LGBTQ
]There is no standard LGBTQ experience. Even in the context of the groups that make up our umbrella, individuals can experience vastly different degree of acceptance, opportunity, and restriction. Since the passing of gay marriage and the visible but superficial media change in perception of Queer issues, the general public has had a false sense of resolution with the challenges met by our community. Individuals still face alienation, violence, and rejection from their families and communities as well as barriers in navigating work, education, and relationships from a queer perspective.
Gays
Gay men have a history of coping with social rejection through excellence. There is often an internal expectation to best the best in the workplace, to make the most money, to be the most educated and have the best performance.
Lesbians
Lesbians have an interesting juxtaposition to gay men. While gay men have often dominated the visuals of the LGBTQ narrative, lesbian women have often operated on the back end. From their (insert early american culture) to their……. Their eventual role in the AIDS crisis as well as a more conscieous move to feminism and other aspects of diversity awarded them their honorary place in the beginning in the LGBTQ alphabet
Bisexuals
Bisexual people have often played the role of the middle child. Unlike the other letters that often must conceal their identity for protection, Bisexual people are often able to move comfortably without detection. So much so that if they are in a mixed sex relationship, they may lose the outward signifiers that identify them as part of the queer community. The concept of bi-erasure was created to highlight this tendency to be pushed into the straight or gay categories, with their service to the community and their cultural histories being absorbed by the adjacent groups. Bisexual people often struggle with being seen not only as members of the queer community but as people who may have expansive romantic and sexual positions that are not well met by either the gay or straight community.
Transgender and Gender Diverse
Its impossible to incapsulate all of the diversity of any of these groups in a short description, but it might be most difficult for the trans and gender diverse umbrella. Although they have always been at the heart of queer movements across time and location, they have rarely been given the spotlight they deserve. More recently, greater attention has been demanded and research and medical communities are beginning to turn to trans and gender diverse people and to see them as the experts in their field that they are. Because transitioning is so visible and the alternative dysphoria so disabling, many trans people are not able to conceal their diversity until they are stable enough to be independent and are harmed by the social responses. Many trans people struggle with the idea of “catching up” often entering their romantic and professional worlds many years after their peers. Even very driven and motivated Trans people may find it lonely at the top and struggle to find community with their peers.
Recent Comments