Why the LGBTQ+ Community Needs Feminism
On June 26th, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States of America declared that same-sex marriage is legal in all fifty states. It was a historic case that was considered a huge victory for the LGBTQ+ community. Twitter was flooded with the phrase, “Love Wins,” for days and thus the world felt like a better place because of it. Actually, the world is a better place because of this. But this court case didn’t solve all of our problems. After this landmark victory, LGBTQ+ people are still heavily discriminated against for their sexual orientations. Their fight continued on this fateful day.
Many people in America who don’t identify under the LGBTQ+ acronym had a hard time understanding how this supreme court case didn’t solve all of their problems. After all, this was a historical case that had garnered media attention for months prior to the ruling. Justice Anthony Kennedy explained his opinion on the case after the ruling was announced. “His opinion sketches a history of how ideas of marriage have evolved along with the changing roles and legal status of women”(1). Already after the ruling had been announced, Justice Kennedy is drawing parallels between the fight for equality that women have, and the fight for equality that the LGBTQ+ community have. Women have been fighting for their equal rights in America since the early 1900’s with the suffrage movement. During World War I and World War II, women would take over the jobs that their husbands once worked, gaining a newfound sense of independence that they had never experienced before. This new sensation would be the driving force towards feminism and the fight for women’s equality. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the sexual revolution would take place where women fought to freely express themselves sexually. Women would also fight traditional gender stereotypes by wearing pants, playing on sports teams with males, being open about their sex lives, and getting a proper education after high school along with a fulfilling career. The fight for women’s equality is still not over though. Today, women are fighting for proper protections against sexual harassment in the workplace and equal pay for the same jobs.
Our newly elected president of the United States has said many vulgar things recently about women. He has also implanted a new idea where LGBTQ+ people will no longer be counted on the next national census. Obviously, this man and his administration are not a fan of the LGBTQ+ community or of our country’s women. President Trump’s hateful and mindless rhetoric has already begun to seep into other politicians’ minds and mouths. Just last week, North Carolina tried to pass a bill that would invalidate same sex marriages within their state. The bill itself explicitly said, “‘Marriages, whether created by common law, contracted, or performed outside of North Carolina, between individuals of the same gender are not valid in North Carolina’”(2). The ounce of good news that came out of this though is that this same bill was quickly killed by the House Leader. Although that is a small victory for same sex couples in North Carolina, no one should ignore the fact that our nation is being fueled off of the oppression of LGBTQ+ people and women. With a wave of oppression being brought down on us, we must all stand up and fight for our basic natural rights. History has proven to us time and again that there is strength in numbers. The more people that voice their opinions, the higher chance there is of being heard. And when we’re heard, change occurs on a nationwide level. Women and the LGBTQ+ community still do not have equal rights today in America. While both communities are actively involved in changing this reality, these communities are not working together towards this common goal. If they did, then they would really be able to unleash the needed change in this country.
Recently, the feminist community and the LGBTQ+ community came together not long after President Trump was inaugurated into office. A Women’s March on Washington was scheduled for January 21st, 2017, just one day after the inauguration took place. The Women’s March wanted to show our new government that women’s rights were human rights. Something that our new administration doesn’t seem to comprehend for some reason. The Women’s March was not only for women though. They invited everyone that supported women’s rights to come out and show solidarity by marching with them, either in Washington or across the country where smaller rallies were being held. Over 160 LGBTQ+ organizations partnered with the Women’s March to show their support and solidarity towards women’s rights in America. Two of Washington D.C’s local gay bars also joined the other local businesses in supporting those who were marching. The Women’s March released an official statement about their cause and goals saying, “‘We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear’”(3). This is a question that every oppressed group of people have been pondering about since the election of our new president to this country. It’s obviously a fear that is being felt all across this nation currently. This is why we need the LGBTQ+ community and our country’s women to come together and tackle this fear head on. After all, we show our strength with diversity.
The amount of people that came together for the Women’s March on Washington was astounding. However, the fight has barely just begun. One glaring issue that has come to light recently, is how transgender people relate to feminism, and whether the feminist movement includes transgender people. When we think about what feminism fights for, and what transgender people fight for, they’re both essentially fighting for the same thing. Feminism has been fighting typical binary gender stereotypes, bodily autonomy, and the patriarchy forever. This is what all transgender people have been fighting for as well. The Huffington Post claims that, “If we only work on behalf of the ‘right’ kinds of women, it diminishes the movement and repeats mistakes of the past, where feminism was not nearly intersectional enough”(4). This statement is so truthful. For years now, women have been fighting to have their voices heard, and to be treated like equals. Today, there are many women in the world who would say they are viewed as equals in their lives. But most of these women are straight, cis-gendered, and white. Transgender women today are often not seen as being real women because they were biologically born a male. However, these are the women who are most prone to discrimination and hateful rhetoric. These are the women that feminism should be fighting and protecting. Many issues that transgender people have, are the same issues that feminists fight everyday. If the women of the LGBTQ+ community were to work with feminists for their equal rights, there would be so many more voices and battles that would be heard and fought.
Now the question comes as to what men who identify in the LGBTQ+ acronym can do for the feminism movement. Truth be told, a lot can be done. The goals of feminists will also greatly benefit all members of the LGBTQ+ community as well. One thing that women and the LGBTQ+ community have to remember is that they are both fighting a common enemy, the patriarchy. When you think it about it though, it makes a lot of sense. Obviously feminism is fighting the patriarchy because it encourages women to be independent and do as they please, without a man by their side. It also encourages women to stray away from the typical feminine personality if they so choose. Or to embrace it because it’s their own choice after all. The LGBTQ+ community encourages the same thing, to stray away from the gender norms if you so choose to. For example, gay men are alone a threat to the patriarchy. All gay men engage in same sex relationships with each other, which means that they don’t exert power over women. Some gay men are also perceived as being more feminine which goes completely against the patriarchal system. However, those gay men will also be much more likely to be targeted and discriminated against. Gay men who express themselves in a more masculine way, will not receive the same amount of discrimination. This is why we need feminism and the LGBTQ+ community to work together. They both fight for people to be able to live their lives and express themselves in any way that they choose without discrimination. It is also important to remember that, “. . .we still live in a society where men have power over women”. This is overall what feminism fights. However, this also means that gay men still have power over women, it’s their male privilege. But, privilege doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, many people use their privilege to help fight for those who don’t have that same power in our society. If the LGBTQ+ community partners together with the feminist movement, and realizes that both groups of people have been oppressed and can offer a great deal of knowledge and help towards the other, then real concrete change will begin to occur.
In today’s current political climate, both nationally and internationally, it is painfully obvious that the LGBTQ+ community and women are not treated as equals towards their straight, male counterparts. Both women and the LGBTQ+ community have an obligation to fight for their rights. Their right to not be discriminated against based on their gender and/or their sexual orientation; their right to not be harassed in their everyday lives; and their right to live a peaceful, happy lifestyle in whatever way they choose, without prying eyes judging their every breath and move. If these two groups of people come together, the world will have to listen to us and to what we say. It’s time to fight for who we are and for our rights.
References:
- Chappell, Bill. “Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal In All 50 States.” NPR. June 26, 2015. Accessed April 13, 2017. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/26/417717613/supreme-court-rules-all-states-must-allow-same-sex-marriages.
- Sopelsa, Brooke. “North Carolina lawmakers introduce bill to ban same-sex marriage.” NBCNews.com. April 12, 2017. Accessed April 13, 2017. http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/north-carolina-lawmakers-introduce-bill-ban-same-sex-marriage-n745606.
- “Women’s March to include LGBT presence.” Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. January 17, 2017. Accessed April 13, 2017. http://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/01/16/womens-march-include-lgbt-presence/.
- Tannehill, Brynn. “Feminist Issues Are Transgender Issues.” The Huffington Post. October 15, 2014. Accessed April 13, 2017. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brynn-tannehill/feminist-issues-are-transgender-issues_b_5958012.html.
- Donnelly, Shawn. “Men will be Men: Feminism and LGBT Rights.” HIV Equal. Accessed April 13, 2017. http://www.hivequal.org/hiv-equal-online/men-will-be-men-feminism-and-lgbt-rights.
