Discrimination Of The LGBTQ Community Essay Example

A very common argument used to justify hate directed to LGBTQ+ people is that being LGBTQ+ is a modern phenomenon. Some claim “People weren’t gay when I was younger” or “it’s just a recent trend”, but this is based on ignorance. In actual fact, people have been LGBTQ+ for almost as long as humanity has been around. But throughout history, some  have been covering this up and denying queer people exist. This has had a profound impact on the way LGBTQ+ people are treated today and have been treated in the past. Ignorance surrounding queer people has constantly been used as a weapon of hatred, fueling violence against the community.  It is vital we change this outdated and inaccurate viewpoint. We must ensure discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community becomes a thing of the past.

Despite some being convinced that queer people have only existed since very recently, many historians believe there were queer people as long ago as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. In 1964, archaeologists opened an Ancient Egyptian tomb of two men called  Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep. Experts believe they lived around the year 2380 BC. In the tomb they are depicted doing things  people associate with being in a romantic relationship. For instance, kissing nose-to-nose, holding hands, and embracing. If this tomb was for a man and a woman, historians wouldn't hesitate to label them as a couple. However, the tomb is for two men, so many heteronormative historians decided to label them as very close brothers instead. While this is not impossible, (there is not enough evidence to make solid conclusions) there is a high likelihood these  men were queer lovers. This idea being completely dismissed would definitely fall under the category of queer erasure. 

Not only Ancient Egypt had queer presence. Many ancient societies shared similar ideas, such as Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia. In fact, many cultures hold beliefs which challenge the current gender binary and heteronormative views. Many were taught that gender comes in two distinct categories- Men and women- and this is based on the sex assigned at birth. Now more and more people are coming to the realisation that this is inaccurate, but some are still  fixated on this outdated belief. These people believe genders outside the male-female-binary are a new trend, despite many cultures across the world having had 3rd genders for centuries. For instance, native Hawaiian cultures have long held beliefs that there is a third gender- māhū. Māhū people embody both masculine and feminine traits. They were widely respected, and often had roles of healers, teachers and caretakers. This was covered up with the arrival of Europeans. They imposed their Western beliefs on the people of Hawaii and suppressed their gender and sexuality diverse culture. Hawaiian culture is just one of the many diverse cultures colonists have repressed. This has led to some still believing in the gender binary despite many experts denouncing it, and so, targetting hate against non-binary people.

It is hugely important for people to recognise queer identities in ancient history and cultures, but equally it's vital people are aware of queer historical figures. This helps to normalise LGBTQ+ people's existence. It also ensures that these people, who have had a large impact on the present, have their whole story told. This especially is important as queer people were unable to live as their true selves due to the lack of acceptance. Thus, it's almost impossible to be certain that these people were queer. They have always hidden this part of themselves, so there is little evidence for this area of their lives. One such queer figure is Fryderek Chopin. Chopin was a highly influential Polish composer, who was likely also LGBTQ+. He sent many passionate letters to his male companions, especially Titus Woyciechowski. He expressed his love for them in a much more intense way than to his female friends. This has lead many to the conclusion that Chopin was gay. Yet, this is highly controversial. Many view Chopin as a Polish hero, despite Poland still being staunchly anti-LGBTQ+. This has caused his probable queer identity to be conveniently overlooked. Such an important figure being recognised as LGBTQ+ could drive Poland to become more inclusive, as well as making Poland's queer people safer- But instead, Chopin's true identity is still ignored.

More than 120 years ago, a German man named Magnus Hirschfield founded the first gay rights organisation- the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee. Hirschfield's main goal was to reduce prejudice and hate surrounding LGBTQ+ people. He researched the nature and causes of homosexuality, concluding sexuality was innate and not a choice. This was well ahead of his time- there are still many today who believe sexuality is a choice, despite having no reasoning behind this. He hoped this would make others more accepting of gay people, but there was still a long way to go. Hirschfield was also an advocate for transgender rights, so he established the Institute for Sexual Science. This allowed him to carry out groundbreaking research into transgender people and enabled one of the first gender reassignment surgeries. The Institute also promoted sex education, provided advice for LGBT people, and treatment for STDs. The Institute was very progressive and saw more than 20,000 people per year, however not all was well. Being Jewish, gay, and an activist for sexual and gender minorities, Hirschfield was a target for the Nazis. In 1933, the Nazis raided the Institute and destroyed the groundbreaking research on sexuality and gender. This set back knowledge and acceptance for LGBTQ+ people immensely. Although the Institute did greatly influence the fight for equality, nobody truly knows how much of an impact it could have had if the Nazis had not erased its research. 

Despite the huge impact queer people have had on history, many schools are still failing to teach this aspect of the past. This lack of proper education has led to many forming harmful and inaccurate stereotypes of LGBTQ+ people. It has also caused people to believe that LGBTQ+ people are a modern phenomenon. This has, in turn, fed into the hate and violence LGBTQ+ people face in their daily lives. This lack of action to educate people about LGBTQ+ history has caused queer people to be alienated from society. Not only this, it has also been very dangerous. In fact, almost half of LGBTQ+ people have been bullied at school in the UK for being LGBTQ+.  This has understandably had a profound impact on their mental health. Researchers have shown this to not only decrease engagement at school, but more importantly to increase depression, anxiety and even suicidality. More than 40% of transgender youth have attempted suicide. To put this into context, only 7% of total youth have attempted suicide. The hate surrounding LGBTQ+ people isn't confined to schools. 350 transgender people were murdered in 2020, a figure that is predicted to keep rising. There is no doubt that this must be stopped and ignorance about queer people is unquestionably a huge factor of this hate. Schools must teach LGBTQ+ history. This education is vital in the fight for equality and the extermination of violence. 

To sum up, history is full of people who do not conform to the traditional cisgender heteronormative world view. Since almost as long as modern humans have existed, queer people have existed alongside them. Yet many people are unaware of this as historians have chosen to leave out key aspects of the histories of ancient societies, cultures, and historical figures. This erasure has had an enormous impact on LGBTQ+ people today. It has alienated them from society, harmed their mental health, and has led to hate and violence against the community. For this reason, people must be taught about LGBTQ+ identities throughout history. It is simply not an option to ignore this erasure any longer- Education is crucial in the fight for equality.