The Concept of Stigmatization

The Concept of Stigmatization

It is not the first to hear about the concept of sexual orientation. Conflicts stemming from sexual orientation have continued to be on the rise in the recent past, filling up the headlines of many newspapers. Sexual orientation refers to the attraction that a person identifies with. Some people are attracted to the same sex, while the majority are attracted to the opposite sex. Arguably, for so long, the homosexuals had to hide in corridors and meet in secret since the society had not accepted them. In the recent past, however, the fight for human rights extended into the protection of the minority, which includes homosexuals. Following this, some countries accepted to incorporate the homosexuals in their culture, while others are still adamant about the subject. From this, it is evident that different societies perceived the concept differently, and this determined the life and experiences of the homosexuals. Ideally, evaluating the difference in community reaction towards homosexuality and heterosexuality in the white American community vs. the African American community will enhance the understanding of the experiences that these people go through.

Following the attempt of the US government to protect the rights of the LGBTQ group, some communities, such as the white Americans, not only accepted these people into their society, but they also supported them through love and advice. Mindy et al. explain that “Other social factors, such as your religious beliefs, level of education, economic status, ethnicity, gender, and age, influence sexual activity, and it is meaning”. Accepting different sexual orientations in a community where that is a unique thing is not easy. However, the most effective way to do so is by trying to understand the reasons why these people are different from other people. It is the nature of humanity to reject that which they do not understand. However, the world is a beautiful place because it offers diversity in most aspects that constitute the society itself. In these communities, homosexuals not only marry, but they also adopt children and raise as their own. In other words, these societies have given these individuals the chance to have a happy life and the opportunity to have a family. In most cases, these people are part of the culture, including all functions, and they are not treated differently in any way.

Additionally, communities such as African Americans have a different perception of homosexual orientation. For a long time, African societies have struggled with understanding the construction of this sexual orientation. As such, most of the people who identify with homosexuality in these communities have been subject to discrimination and stigmatization. Center for disease control and prevention explains that “These negative beliefs and actions can affect the physical and mental health of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, whether they seek and can get health services, and the quality of the services they may receive”. African Americans have come to accept they have come to come to terms with the existence of these people among them. However, other African communities find it hard to stomach the thought of sexuality. As such, people do not associate with the people who are categorized under this sexual orientation. In some indigenous African communities, these people are related to evil spirits and curses. To some people, these individuals are held by the claws of the devil and need deliverance. As such, they are taken through a series of cleansing and deliverance procedures in religion, and it is believed that they are cleansed.

Moreover, stigmatization in other countries is even worse since these people risk losing their lives. Arguably, some societies only identify with heterosexuality. As such, the homosexual will live in hiding as they fear for their lives. Khullar points out that “often the result of a culture and of laws and policies that treat them as lesser human beings. They’re more likely to struggle with poverty and social isolation”. There are several cases in the contemporary society in which these people have had to flee to countries such as the United States, where they can live happily and have the right to love whoever they want. Stigmatization associated with homosexuality goes deep to the point that people have lost their lives because of identifying with this sexual orientation. The worst that has happened to these people is persecution. In such communities, homosexuals are deemed not fit to be part of the city and, as such, are removed from society before they infect other people with their illness. Stigmatization has been the most challenging factor that the people in the LGBTQ family have faced over the years. However, following the reinforcement of the government in protecting the rights of these people, they have experienced a breathing space, and most of them are even marrying in contemporary society.

Conclusively, the society is the fundamental determinant of the perceptions as well as the impressions that sexual orientation is perceived in society. The white society has shown an excellent ability to welcome and support homosexuality. This is, however, not the case for the African communities and others, such as Asian nations. In some of these nations, the people who identify with homosexuality are subjected to the stigmatization of different types. There are some instances when the homosexuals are treated as outcasts from the societies that they are born. In some cases, however, they are persecuted, and in others, they are exiled. Stigmatization has affected many people, and it has caused significant damages; that is why the protection of the rights of the LGBTQ has contributed to the safety of these people.

Works Cited

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Stigma and Discrimination.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 Jan. 2019, www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/stigma-and-discrimination.htm. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.

Khullar, Dhruv. “Stigma Against Gay People Can Be Deadly.” The New York Times, 9 Oct. 2018.

Stombler, Mindy, et al. Sex Matters. 3rd ed., 2014.