Gender Identity and Sexual ori
Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Society likes to place everyone in a certain category. Men and women are expected to fit a single script for their gender and are not accepted much if they attempt to do things that would go by the script created for the opposite gender. To this day, many still believe in a tie between gender identity and sexual orientation. Our society at fault for discriminating against those that don't fit that script that we feel is the normal way to live by. Freddy Flores was harassed throughout his years of school by other male students who were not accepting of his sissy behavior and appearance. He chose to do things that society looks at as being femini
ne, but that was simply how he felt comfortable expressing himself. From his early elementary school years through high school, Flores was harassed for shaving his legs and performing in dance concerts. People are living in shame and torment, some even murdered because they do not fit into the only two categories that are accepted and represented in our "dominant culture" (Fineberg, pg 101). They refused to change near him in the locker rooms, stating he was a queer that shaved his legs. Flores expressed himself how he most felt comfortable, which has nothing to do with his physical anatomy. Each person should be able to freely express themselves in whatever way they choose and should not have to live their lives in a way that society has made to be the only normal way to behave. Society does not have the right to decide what behavior is appropriate and inappropriate for each sex. The underlying issue is ones' individual freedom really not being accepted unless it meets the expectations of many in society and how we perceive those that do and feel differently from the majority. Shaving your legs or performing in dance concerts is looked at as being feminine and this should not be so. According to society, males must be masculine and women should be feminine. When performing in dance concerts, students in the audience would shout "queer" and "faggot", but Flores merely expressed himself in a way different from what society feels is the normal behavior for a male. In her essay, Transgender Warriors, Leslie Feinberg states that those who "cross the man-made boundaries of sex and gender run afoul of the law, are subject to extreme harassment and brutality" (Feinberg, pg 101). It is right of each human being to freely express themselves without society's prejudice input. If you cross those boundaries and do what is deemed appropriate only for those of the opposite sex, you open yourself up to a prejudice and brutal society.
Common topics in this essay:
Leslie Feinberg,
Freddy Flores,
Orientation Society,
legs performing,
performing dance concerts,
legs performing dance,
dance concerts,
performing dance,
gender identity sexual,
male students,
freely express,
freely express themselves,
identity sexual orientation,
express themselves,
shaving legs,
pg 101,
sexual orientation,
flores harassed,
|
Acceptance Essays
