Introduction

The subject of LGBTQ+ rights is one that is both talked about frequently and vastly controversial. There are multiple reasons as to why people have many different opinions. With these opinions, some are positive and supportive of the movement, while other opinions are negative and not supportive. Along with people’s opinions, there are certain topics more talked about within LGBTQ+ rights. Two of these topics are LGBTQ+ health rights and how schools respond to LGBTQ+ students. To fully understand the movement, people should understand the opinions and responses towards LGBTQ+ rights. 

Why There Are Different Opinions on LGBTQ+ Rights

There are a variety of beliefs and views within the society of today. Within these different views, people also have different reasons for their opinions. Some of these reasons are due to their religion and the traditions within their culture. Some religions such as Christianity and Catholicism reject the idea of homosexuality and LGBTQ+ people. 

Other people were raised in cultures that disapprove of and punish those who identify as LGBTQ+. In an analysis of the stance of political candidates on a same sex marriage (SSM) ban, evidence found, “Consistent with earlier research… candidates for election in capitalist as well as Protestant countries are more opposed to the SSM ban than those in post-communist and some Catholic countries, with Austrian candidates most supportive of an SSM ban, and Estonia, Montenegro and Hungary with the highest support among post-communist countries” (Siegel 14). 

This shows that even politics can play a part in people’s opinions on topics of LGBTQ+ rights. In another study conducted by Andrew Flores and his colleagues, “Consistent with previous studies on LGBT rights, women, LGBT people, and more Democratic individuals are more opposed to permitting the denial of service to LGBTQ people (Model 1); whereas, those who are married, reside in a rural location or are more Republican are less opposed” (Flores 4). With this evidence, people have their reasons for the opinions they hold, some of which are supportive and others are not.

Positive Responses to LGBTQ+ Rights

Some of the more positive responses to LGBTQ+ rights include people being supportive of same sex marraige, support for equal oppurtunity in school and works places, and support for transgender people to be treated as their preferred gender. Being supportive of these is a positive for the LGBTQ+ rights movement because these are the same rights that other people have. This would make sure the LGBTQ+ people are treated fairly and as real people instead of being ridiculed.

Negative Responses to LGBTQ+ Rights

Even though there are many positive and supportive responses, there are still negative responses to LGBTQ+ rights. Some of these include legalized conversion therapy, banning same sex marriage, and benning transgender athletes from competing in their prefferd gender category. These are negative responses because they take away the choice for LGBTQ+ people. These responses are the opposite of what the movement is for and therefore are negative.

LGBTQ+ Health Rights

With everything that LGBTQ+ people have to go through, one of the worst is how they are treated in a health setting. This might not seem like a huge issue at first, but it can greatly affect the lives of many people. LGBTQ+ health rights are compromised in various ways. The biggest of these ways is when employers deny LGBTQ+ people the opportunity to get a job. This majorly hurts them because many employers offer health insurance and other health benefits to the employees.

Many people who can’t afford health benefits on their own have to go through their work place to get these. In an article about LGBTQ+ health rights, a group of legislative experts write, “This debate threatens the health care rights of sexual and gender minorities” (Hunter). If the option of having employee health benefits is taken away on a big scale, it could have major effects including economic ones. 

School Responses to LGBTQ+ Students

The health field is not the only place where the LGBTQ+ community has struggled. The educational system has always had issues in figuring out the right care for LGBTQ+ students. In many places, there are restrictions on LGBTQ+ students such as which bathrooms they can use

and if transgender students should be able to participate in athletics. As Brent Brenyo, a researcher on the topic, puts it, “Human rights legislation and judicial intervention has had a profound effect on the educational system, as courts have increasingly defined the role and function of schools” (Brenyo 20). This goes to show that even schools and the education system are affected by how the government handles LGBTQ+ rights.

Many schools look to the government to know how to handle LGBTQ+ students. This is why most schools are affected by the local legislation and state legislation. This is such a big issue because children go to school to learn and be able to go out on their own when they are older. However, if more of the focus on which bathroom a student can use, then it takes away from their education.

Conclusion

As can be seen, there are a lot of different reactions and opinions about LGBTQ+ rights. Even though LGBTQ+ rights does get talked about, most of the conversation is about what should be done about it and not why everyone thinks differently about it. To find a better solution for all parties, society should talk more about the reasons behind the opinions. People can talk to LGBTQ+ youth and listen to their concerns. Interviewing LGBTQ+ people in the workforce about how they are treated and what can be done to bring change, is another way to find a solution together.

Bibliography

Brenyo, Brent. “Educational Malpractice? Human Rights, Censorship, and the LGBTQ+ Community in Ontario’s Health and Physical Education Curriculum.” Historical Studies in Education / Revue d'histoire de l'éducation, vol. 28, no. 2, 2016, p. 27. Microsoft Academic, historicalstudiesineducation.ca/hse/index.php/edu_hse-rhe/article/view/4469/4728. Accessed 23 March 2021.

Flores, Andrew R., et al. “Public attitudes about emergent issues in LGBTQ rights: Conversion therapy and religious refusals.” Sage Journals, vol. 7, no. 4, 2020, p. 9. Microsoft Academic, journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2053168020966874. Accessed 22 March 2021.

Hunter, JD, Nan D., et al. “Health Rights for LGBTQ+ Individuals in the US Under Fire.” JAMA Health Forum, vol. 2, no. 1, 2021, p. 1. Microsoft Academic, jamanetwork.com/channels/health-forum/fullarticle/2774941. Accessed 23 March 2021.

Siegel, Scott N., et al. “Where’s the Party? Explaining Positions on LGBTQ Rights in Europe among Would-be MPs.” ASPA Preprints, vol. 1, no. 1, 2020, p. 32. Microsoft Academic, preprints.apsanet.org/engage/api-gateway/apsa/assets/orp/resource/item/5f592a03a995f500194ca1dc/original/where-s-the-party-explaining-positions-on-lgbtq-rights-in-europe-among-would-be-m-ps.pdf. Accessed 22 March 2021.