LGBTQ+ Community

There are thousands of social groups in the world, some more prominent than others. One of the biggest social groups in the world is the LGBTQ+ community, with 9 million Americans alone reported to be a part of this community, according to The Williams Institute. Being a part of this community has become widely accepted all over the world, but they still face issues to this day whether it’s coming out or being a part of the community in a place where it’s illegal.

Newsela

Identity: A big part of the LGBTQ+ identity is their orientations, whether it’s sexual orientation or gender orientation. While reading different articles like “The Boy Scouts changes its enrollment policy for transgender children” and “Apple CEO announces he is gay; says it does not define his job”, it is evident that there are certain struggles this group faces when it comes to their identity. For example, in the article “The Boy Scouts changes its enrollment policy for transgender children”, it explains that an 8-year old boy named Joe Maldonado “was asked to leave his Cub Scout pack after leaders found out he is transgender.” His parents were very upset upon hearing this and had a legal complaint filed against the pack. The following Monday, it was announced that The Boy Scouts of America will now be based on the gender that is stated on the application and not the birth certificate. This new movement of accepting transgender children into the Boy Scouts has opened a door for the kids and will now likely have an influx of transgender boys joining the Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts.

Newsela

Diversity: In the article “Apple CEO announces he is gay; says it does not define his job”, it describes how Tim Cook, the CEO, announced that he is gay and that “Cook's announcement may push [technology companies] to the front of global struggles for equality.” Technology companies have some of the biggest wealth and power in the world, and using that “power” to influence LGBTQ+ rights in places like Russia or Pakistan, where people of that community are discriminated against, and even worse. The article stated that “[Tech companies] ‘sell products in places where there are not only not enough women as business role models but definitely not a lot of lesbian role models.’ Cook's announcement, she said, could motivate tech companies ‘to get more involved overseas.’” Diversity is very important when it comes to promoting in countries where things like homosexuality are illegal, because it could spark movements in those places and influence younger people, allowing homosexuality to become more widely accepted

Justice: Technology companies have openly supported gay rights such as Apple marching in the annual Pride parade in San Francisco and Google launching a campaign called Legalize Love. Same-sex marriage was finally legalized in all 50 states in America on June 26, 2015. In this article, it talks about a case where a man named Jim Obergefell opposed the ban of same-sex marriage in Ohio. The article says that “[Obergefell] filed suit because he wasn't allowed to put his name on his late husband John Arthur's death certificate after Arthur died from ALS.” The day same-sex marriage was legal was a big step for America and its same-sex couples.

Market Watch

Although now being more widely accepted than before, the challenges are still there for people of the LGBTQ+ community. People can help by donating to LGBTQ+ charities and being allies to any friends who are a part of this community. Support is major for these people and having people on their side and being accepted is one of the many easy ways people can help this social group.