Today, homosexuality is becoming more accepted among several people in our society. However, for many silent or scared gays and lesbians in America, it is very hard to step out and cross that boundary still. It was even difficult for a beautiful, famous, and supported country star, Chely Wright, who just a few years ago was on the verge of taking her own life. Pushed away by the beliefs or her faith and society, she closeted her true inner feelings for women. She even dated men and was intimate with them. It is only through a strong inner belief that she slowly began to form that made her okay in deciding to come out to the public. Today, other stars such as Perez Hilton, Ellen DeGeneres, Lance Bass, and several others are coming out to reveal their orientation. Hopefully, with the support of communities nationwide and the examples that many highly regarded models in society have shown others, that all those that are silent will not be afraid to be heard.
Homosexuality in the Media Do you recognize any of these celebrities?
Neil Patrick Harris--stars in "How I met your mother"
Difference, diversity, change, variables, and new things are a good thing. In a society such as the one we live in, all of these factors are essential towards making us a more intellectual and culturally accepting society. The beauty of growing up in America today is that I encounter many different groups of people on a day to day basis including people from different religions, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, and beliefs. Throughout my lifetime I will hopefully experience many more different kinds of people. As we interact with "others" from different races and origins, we tend to become more educated and possibly appreciative of those "others" around us. For example, in first grade, I had a Mexican friend that was in my class named Julia. Her mother was a single mother that would walk her to school every day because the school system could not afford to provide bus transportation to the elementary students. Whenever we would see Julia and her mother walking up the massive hill to school, my mother would pull the car over and offer her a ride. Many of the other kids in my class didn't pay much attention to Julia because she was poor and quiet. However, with my personal encounter with her on a regular basis I began to understand that she wasn't as shy and unusual as many of my fellow classmates had seen her. I learned many things about Julia by just spending a short five minute car ride with her every once in awhile. It so happened that one day, her mother made her a great Mexican meal for her lunch one day, and she shared it with me (I had never had Mexican food before.) I quickly realized I was missing out on the great style of food that all the other kids thought was "weird" because it wasn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some chips.
If it wasn't for my family values in believe that "others" are an important aspect of our American society, I would of most likely never of met or talked with Julia. From first grade on, I have always urged myself to get to know and understand various peoples and what they believe and are interested. I think it is vital as a citizen to accept and get to know everyone on an equal playing field. Without the ability to do that, Mexican food wouldn't be my favorite type of food today.
In South Hadley Massachusetts, a high school girl was bullied into taking her own life. Three 15 year-old teenagers were allegedly relentlessly making comments about her body type and weight. The girl was a fifteen year-old from Ireland that came over to attend an American high school.
Why do we HATE?
“To discriminate only generates hate.” In America, we have several groups, races, ethnicity, “types,” and interests. Because of the vast differences that do exist, it can often cause dissension, hatred, or uncertainty between different groups. Although it is unfortunate, discrimination seems to be inevitable in America.
With all of the diversity in American, many different groups are “represented” or recognized as “different.” Straight, white, tall, beautiful, blond, muscular, strong, tan, and active. These are among some of the accepted characteristics that we look to emulate in American society. Anyone else, who does not fit into these “bounds” of the ideal citizens, is easily excluded and considered “different.”
Those that are fat, short, bald, black, gay, trans-gender, fair-skinned, and passive can include many of those that are commonly made fun of, judged, or mocked.
Luckily for me, an education, strong values, and an open-minded family have allowed me to accept all sorts of people from various backgrounds and preferences. In often cases, those whom are uneducated, insecure, and uncertain are the ones who judge those that they are not familiar with. This uncertainty is the roots of discrimination and abuse of under-represented groups in society.
Embrace Diversity
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Gay or Straight, It doesn’t matter who you date!
Today, homosexuality is becoming more accepted among several people in our society. However, for many silent or scared gays and lesbians in America, it is very hard to step out and cross that boundary still. It was even difficult for a beautiful, famous, and supported country star, Chely Wright, who just a few years ago was on the verge of taking her own life. Pushed away by the beliefs or her faith and society, she closeted her true inner feelings for women. She even dated men and was intimate with them. It is only through a strong inner belief that she slowly began to form that made her okay in deciding to come out to the public. Today, other stars such as Perez Hilton, Ellen DeGeneres, Lance Bass, and several others are coming out to reveal their orientation. Hopefully, with the support of communities nationwide and the examples that many highly regarded models in society have shown others, that all those that are silent will not be afraid to be heard.
Homosexuality in the Media
Do you recognize any of these celebrities?
Portrayal of homosexuality in the media
JULIA
Difference, diversity, change, variables, and new things are a good thing. In a society such as the one we live in, all of these factors are essential towards making us a more intellectual and culturally accepting society. The beauty of growing up in America today is that I encounter many different groups of people on a day to day basis including people from different religions, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, and beliefs. Throughout my lifetime I will hopefully experience many more different kinds of people. As we interact with "others" from different races and origins, we tend to become more educated and possibly appreciative of those "others" around us. For example, in first grade, I had a Mexican friend that was in my class named Julia. Her mother was a single mother that would walk her to school every day because the school system could not afford to provide bus transportation to the elementary students. Whenever we would see Julia and her mother walking up the massive hill to school, my mother would pull the car over and offer her a ride. Many of the other kids in my class didn't pay much attention to Julia because she was poor and quiet. However, with my personal encounter with her on a regular basis I began to understand that she wasn't as shy and unusual as many of my fellow classmates had seen her. I learned many things about Julia by just spending a short five minute car ride with her every once in awhile. It so happened that one day, her mother made her a great Mexican meal for her lunch one day, and she shared it with me (I had never had Mexican food before.) I quickly realized I was missing out on the great style of food that all the other kids thought was "weird" because it wasn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some chips.
If it wasn't for my family values in believe that "others" are an important aspect of our American society, I would of most likely never of met or talked with Julia. From first grade on, I have always urged myself to get to know and understand various peoples and what they believe and are interested. I think it is vital as a citizen to accept and get to know everyone on an equal playing field. Without the ability to do that, Mexican food wouldn't be my favorite type of food today.
In South Hadley Massachusetts, a high school girl was bullied into taking her own life. Three 15 year-old teenagers were allegedly relentlessly making comments about her body type and weight. The girl was a fifteen year-old from Ireland that came over to attend an American high school.
Why do we HATE?
“To discriminate only generates hate.” In America, we have several groups, races, ethnicity, “types,” and interests. Because of the vast differences that do exist, it can often cause dissension, hatred, or uncertainty between different groups. Although it is unfortunate, discrimination seems to be inevitable in America.
With all of the diversity in American, many different groups are “represented” or recognized as “different.” Straight, white, tall, beautiful, blond, muscular, strong, tan, and active. These are among some of the accepted characteristics that we look to emulate in American society. Anyone else, who does not fit into these “bounds” of the ideal citizens, is easily excluded and considered “different.”
Those that are fat, short, bald, black, gay, trans-gender, fair-skinned, and passive can include many of those that are commonly made fun of, judged, or mocked.
Luckily for me, an education, strong values, and an open-minded family have allowed me to accept all sorts of people from various backgrounds and preferences. In often cases, those whom are uneducated, insecure, and uncertain are the ones who judge those that they are not familiar with. This uncertainty is the roots of discrimination and abuse of under-represented groups in society.