It's The 21st Century; Being Different Is Okay | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

It's The 21st Century; Being Different Is Okay

Life is too short to worry about the opinions of others, especially in regards to who you love

26
It's The 21st Century; Being Different Is Okay
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64518841@N08/36260038432/in/photolist-Xfbb9q-4YbWJG-9YHq1n-WHCoCr-vd9VMm-nSQ6KT-ccMdCE-uiaNEU-cGKbod-oDtphb-vjNtzo-SnGm7J-sMykBB-XF83HF-Ja1Sbg-UzPN4D-6A1AAr-xPfwNG-9RZejF-6EsQym-csKKZS-4WS2qX-9S392u-6CfVPD-4XS2Lc-fmSEKA-9S394L-RRCuCo-uisDD2-6AoSpv-PpwsaV-oc3LsK-WSq4ce-4YcXTF-WQc9kQ-KjPQAM-ccJy63-SPPEVy-ScJiKw-cNpotw-a6CLta-ksGwzy-2nMrzP-rymvuv-6vYDv8-rysq4T-SSCHBi-XvntHp-vmMjtK-VEfxUy

Humans have established their own rights in society for many years. However, because some humans differ from the norms that are built-in society, they are shunned and denied their rights until they conform to the idea of normalcy. There have been numerous groups of people who have been denied their rights in America.

African Americans, immigrants, Native Americans, and members of the LGBTQ community have been isolated simply because that is the way that they were born and others do not find them "normal". There is another group that has also been mistreated though; people who identify themselves as transgender.

The laws involving transgender persons vary by state, some giving complete choice, while others only receive limited. Most difficulties faced by transsexuals, transgenders, and people who identify as LGBTQ are rooted in the legal and social ambiguity of changing gender or sex status, which varies by country and culture.

For example, in the United States, many states either require expensive medical procedures in order to change legal documents or do not allow individuals to change the sex listed on their birth certificates or driver's licenses. Because many social interactions and structures are organized based on gender, transsexuals, and transgenders may face discrimination if they are perceived as gender-ambiguous or transgressive.

This daily discrimination may include refusal in public accommodations, violence on the street, and hate speech.

Being a transgender person, especially in a rural community, is not an easy task. As a result of the large percentage of conservative forces in rural areas, it can sometimes prove difficult to be outside of the status quo.

People are creatures of habit who are frightened by the prospect of change. Anything that is outside of their scale of social acceptance is sometimes looked at as wrong and intolerable. The same ideals exist in high school and colleges around the U.S. Adolescents are solely searching for one thing; acceptance.

Teenagers are forced to hide who they really are in order to avoid bullying, harassment, and verbal abuse. Young people are cruel and judgemental. They do not see the error in their actions until it is too late. A person of a different sexual status would be treated as a mutant, an outcast of society.

People should be free to be whoever they choose to be, without fear of judgment or input of others. The discriminatory actions against the LGBTQ community must be stopped.

There is no definition of normal. The word has a different meaning to us all. An LGBTQ person does not deserve to be treated poorly because of the way they were born and/or their lifestyle choices. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live their life the way they choose. Life is too short to conform to someone else's vision of normalcy.

The world as a whole needs to stop and realize that we are all people after a common goal; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

197157
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

19014
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

461004
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28373
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments