I so believed that the top rated reality show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has put gay men into the “respect” zone when the show itself proved that there is nothing wrong with gay people and their sexual orientation. Well, for one, the show did prove something worthy aside that it is very interesting. However, amidst the fact that the famous Fab 5 conquered the hearts of straight men as well as of straight women (in another gay reality show, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl) on the airwaves, the show did not actually changed the state of most queer people around the globe.
The battle ranges on among queer people as they fought for their rights in the workplace. In the United States alone, 34 states has the legal right to fire someone based on sexual orientation, while 44 states have the legal right to do so based on gender identity. Who would believe that in this country tagged as “The Land of the Free” such discrimination is still rampant. I guess television has its own culture and own “reality” stories to tell. But then again, that is television. People love to watch “queer” things on TV, right? The more it is unique and “queer”, the better the show ‘s ratings will be.
My point here is that, it is quite ironic that despite media’s attempt to take things into a different view, establishing acceptance and respect among gay people within the society, the public at large still discriminates these people. In the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, it was clearly stated:
Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against for reasons that have nothing to do with their performance and abilities. Employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, whether such orientation is real or perceived, effectively denies qualified individuals equality and opportunity in the workplace. Those who experience this form of discrimination have no recourse under current federal law or under the Constitution as it has been interpreted by the courts.
The above statement is not a question of illogical thinking among discriminators because it is perfectly clear that there is no connection between gender preferences or sexual orientation with the individual’s overall work performance. People are not illogical about this issue, they are rather blinded by the tradition that has taught them that there are only two existing genders: male and female. So far, I guess gay people have only gained half acceptance within the society. They are only accepted as long as they keep their sexual practices among themselves. But the whole gay and lesbian thing is not complete without any sexual practices and queer people cannot hide the very least of these things. I IGLOBE’s marketing manager said, “People think they don’t bring their sexuality into the workplace, but they do — whether they wear their wedding ring or put a photo of their partner on their desk,” she said. “It’s very uncomfortable to a gay person to dispel that assumption.” Therefore, tradition is about a question of morality.
Do you ever wonder why there are various activists groups in every industry? Just for example, we have gay/lesbian writings? A feminist approach to so and so? Well, the answer is simple: there is a wide range of discrimination in gender, race and color, etc. People in these groups will continue to fight for their rights.
Recommended readings about gay people in the workplace:Out and About at IntelSmashing Discrimination Against Gays in the Workplace
ORIGINAL ARTICLE SOURCE: http://www.gbwatch.com/?p=37
Make Your “Tail” Long By Producing Contents With Value
It has been a long time since we talk about “content”. As on my previous discussions, I have emphasized often that content drives traffic to your site. Needless to say, we already knew about this. But what exactly are the ways that make content valuable?
Searching for Affordable Public Relations Services?
It has been a long time since I discussed about PR outsourcing, thus, I decided to plunge into the subject this time. Remember my discussion on choosing between outsourcing or in-house public relations? I laid down all the advantages and disadvantages of both sides but did not really come up with a definite answer on which one is to choose best.
Corporate Websites: Surely Not the Last People Standing on the Web
The Internet perhaps, serves to create and cater a form of pop culture rather than be considered effective medium for communication. Arguments on semantics through written texts and other forms of miscommunication proved this point. Yes, this kind of cases happen everyday on chat, forums, blog posts, etc. However, just like CE’s discussion about online communication, this fault should not be blamed on the medium itself but on the people who are getting the wrong notions about how the Internet can be both a powerful and effective tool for communication.
