Discrimination and the LGBTQ Community

About this course

Gay rights in the United States have come a long way since the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, however LGBTQ persons still face discrimination under the law when it comes to housing, public accommodations, parenting, and even criminal justice. This learning exercise provides a small overview of some of the many forms of discrimination that the LBGTQ person experiences.

Learning objectives

• Describe gender identity and gender expression terminology as it relates to the lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) person.
• Define public accommodations, and its affects within the LBGTQ community.
• Review the various forms of discrimination that people within the LBGTQ community experience.

Course outline

13 sections · finish in any order across devices

1. 1

   Introduction

   Gay rights in the United States are evolving. Historically, gay rights, and the lack thereof were exhibited during the Stonewall riots, also called the Stonewall uprising. The riots were a series of violent confrontations that began in the early hours of June 28, 1969. ⁷ The confrontations occurred

   4 min

2. 2

   Violence

   Shockingly, hate crimes against LGBTQ people are still prevalent across the country. In 2015, nearly 20% of hate crimes committed in the United States were due to sexual orientation, and another 2% of crimes were committed because of gender identity. ³

   4 min

3. 3

   Parenting

   According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, studies estimate that there are approximately 594,000 same-sex partner households, with about 27% of those households having children. ⁸ The rise in same-sex parenting is partially due to the increase in options available for sam

   4 min

4. 4

   Gay Conversion Therapy

   Gay conversion therapy is any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. ² Because gay conversion therapy has come under increasing scrutiny, those who practice it frequently change their terminology to avoid detection. At first glance, some of the terms

   4 min

5. 5

   American Psychological Association

   Affirms that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality regardless of sexual orientation identity; reaffirms its position that homosexuality per se is not a mental disorder and opposes portrayals of sexual minority youths a

   4 min

6. 6

   American Psychiatric Association

   In 1997 American Psychiatric Association (APA) produced a fact sheet on homosexual and bisexual issues, which states that “there is no published scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of “reparative therapy” as a treatment to change one’s sexual orientation.” ²

   4 min

7. 7

   Housing Discrimination

   Although the recent supreme court ruling bans discrimination in the workplace based on sexual or gender identity, it still occurs. Maintaining employment and a satisfactory lifestyle can prove difficult when LGBTQ people are at risk of having their employment terminated because of their identities.

   4 min

8. 8

   Public Accommodations

   Federal nondiscrimination laws do not prevent discrimination in public accommodations based on gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. The laws only specify protected characteristics such as disability, color, national origin, race, and religion. ¹⁰ Although there are no nondiscrimination feder

   4 min

9. 9

   Unequal Healthcare

   LGBTQ persons often face barriers to accessing health services which can result in worse health outcomes. These challenges can include discrimination, rejection, stigma, and violence from families and communities, as well as inequality in the workplace and health insurance sectors, substandard healt

   4 min

10. 10

    Criminal Justice

    Statistics about criminal justice and LGBTQ people in general are lacking. However, some groups of LGBTQ people are disproportionately likely to encounter the criminal justice system, particularly LGBTQ youth and transgender people. Historically bias, abuse, and profiling toward LGBTQ people by law

    4 min

11. 11

    Conclusion

    There are some battles that cannot be won in the courtroom, though they can certainly be helped along by judicial decisions and laws crafted and passed to ensure equality. But outside of the US legal system, LGBTQ people still face discrimination, fear, and violence that results in physical, mental,

    4 min

12. 12

    Discrimination and the LGBTQ Community Posttest

    Coming out refers to involuntarily making public one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

    4 min

13. 13

    Discrimination and the LGBTQ Community Posttest Answers

    Coming out refers to involuntarily making public one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

    6 min

This course satisfies

Requirement summaries come from our state requirement records. Always confirm details with your board before you renew.

References and resources

• 9 battles the LGBTQ community in the US is still fighting. (2017, June 20). Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/9-battles-the-lgbt-community-in-the-us-is-still-fi/
• Conversion therapy. (n.d.). GLAAD. https://www.glaad.org/conversiontherapy?response_type=embed
• Domestic violence and the LGBTQ community. (n.d.). The Nation's Leading Grassroots Voice on Domestic Violence. https://ncadv.org/blog/posts/domestic-violence-and-the-lgbtq-community
• General definitions. (n.d.). LGBT Resource Center. https://lgbt.ucsf.edu/glossary-terms
• Housing discrimination and persons identifying as LGBTQ. (n.d.). https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/housing_discrimination_and_persons_identifying_lgbtq#_State%20and%20Local%20Laws
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health | Healthy people 2020. (n.d.). Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-health
• NYC data: Stonewall inn riot - 1969. (n.d.). Baruch College - The City University of New York (CUNY). https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/disasters/riots-stonewall.html
• Same-sex parents and their children. (n.d.). American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. https://www.aamft.org/Consumer_Updates/Same-sex_Parents_and_Their_Children.aspx
• Standing with LGBT prisoners: An advocate’s guide to ending abuse and combating imprisonment. (2018, October 18). National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/issues/resources/standing-lgbt-prisoners-advocate-s-guide-ending-abuse-and-combating-imprisonment
• Transgender rights in public accommodations. (2019, February 18). Justia. https://www.justia.com/lgbtq/transgender-rights/public-accommodations/

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