The Struggle of Individual Autonomy
Social Pressure on Differing Views From the LGBTQIA+ Movement
Since the beginning of civilization, there has never been a universal consensus on any one issue. Rather, there has always been a separation of views where people support opposing sides of the matter at hand. Whether you are talking about religion, the economic system, abortion, etc… However, this lack of agreement is of vital importance to the balance of society. It provides a more holistic view and allows us to approach crucial issues from every possible perspective. This explains why freedom of speech is one of the most fundamental pillars of our society. Individual autonomy shares a strong correlation with free speech. It refers to the right of individuals to make their own choices without external influences or pressures. The LGBTQIA+ movement, which advocates for equal rights and protection of individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, has been one of the biggest movements over the years. While some have embraced the movement, others have criticized it due to differing views on sexuality and gender identity. However, during the past years it is alarming that a lot of people have turned the movement from I AM free to do whatever I want with my body to YOU MUST agree with me.
Social pressure can become a problem for freedom of speech when people who disagree try to silence or remove any opposing viewpoints by labeling them as “hate speech”. This creates a situation where individuals are scared to express their opinions openly against popular beliefs because they fear they will face negative outcomes. As a result, only certain ideas are permitted while others considered unacceptable are prohibited, which can harm individual autonomy by suppressing disagreement. Differing views about the LGBTQIA+ movement can lead to backlash and social pressure against those who express them. Recently, J.K Rowling faced criticism after expressing her opinions regarding transgenderism through Twitter posts — something that resulted in a severe backlash from people all around the world. A French football club, Toulouse, has suspended and fined 5 players that had refused to wear the rainbow jersey due to their religious beliefs.
It is unjust that somebody would face violence or discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. As everybody is free to decide who they are willing to be or what they are willing to do, people who disagree with the movement should be able to express themselves freely without fear or intimidation and should not be labeled as “phobic” or “hateful”. Individual autonomy should be respected no matter one’s race, gender identity or sexual orientation for betterment our world. Therefore, free speech and individual autonomy should always be protected.
References
Gwen Aviles, J.K. Rowling faces backlash after tweeting support for “transphobic” researcher. (2019, December 19). NBC News.
Martin O’Donnel, Another French club fines a player for refusing to wear rainbow jersey. (2023, March 15). Bolavip US.
