footnotes and Work Cited

Belkin, Aaron, Morten G. Ender, Nathaniel Frank, Stacie R. Furia, George Lucas, Gary Packard, Steven M. Samuels, Tammy Schultz, and David R. Segal. “Readiness and DADT Repeal: Has the New Policy of Open Service Undermined the Military?” Armed Forces and Society 39, no. 4 (10, 2013): 587. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0095327X12466248. http://library.ramapo.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1432297745?accountid=13420.

By ELAINE SCIOLINOSpecial to The New,York Times. (1989, Oct 22). Report urging end of homosexual ban rejected by military: Pentagon rejects report critical of homosexual ban no security risk, says the military’s own research center. New York Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://library.ramapo.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/110207622?accountid=13420

Saad, Lydia. “Gallup Vault: Issue of Gays in Military Split Americans in 1993.” Gallup.com. Gallup, March 13, 2020. https://news.gallup.com/vault/214745/gallup-vault-issue-gays-military-split-americans-1993.aspx.

1 Stark, Liz. “Lawmakers, LGBTQ Groups Divided over Transgender Military Service.” CNN Wire. July 27, 2017. https://advance-lexis-com.library2.ramapo.edu:2443/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=43768b5f-e6e2-4e5e-8934-9d1552b04c7e&pddocfullpath=/shared/document/news/urn:contentItem:5P3W-KJY1-JBSS-S2G0-00000-00&pdcontentcomponentid=385157&pdteaserkey=sr5&pditab=allpods&ecomp=pp79k&earg=sr5&prid=a954a7e6-71be-4a51-a45f-45bf7926ccc2.

Erving Winslow was an author and activist that lived from 1839-1922. After he graduated from Harvard, he served on the United States coast survey and the United States sanitary commission during the Civil War. Some of his works include The Anti-Imperialist League: Apologia Pro Vita Sua and Neutralization: America’s Opportunity. Winslow was involved with the anti-imperialist league to try and prevent America’s annexation of the Philippines. A few others who were also involved included Jane Addams, Mark Twain, and Andrew Carnegie. Of course, this group was not supported by those who wished to Annex other countries. One newspaper article written in 1911 discusses how the secretary of the interior of Philippine Insular government attacks the league and Winslow specifically. He states that Winslow, who was the secretary of the league with making false claims to the public. After America won the Spanish-American war in 1989, the Treaty of Paris was signed where Spain ceded its control over the Philippines. Nationalist groups in the Philippines began to fight against America leading to the Philippine-American war that killed 20,000 Filipino troops and 200,000 civilians as well as 4,300 American troops. After the Treaty of Paris, the anti-imperialist league began to decline and eventually disappeared in 1920.

In a letter to Jane Addams written on August 7, 1912, Winslow criticizes Addams for supporting Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt fought in the Spanish-America war and when he became president in 1901, he agreed with his predecessors that Philipinos were incapable of self-government. Unlike previous presidents, he created a ceasefire in 1902 to stop the bloodshed between the American military and nationalist Philipino groups fighting for independence. Winslow claims that supporting Roosevelt is contradictory for “those who are laboring for social welfare” because the effects of the war “increase of the navy, the fortification and appropriation of the Panama Canal and the hypocritical support of women’s suffrage to be decided by the votes of women instead of a natural right.” 1

This source is not directly relevant to the topic of LGBTQ in the military, but it is interesting to see how a society can react to imperialism and war. I am interested in how support or anti-war attitudes may have affected the LGBTQ community later in history. For example, if there was a war happening and you needed more members, it may be likely if you were homosexual this was ignored. If the public no longer wishes for war, or if the country is not involved in a conflict, being part of the LGBTQ community might become more of an issue. 

Again, the source was written in 1912. It makes sense that Winslow wrote to Addams during this time because Theodore Roosevelt was running for President. His Bull Moose Party’s foundation was defined as progressive. He called for “direct election of U.S. senators, woman suffrage, reduction of the tariff, and many social reforms.” 2 One can infer that Addams likely supported Roosevelt due to his platform coinciding with her beliefs. Roosevelt was not elected though, instead, Woodrow Wilson became president. Winslow wrote Addams numerous times about the Philippines and wrote three letters in 1912 about the race for president. This shows that on behalf of the Anti-imperialist league, he was actively trying to change Addams’ mind throughout 1912.

The letter was written in Boston, which was where Winslow lived. His environment may have influenced his beliefs. For example, some of his fellow league members may have lived near him, like Andrew Carnegie who also lived in Massachusetts.

The fact that it was a letter to Addams shows why he tried to convince her that Social workers should not support Roosevelt. The tone of the letter was chastising, but not extremely harsh. For example, he ended his letter signed with “your obedient servant” 3 His purpose is reflected by his wording, his background, and the situations happening during his time period. 

Work Cited and Footnotes

1 and 3 “Erving Winslow to Jane Addams, August 7, 1912.” Jane Addams Digital Edition. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/5221.

2 “Teddy Roosevelt Nominated as Bull Moose Candidate.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, February 9, 2010. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/teddy-roosevelt-nominated-as-bull-moose-candidate

“American Anti-Imperialist League.” American Anti-Imperialist League – New World Encyclopedia. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Anti-Imperialist_League.

History.com Editors. “Andrew Carnegie.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, November 9, 2009. https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/andrew-carnegie.

“Philippine-American Conflict.” TR Center – Philippine-American Conflict. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Learn-About-TR/TR-Encyclopedia/War-and-Military-Affairs/Philippine-American-Conflict.

There were many waves of LGBTQ movements that started in the 1920s. The 1950s was a generally negative time for LGTBQ. This includes the lavender scare in which Eisenhower fired federal employees if they were homosexual. This was due to the belief that they were connected to communism and were a threat to national security. By the 60s though, there were increasing advancements.

Since then the Stonewall riot happened in 1969, Harvey Milk, was the first openly gay man who was elected in California, homosexual marriage was legalized, and it was no longer deemed a mental disease.

In the military specifically, before the “don’t ask, don’t tell legislation in 1993 under Clinton, homosexuality was completely illegal in the military due to medical reasons. Eisenhower in the 50s put forth an executive order firing homosexuals from federal offices. Department of Defense claimed that Homosexuality was incompatible with the military and thousands were discharged. Don’t ask don’t tell policy allowed LGBTQ in the military, as long as they did not claim they were homosexual. In 2011, the Don’t ask Don’t Tell policy, or Amry regulation 600-20, was repealed. By 2015 there were an increase in pro-LGBTQ legislation, representation, and attitudes.  In 2015, transgender were allowed in the military, but by 2018, Trump reversed this because “‘accommodating gender transition could impair unit readiness,’ ‘undermine unit cohesion’ and ‘lead to disproportionate costs.’ 1

Sociology has a few lenses in which sociologists can view the world. Two of these theories are the functionalism and the symbolic interactionist theory.

The functionalist perspective claims that, whether positive or negative, the social issue exists because it has a function within society. For example, the don’t ask don’t tell policy and the recent anti-transgender law can be explained through this theory because it has a purpose. Many service members argue for anti-LGBTQ laws because “ (a) homosexuality is immoral; (b) homosexuality would have adverse effects of cohesion, morale, and good discipline; and (c) the fear of intimate situations with someone of the same gender who may be attracted to them.” 2 Under the functionalist perspective, this social issue exists because military would not function as well with LGBTQ members. One can also look at the opposite side of this claiming that this social issue exists since pro-LGBTQ legislation’s purpose is to get more service members. As for the symbolic interactionist perspective, society is explained by how people interact with each other through symbols. One can say that the constant use of the word faggot between younger men is an example of this. Even if the term is used and is not in reference to homosexuals, by calling each other fags, the theory is fulfilled. Fag is now associated with not only homophobia but also masculinity and identity. If you are a fag, you aren’t a man. The term itself is completely negative and within boys, it is used as a checking system to prevent one from going outside gender norms. The novel, “Dude, you’re a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School” by C. J. Pascoe goes in-depth about this topic and studies how the term Faggot affects the identity of adolescent boys. 

   Work Cited and Footnotes

 1 Moreau, Julie. “Trump’s Transgender Military Ban ‘Worse than Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Advocates  Say.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, March 26, 2018. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-s-transgender-military-ban-worse-don-t-ask-don-n860181.

2 PhdLCSW, G. Dean Sinclair. “Homosexuality and the Military: A Review of the Literature.” Taylor & Francis, May 10, 2007. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00918360903054137.

You would be surprised how many similarities the sweatshops of the past have to the ones of today. In the past, during the late 1800s, many families, especially immigrants lived in small tenements. The majority eventually began their own garment business within their own homes with manual machines.

In fact, immigrants created more than 60% of the clothes for women in America during this time. The fabric dust commonly caused lung issues. This is still true today, but unlike in the past, the majority of the workers are women. If clothing appears to have been done by hand, like embroidery, “there’s a good chance the garment was quite literally homemade, at least in part—and most likely by a woman who was paid a pittance for it.” 1 By the early 1900s, garment making had shifted. Many people began working in factories, but they were still mostly immigrants. Today immigrants are still exploited to work in sweatshops, but especially in developing countries, the workers may be citizens or migrants. Both had extreme work hours, disease, and poor working conditions. Child labor is a huge problem especially

today. Children in the past worked, but in the case of sweatshops producing garments, many children did small tasks like transporting smaller items. Today “in developing countries, an estimated 168 million children ages 5 to 14 are forced to work.” 2 Immigration is heavily connected to sweatshop labor. Coming to a new country, especially one where the language is different, is extremely difficult. The work you can do without knowing English or having connections is limited to labor-intensive work. This includes sewing in sweatshops. One woman was “lured to the United States by a human trafficker promising a good job as a nanny. She was exploited, undocumented, and unable to speak either English or Spanish.” 3 Immigrants are easily taken advantage of because of their lack of support and the temptation of a new and better life. Many of those who are first-generation immigrants take these jobs to get a footing in a new place and plan to have their children learn English and get better jobs in the future. Despite the poor conditions and pay, sweatshops have a silver lining. In history, immigrants could eventually rise the ranks of wealth to live a mostly comfortable wife. For example, one family living in a tenement in New York City was eventually able to gain enough money to start their own garment factory and move to a new building. Even if one is unable to do this, they have a job at the very least. Today ideas for anti-sweatshop laws would prevent America from importing goods made in sweatshops. Unfortunately “anti-sweatshop laws would make third-world workers worse off by lowering the demand for their labor.” 4 Despite the sweatshops not being good work, at the current moment, without them, many people would be living even worse than they are.

Work Cited and Footnotes

1 Bain, Marc. “A Huge Underclass of Ghost Workers Are Making Your Shirts in Their Homes.” Quartz.      Quartz, January 20, 2016. https://qz.com/494818/in-much-of-the-world-the-sweatshop-isnt-a-factory-its-someones-kitchen-floor/.

2 “11 Facts About Sweatshops.” DoSomething.org. Accessed February

3 Davis, Charles. “The Dark Side of Your Clothes Being ‘Made in America’ No One Talks About.” ATTN. ATTN: July 26, 2017. https://archive.attn.com/stories/18483/made-america-how-sweatshops-exploit-immigrants-make-your-clothes.

4 Powell, Benjamin, Craig J. Richardson, Jon Murphy, John Schuler, Jeffrey Rogers Hummel, Charles L. Hooper, and David R. Henderson. “In Defense of ‘Sweatshops.’” Econlib, June 3, 2019. https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2008/Powellsweatshops.html.

Social Issues have existed for as long as society has. The people affected, the place, and the importance always changes over time. In modern-day, three social issues afflicting society include LGBTQ+ rights, homelessness, and the criminal justice system.

As for LGBTQ+ rights, there is a movement to be more inclusive and accepting for same-sex relationships, parenting, bias-free education, and non-discrimination protections. Unfortunately many reject the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, “Sexual orientation ranks as the third-highest motivator for hate crime incidents (17 percent of total attacks).” 1 Many times the reason behind this hate is due to religious beliefs that homosexuality and transgenderism are a sin. Personally I know many people who are not discriminatory but are anti-LGBTQ+, which makes for extremely awkward situations. I choose this topic because I believe people should be able to love who they love and be who they wish to be. No one has the right to stop people from having control over their bodies and relationships. One specific issue involves LGBTQ+ youth. There is a gross lack of education on sex and history as well as biased and unsafe schools. “Five population-based surveys of high school students found that bisexual, lesbian and gay youth reported strikingly higher rates of sexual abuse and forced intercourse than their heterosexual counterparts (Saewyc et al. 2006).” 2 “LGBTQ youth represent as much as 40% of the homeless youth population. Of that population, studies indicate that as many as 60% are likely to attempt suicide” 3 There is plenty of history that can be taught about movements in America, like Harvey Milk, as well as the history of LGBTQ+ around the world. There are numerous surveys and facts that support issues youth face. No matter your belief about homosexuality, the pain, and death that children face is an obvious failure by society.

The second issue faced by too many is homelessness. This is the greatest fear for many in the realm of economic issues. Too many times have I gone to a city and passed by someone who is struggling to survive.

The winter is especially bad, as homeless and left outside to the elements. This can affect anyone in my personal community or in the world. For those in this situation not due to their own agency shows how society has failed to help people. There is plenty of statistics on this subject. For example, “564,708 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the US. 36,907 (6.38%) are children, 47,725 (8.33%) are veterans, and 269,991 (47.6%) are disabled and unable to work.” 4 AS for history, researching other subjects like unemployment, poverty, abuse, mental illness, substance abuse, children being kicked out of their homes and so on. Understanding that most homeless aren’t homeless due to lack of effort, but outside societal forces that they cannot overcome alone. Focusing on how children can become homeless or unemployment is a good way to explain how and why people lose their homes. This can help people have more empathy and understanding causing them to help out more. Many people blame victims or the homeless for their situation when other factors may play a major part. 

The third and final social issue is the criminal justice system. Many debates have been fought over the dramatically increasing prison population, the cost of incarceration, the death penalty, and “revolving door in and out of prisons.”5 I choose this issue because crime affects everyone and the current system is not reforming prisoners. I also want to dive deeper into looking at why people commit crimes. For example, did they face abuse, did they not have access to education, are they impoverished, do they struggle with addiction and so on. Statistics on this topic are easily available and numerous studies have been done. As for history, one can look at the last few decades and look at how the criminal justice system has increased. For example, “the war on drugs” is just one example of how incarceration has changed. Something to focus on is the drastic inequality in representation. Men of color especially are shown as criminals and are concentrated in the inner cities. “The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 35% of state prisoners are white, 38% are black, and 21% are Hispanic.”6 Historically, possessing crack had more prison time than cocaine. People of color were more likely to have crack while whites were more likely to have cocaine despite them being practically the same drug. An interesting documentary called 13 goes in-depth about blacks in the criminal justice system. Police brutality and targeting based upon race is also connected to this social issue.

Overall, these issues affect many people and have been at the forefront of the current social issues facing America. 

Work Cited

1 and 2 Marzullo, Michelle A, and Alyn J Libman. “Research Overview: Hate Crimes Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transexual People.” hrc.org. Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2009. https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/Hatecrimesandviolenceagainstlgbtpeople_2009.pdf?_ga=2.23063165.716889190.1581088277-332703889.1575742720.

3 “Youth Homelessness.” The Trevor Project. Accessed February 7, 2020. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-involved/trevor-advocacy/homelessness/.

4 “U.S. Homelessness Facts.” Front Steps, January 11, 2018. https://www.frontsteps.org/u-s-homelessness-facts/.

5 “Read ‘The Criminal Justice System and Social Exclusion: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief’ at NAP.edu.” National Academies Press: OpenBook. Accessed February 7, 2020. https://www.nap.edu/read/25247/chapter/1#2.

6 Nellis, Ashley. “The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons.” The Sentencing Project, June 14, 2016. https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/color-of-justice-racial-and-ethnic-disparity-in-state-prisons/.

The process of using surveys are fraught with possible traps and mistakes. The type of questions asked the region the survey is deployed in, the type of people who are asked, and even something as simple as the order of the questions can influence the data gathered. One example is a survey in 2003 asked people “whether they would ‘favor or oppose taking military action in Iraq to end Saddam Hussein’s rule.’ However, when asked whether they would ‘favor or oppose taking military action in Iraq to end Saddam Hussein’s rule even if it meant that U.S. forces might suffer thousands of casualties,’ responses were dramatically different.”1 This easily shows how surveys can be misleading due to psychology. Surveys are still a popular form of data collection though, due to the fact that if implemented correctly, this type of research can give a great amount of insight. Even the best survey can never be one-hundred percent accurate, especially for the entire population, but it is different than other forms of research. Surveys can show the beliefs and perspectives of as many people as possible to give a greater understanding of society. In studying history, for example, one can see how perspectives and beliefs of people changed over time. When Americans were asked what the most important issue facing the country was, the answers depended upon what was happening.

Keeping out of the war, for example, was one of the most important issues during 1941, but this worry disappears in 1997. 2 This primary source is an excellent way for Historians to understand past perspectives. War was an issue in 1941 due to world war II and not in 1997 due to a lack of foreign wars the US was involved in since it was before 9/11. As for responses, especially with open-ended questions, one can expect similar types of answers, but even people who believe in the same thing can answer a question drastically differently. One can never assume that people taking the same survey will answer the same or different. The complex interactions of environment, social class, race, gender, and sexual orientation to name a few creates a unique situation for each person. Even if you are in the same social category as another person your beliefs can be different. For example, the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass due to divisions within one category. Despite the ERA giving equal legal rights for all, many women believed that “the ERA would do away with much of the special status granted to women, including the right to be supported by their husbands, and would damage the traditional American family.” 3

Answers and beliefs are heavily influenced by not one, but multiple social categories as well as individual natures. One can hypothesize what social group will answer in a certain way, but people are not simple, and even similar groups can believe in opposite views. Overall, surveys, despite their faults, is one of the best ways to grasp an understanding of many perspectives on a specific topic that takes all the difference between people into consideration.

Footnotes and Work Cited

1  “Questionnaire Design.” Pew Research Center Methods. Pew Research Center. Accessed January 31, 2020. https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/u-s-survey-research/questionnaire-design/.

2  Aisch, Gregor, and Alicia Parlapiano. “’What Do You Think Is the Most Important Problem Facing This Country Today?’.” The New York Times. The New York Times, February 28, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/27/us/politics/most-important-problem-gallup-polling-question.html?_r=3.

3 Law, Tara. “The History of the Equal Rights Amendment.” Time. Time, January 15, 2020. https://time.com/5657997/equal-rights-amendment-history/.