HUMAN RIGHTS FINAL EXAM ESSAY QUESTIONS
The major problems regarding homosexual rights in the United States is the continued belief that it is an aberration and that its "practitioners" are somehow mentally or physically ill, if not outright depraved. Religious opposition has stemmed an "equalization" of rights extended to homosexuals in terms of adoption, insurance and health benefits, even employment, and legalization of "partnerships". Until fear, ignorance and prejudice can be somehow reduced drastically, homosexuality will continue to be attacked as a deviant culture. It is still seen as an "alternate lifestyle". However, my research proposal includes the ideas of Henslin that there is a vast middle ground between those who espouse homosexuality and those who fear or despise it is likely to be occupied by those who believe that homosexuality should be discouraged but that homosexuals should not be oppressed. (83)
However, to guarantee rights to all citizens, hetero- or homosexual, more publicity needs to be given to the belief by the American Psychiatric Society that homosexuality is not a social disorder or disease that needs "treatment". A proposed solution is giving far more media attention to the fact that homosexuality may well be a genetic problem (if problem is the right word) over which the homosexual person has little or no control. Many mental health professionals think that asexual orientation is very difficult, it not impossible, to change.
It would be easy to propose as a solution: Live and let live. There is the typical response of "It's OK as long as he (or she) doesn't bother me or my kids". A more likely solution would be continued education- including (against some vociferous objections) in sex education classes in public schools that cover (1) gays tend not to proselytize, (2) there may be a genetic rather than a social reason for homosexuality, and that (3) there is no need to be pessi...