Equality

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Overview
Equality is the state of being equal, mainly in sex, status, rights, and opportunities. (According to Webster’s Dictionary). If that is the case,

 many people in the world are not receiving the full benefits, namely, African Americans, LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning), and females. toc

**African American Rights**
44 years after the African American Civil Rights movement, some African Americans are still subjected to discrimination and hate. In 2007, the Supreme Court forbade most of the existing desegregation efforts. Academics warned that the move would worsen educational equality (“Do”). A large majority of hate crimes are committed against African-Americans (“Do”). They’re more likely to receive the death penalty than any other group of people, which is a grave injustice (“Do”). When affirmative action was outlawed at the University of Texas in 1995, the number of black students at the UT Law School dropped from 65 in 1996 to 11 in 1997 and Latino student enrollments have been cut in half since the decision. Based on these facts, equality for African Americans has not yet been reached.

**Gender Equality and Women's Rights**
Gender inequality is where one sex believes themselves to be superior to another. In 2002 New York had to reword their state constitution to include women (News). A 1984 Law, The Sex Discrimination Act was changed after placing of the Sex and Age Discrimination Legislation Amendments Bill in May 2011 (National). Gender Inequality is more often than not compared to women. However, men have also faced hardships with it as well. Gender Inequality is not associated with only one sex, race, ethnicity, or land. Gender Inequality is an everyday occurrence for anyone, nobody is an exception.

**LGBTQ Rights**
There have been many areas of human rights flaws in the United States in the past. In the present, the LGBT community gets a glimmer of hope when California finally allows gay marriage, only to be slapped in the face by Proposition 8, the outlaw of gay marriage, which was approved by voters in November. While some people think that a civil union is a good substitute for marriage, 1,138 benefits and responsibilities the government gives are based on marital status, not civil unions (11). While some people think that by allowing gay couples to get married, they will bankrupt the pension system (Look). The amount of discrimination against these citizens is ridiculous. There is so much discrimination, that members of the LGBT community feels comfortable enough with discrimination to discriminate against each other. It is stated that women who identify as bisexual are more oppressed than women of any other orientation (Baumgardner). Much discrimination comes from the age old system of dominating groups declaring what is physically disgusting. When homosexual behaviors are seen as disgusting and unholy, heterosexual couples tend to feel pure and righteous (Olson). One of the major issues is homophobia, to the point that parents would even advocate killing their own children (Peters). The fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights is the fight for human rights.

African Americans
African American’s still face discrimination and hate in the 21st Century, decades after the Civil Rights Movement. But there definitely has been extreme progress since then. Years ago, businesses and higher education institutions would discriminate against African Americans and reject their applications for jobs and college. This was completely legal. The solution to this problem was Affirmative action. Affirmative action is “the set of public policies and initiatives that help eliminate past and present discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” (Sykes) In other words, Affirmative action is enforced so that minorities and women will not be discriminated against in situations like job interviews, higher education etc.(Sykes). Though affirmative action is a solution to the problem of racial discrimination and the discrimination of other minorities, it doesn’t always get enforced. Others believe that it’s discriminatory to the majority and believe Affirmative action should be removed. The only real solution for complete equality for African Americans, is to change the opinions of prejudiced individuals.

Gender Equality and Women's Rights
Gender Inequality is still a problem despite the many attempts made to stop them. Gender Inequality is primarily in schools, homes, and jobs. However many who are aware of gender inequality often associate that mainly with women. Gender Inequality should be faced with consideration for both genders. Instead of considering a man that doesn’t believe in violence a punk or coward, consider him mature (Van Der Gaag). Instead of considering a women that likes football a tomboy, consider them strong. Changing a perspective and gaining an understanding of the other sex can bring gender equality for all.

LGBTQ Rights
The fastest way for equality to be reached and discrimination against the LGBT community to be stopped is to inform the public. As stated by Dianna Agron, an actress on the Fox TV show @Glee, “... people are afraid of things they don’t know and can’t understand.” A way to stop the discrimination against LGBT youth is to teach acceptance. Homophobia is the backbone to many bullying situations (News). The lack of addressing homosexuality in schools is one of the reasons why there is so much homophobia (Eckholm). With the growing rate of acceptance, people are going to be coming out at younger and younger ages. Schools need to be able to adapt to help welcome all children and keep them safe and supported (News). These are easy solutions to one of America’s biggest problems in the Human Rights areas.

References
"11 Facts About Gay Rights." DoSomething.org. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. < [|__http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-gay-rights__] >. < [|__http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-human-rights-violations__] Baumgardner, Jennifer. "Objects of suspicion: love a man, love a woman, either way they <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">distrust you. What is it about bisexual women that lesbians hate so much?" The <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Advocate [The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine] 26 Feb. 2008: 24+. Infotrac <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Newsstand. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Discrimination." Do Something. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <dosomething.org>. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Eckholm, Erik. "In Efforts to End Bullying, Some See Agenda." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 6 Nov. 2010. Web. 5 Apr. 2012.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__<__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/us/07bully.html?pagewanted=all__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__>.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Look At Pension Cost Of Gay Marriage." Connecticut Law Tribune 29 Mar. 2004. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Olson, Laura R. "From Disgust to Humanity: Sexual Orientation and Constitutional <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Law." The Christian Century 128.24 (2011): 41+. Student Resources in Context. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #008000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__News, CBC. "Teaching Gay Acceptance in Schools Urged." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 21 Oct. 2011. Web. 05 Apr. 2012.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peters, Cynthia. "Homophobia in the classroom: one teacher's response." Radical <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teacher Winter 2011: 71+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Roehr, Bob. "Gay is good: the life and times of Frank Kameny." Windy City Times 19 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oct. 2011: 18. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sykes, Marquita. "The Origins of Affirmative Action." National Organization for Women. Web. 8 Apr. 2012. < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">__http://www.now.org/nnt/08-95/affirmhs.html>__