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Melissa Sanchez

Professor Rodrick

QS115

10/18/2017

Space Within Society of Various Identities

The most popular topic within society is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Short-

ened, LGBT community is an important topic regarding ones identity and acceptance within so-

ciety. Various topics and discussion of identity or gender development within an adolescent or

young adults curious mind raised various questions regarding identity. How acceptance is okay

within the world we live in today and how others will react or respond towards ones true identi-

ty. The world we live in today, from my point of view were categorized with various labels such

orientation, gender, pronoun, and race. My opinion regarding todays popular topic regarding the

LGBT community and the world we live in today some are very reluctant and some cant seem

to accept todays society we not limited to marry the opposite sex, people have the opportunity to

marry the same sex. Theres a little flaw with space and its possibly due to the various past gen-

erations or should I say same of our relatives are stuck within what history used to be back then

for example, same sex marriages or same sex couples are gross or they carry diseases. Mean-

while in todays space 2017, from what I witnessed were very open and very accepting within

dating the same sex or liking the same sex. Frequently, there's been allot of self expression and

curiosity have begun to explore identity within an adolescent or young adults mind.

In regards, as human beings we look up to who raised us within identity and the use of our sur-

roundings is how we gain identity. The development of a child is very crucial within society. In

this article, Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults written by
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Ryan, CJ. Ryan states, family acceptance of LGBT adolescents is associated with positive

young adult mental and physical health. Interventions that promote parental and caregiver accep-

tance of LGBT adolescents are needed to reduce health disparities.(Ryan, CJ) In translation,

families who accepted a loved one due to being apart of the LGBT community can impact an in-

dividual life and outcomes of coming out and acceptance is lowering the amount of negativity

such as depression, stress, and other negative acts within an individual who identifies within the

LGBT community.

Reading the first article from Ryan, it can be agreed upon coming out as a adolescent or a young

adult can cause various trails of thoughts of negativity and fear due to coming out. For example,

coming out as a young individual is a very frightening position, someones negative response

will be its just a phase, or a positive response; such as, acceptance and support. The space of an

individuals life isnt within families of course, the community, the surroundings of the area

everyone access and do whatever they please. I can agree and unfortunately, coming out can be a

very difficult process and deal breaker within todays society and theres no detection within

what a person from school or work to a family member on how they will react or respond to

finding out their friend, loved one, or stranger identifies and establishes themselves within the

LGBT community. In 2017, over the past few months and of course looking at the news various

hate messages and reactions caused multiple deaths within the LGBT community, one of the

most famous ones and the event that I refer to at most, the Orlando nightclub shooting which

happened a year ago. Seeing this particular news stands out to me because the world we live in

today can be very scary and you never know how one can react towards the LGBT community.

Also, watching the news with the topic of deaths and the LGBT community, wouldnt it make a

young individual or someone particular that identifies within the LGBT community be afraid to
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come out in fear of their life? In a sense can cause stress and fear for someone to come out due

to wanting to live rather than die.

Skimming through various films one caught my eye and played a different plot twist. Instead of

homosexuality being turn down and looked upon as negative, is positive within this different

space as normal. Meanwhile, heterosexuality is looked down upon as and has a negative at-

mosphere and not looking normal. A short film with a different twist called, Imagine A World

Where Being "Gay" The Norm & Being "Straight" Would Be The Minority! [Short Film], as the

film is being analyzed the title exposes being gay is normal meanwhile this adolescent the main

character Ashley, believes she won't be gay and follows the path of a heterosexual. In one inci-

dent, a group of her friends want to play house and instead of having the same sex couples, why

not have the opposite sex play as mom and dad. One of her finds found it as abnormal and calls

her a breeder. Throughout the series of the film shes being teased, backlashed, and harassed due

to everyone assuming she's straight and not gay. In secret, Ashley hides from others in order see

a boy named Ian, various spectators saw and within one scene shes inside a toilet being harassed

by a group of girls due to her being straight rather than gay. A teacher comes in and saves the girl

from the bullying and told her she should get a girlfriend instead of fantasizing the boy shes in-

fatuated with and to be in constant reminder both her mothers will not accept her for being

straight. As the short film goes on seeing that gay is seen as normal, meanwhile straight is seen

bad, it shows a negative impact to Ashleys life, shes getting bullied, negative slurs, and hoping

that this hetero liking is just a phase and she will be gay. She goes to see the boy and the boy

breaks the news that he cannot see her anymore due to his family being against straight people,

another group of kids see and decide to harass the girl. The girl comes home beat up and her

forehead marked with the word hetero, both her mothers are arguing due to the fact that their
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daughter is a hetero and worry about their safety more importantly the familys safety. Ashley is

in the restroom, due to the negative impacts and harassment she decides to take her own life. Un-

fortunately, she doesn't make it as both her mothers try to open the door to get to her and council

her.

After watching this film, it gives evidence that its really hard to come out in society, the world

works in various way, youre not quite sure what will happen next. The film opened my eyes and

gave me a different aspect and showed me how difficult one adolescent or young adults identity

can be in fear. An individual doesnt necessarily have to follow their parents in order to obtain

their identity. In a sense we look up to whoever raised as infants to get an idea of identity. Most

importantly, its based upon an individual within how they see themselves and how differently

they analyze and take within their mind and thought.

Unfortunately, its very scary and dangerous to hide as an individual who identifies within the

LGBT community. A Ted Talk speaker, Morgana Bailey, she recalls hiding the person she actual-

ly is for 16 years and she decided to come out in front of her co workers, friends, and family dur-

ing this ted talk. Morgana Bailey identifies as a lesbian, she recalls that she was afraid to say the

big L word in front of individuals due to having this certain feeling of not being accepted. Due to

her feelings she decided to hide the fact that she's a lesbian and realizes that this kept secret for

16 years will make her unhappy and realizes people go into hiding or in secret because they're

afraid of being found and something bad can possibly happen to them. As she talks about herself

and the life changes of finding out that she's different she has the courage to come out to her

peers and viewers and the silence transitions into clapping for her. Finally, she feels much better

and happier due to the fact that she came out.

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In conclusion, as human beings living in space we're afraid to come out as our real selves

due to acceptance or rejection. The space we live in today is under development and as human

beings we must try our best to no longer be in fear for being our true selves.
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The Danger Of Hiding Who You Are. Performance by Morgana Bailey, Ted Talk, Nov. 2014,

www.ted.com/talks/morgana_bailey_the_danger_of_hiding_who_you_are. Accessed 19 Oct.

2017

Ryan , Caitlyn. Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults Au-

thors. Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults Authors, 15

Nov. 2010. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017

Rocco , Kim, director. Imagine A World Where Being "Gay" The Norm & Being "Straight"

Would Be The Minority! [Short Film]. 2013. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017