Everyday, members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and and Transgender) community are harassed, assaulted, brutally victimized, and unfortunately in many cases, killed for who they are and what they stand for. The numbers of people coming out as a non-heterosexual individual rise everyday, however, fear still holds people back from happy, successful lives. It may not seem like a huge deal to some, but for LGBT people, hiding who they are is like living as a shell of what they can potentially be. Members of LGBT are suppressed by what society expects them to be and are terrified of how some would react if they don 't fill that mold. Even now, in 2016, where the world prides itself in individuality and freedom, gays, bisexuals, leslbians,
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Discrimination based on gender identity at a workplace is, unfortunately, not illegal. An employer can use a person’s sexuality and status as an LGBT member against them by treating them unfairly, making snide, inappropriate remarks, lowering their pay, and even firing them under otherwise unjust and rather idiotic circumstances. An article written by Zach Ford from ThinkProgress, a political news blog, details an event where a homosexual male lost a legal battle between his former employer under the Western District Missouri Court. The article explained that a man by the name of James Pittman attempted to sue Cook Paper Recycling Corp., the company he worked for prior to his termination, for harassment. Pittman recounts instances where his former employer and coworkers would refer to him with obscene and derogatory names and terms; an, “objectively hostile and abusive environment” (Ford). The court ruled against Pittman stating that the Missouri Human Rights Act does not protect an individual 's sexuality against discrimination. Meaning, no matter how demeaning and intolerant a person’s boss is over the their status as an LGBT member, if they live in the state of Missouri, there is nothing they can do about it but …show more content…
In the Advocate, an LGBT interest magazine, features an article entitled, “Meet the People Fired for Being LGBT in 2013” by Sunny Brydum, listed eleven people who shared their own stories that were startlingly similar to that of James Pittman. One story in particular was about a transgender man who was asked to leave his teaching position after planning to undergo a sex change operation and divorcing his husband. Adam Ackley, the person in question, taught theology at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California for fifteen years. Another teacher, Kristen Ostendorf, at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota was forced out of her teaching position after admitting to her co-workers that she was in a relationship with another woman. "I 'm not embarrassed about what I said. I will not dance around it. I will tell every future employer precisely why I left. And if that 's a problem, I don 't want to work there. I can 't do it anymore” (Brydum). Ostendorf was proud of the fact she was brave and strong enough to come out. Even though she knew that her chances of finding another job would be hard if her personal life was faced with the same discriminatory view as her previous school, Ostendorf refused to let the threat rule her life. Finally, an employee of a 7/11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia was assaulted on the job when a man pushed
Discrimination based on gender identity at a workplace is, unfortunately, not illegal. An employer can use a person’s sexuality and status as an LGBT member against them by treating them unfairly, making snide, inappropriate remarks, lowering their pay, and even firing them under otherwise unjust and rather idiotic circumstances. An article written by Zach Ford from ThinkProgress, a political news blog, details an event where a homosexual male lost a legal battle between his former employer under the Western District Missouri Court. The article explained that a man by the name of James Pittman attempted to sue Cook Paper Recycling Corp., the company he worked for prior to his termination, for harassment. Pittman recounts instances where his former employer and coworkers would refer to him with obscene and derogatory names and terms; an, “objectively hostile and abusive environment” (Ford). The court ruled against Pittman stating that the Missouri Human Rights Act does not protect an individual 's sexuality against discrimination. Meaning, no matter how demeaning and intolerant a person’s boss is over the their status as an LGBT member, if they live in the state of Missouri, there is nothing they can do about it but …show more content…
In the Advocate, an LGBT interest magazine, features an article entitled, “Meet the People Fired for Being LGBT in 2013” by Sunny Brydum, listed eleven people who shared their own stories that were startlingly similar to that of James Pittman. One story in particular was about a transgender man who was asked to leave his teaching position after planning to undergo a sex change operation and divorcing his husband. Adam Ackley, the person in question, taught theology at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California for fifteen years. Another teacher, Kristen Ostendorf, at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota was forced out of her teaching position after admitting to her co-workers that she was in a relationship with another woman. "I 'm not embarrassed about what I said. I will not dance around it. I will tell every future employer precisely why I left. And if that 's a problem, I don 't want to work there. I can 't do it anymore” (Brydum). Ostendorf was proud of the fact she was brave and strong enough to come out. Even though she knew that her chances of finding another job would be hard if her personal life was faced with the same discriminatory view as her previous school, Ostendorf refused to let the threat rule her life. Finally, an employee of a 7/11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia was assaulted on the job when a man pushed