Queer and American

In recent decades, there has been significant progress made for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals living in the United States. A look at the legislative achievements protecting queer individuals highlights said progress. However, even with the myriad of advancements made, the daily challenges and inequalities queer individuals face expose that governmental solutions are often superficial, failing to address the root causes of the issue. Victor Madrigal-Borloz, a human rights researcher for Harvard University, powerfully states “equality is not yet within reach and in many cases not within sight”.

Within the United States legislation, there have been substantial rulings made in favor of equal rights for LGBTQ+ identities. Most notably, Supreme Court decisions such as Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, and Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), extending employment discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ individuals. While these rulings were extremely necessary for the queer community within the States, the US legislation left holes within their policies that leave LGBTQ+ individuals vulnerable. Specifically, the legal process within the States fails to address the broader scope of issues that queer-identifying Americans face daily including: healthcare, housing, education, and harm from religious uproar. While some liberal-leaning states have local laws in place that benefit queer individuals in these areas, a lack of strong federal anti-discrimination legislation leaves room for discrimination in states with less protection.

In looking for a solution, it's clear the US government must place focus upon enacting and inspiring systematic change. In my own belief, this should start with educating the people, specifically the youth. Queer stories, information, and identities need to be taught and accessible like any other form of text found in a classroom. As a nation, we must stop isolating and “othering” identities that don’t fit within the stereotypical white, heterosexual American citizen box. People must understand queer identities, and it is the job of our legislation to ensure this knowledge is being spread. The American Bar Association released a study on this. They found an immediate correlation between safety and queer education within schools asserting that, “a growing body of scientific, psychological, and social-scientific evidence shows that an LGBTQ-inclusive education benefits the health and well-being of all students, not only LGBTQ-identifying”. With this in mind, the government must put laws in action that promote queer education, teaching an essence of unity and lowering discrimination.