Christensen 1

Andrew Christensen

Mrs. DiSomma

ERWC

1 February 2017

Equality should not equal Inequality

As modern times are changing, people also change and now, people can come out of the

closet comfortably knowing people will accept them. The gender identity society ha went from

nonexistent to a nation wide society as people become more tolerant and accustomed to newer

ideals such as transgender, gay, lesbian, and bisexual. However gender identity discrimination

still exists today because of people's ignorance, religious outset, or how they were raised. In the

past, most LGBTs had to hide the fact they were different. LGBT bullying has established itself

as one of the most modern types of bullying in the twenty-first century.

LGBT bullying primarily starts off in school. In 2017, more than one-third of students

who identify as LGBT have been physically abused because they are different (Anti-gay). No

matter the circumstances, physically hurting people is never the answer. Schools in the past had

excluded gender identity groups from school grounds, prevented them from forming, or denied

access to school resources leading Congress to pass the Equal Access Act (Duncan 157).

With this act implemented, extracurricular groups including LGBT groups can not be denied

access to form clubs. Eastern States like Virginia and Kentucky had enforced segregation

bathrooms or alternative bathrooms for students, instead of letting people choose for themselves

to feel comfortable (Wong). These states are basically discriminating gender identity students for

giving them selected bathrooms Administrators, teachers ,and students all play roles in one form

of discrimination or another.
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The psychological impact of bullying on the LGBT society can lead to some major

consequences like depression. The chances of LGBT students experiencing a mental health

condition, like depression is three times more likely than the average person (LGBQT). Being

singled out from the crown and severely discriminated leads to a high chance of depression and

suicide. Studies have shown gender identity students miss school at least one day a month (Anti-

gay). Knowing the minute an LGBT student goes to school, they will get insulted or physically

hurt, gives incentive to skip school resulting in doing worse in schools and getting lower grades.

Suicide attempts are very common in the gender identity society, and every two in five attempt

suicide at least once in the course of their lifetimes (Wong). Driving someone psychologically

to the point of suicide is the worst form of bullying and bullies should face capital punishment

for it. When trying to handle huge amounts of abuse, people try to seek out options like cutting,

depression, or suicide.

There have been federal laws implemented to aid and discriminate against LGBT society.

One federal law that LGBT students can be use in court is Title IX law of Education

Amendments (Bullying). This law gives LGBT students to fight back against the system if they

are discriminated and sue the school. ANother law that can be used to defend the LGBT society

is Title IV of the civil rights act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination against color or race

(bullying). LGBT students are able to defend themselves in court using this as a one way to sue

the school for discrimination. Virginia, Kentucky and many other states have adopted

segregation policies because of a 2009 court ruling where schools were able to restrict school

facilities for a private and safety reasons (Wong). States have found a loophole in the systems

discriminating against LGBT students. States have gone out of their way to hurt gender identity
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students for being different. Discrimination happens mostly in the East because of the people

religious and political beliefs.

People tend to perceive different as bad, and use it as a tool to single out others. However,

it does not matter whether a person is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, people should be

treated how they themselves want to be treated. We as a people must accept the fact not everyone

is born the same. We must change our perception of peoples gender and see that it depends both

on nature and nurture for someone to be a girl, boy, gay, or lesbian.

Works Cited

Anti-Gay Bullying. www.stompoutbullying.org. Stomp out Bullying, 2007-2016. Web.

23 Jan. 2017.
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Bullying and LGBT. www.stopbullying.gov. Stopbullying.gov, 31 March 2014. Web.

23 Jan. 2017.

Duncan, Arne Key Policy Letters from the Education Secretary. Elementary &

Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education. ERWC book, 14 June 2011. Print.

157-158.

LGBT. www.nami.org. National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.

Wong, Alia. The K-12 Binary. www.theatlantic.com. The Atlantic, July 2017. Web. 23

Jan. 2017.