Previously to my in depth research of the world of LGBT rights, I had an incredibly broad viewpoint on the matters that define the gay rights struggle. The way I do research and process information has evolved as I’ve studied this topic, as have my view on how the American society functions and my perception of myself.
The profundity of my understanding of simple terms has changed drastically. Often, people associate conservatives with republicans and liberals with democrats, yet these groups of people, although they do overlap, are not the same. While conservative and liberal viewpoints often refer to the lifestyles, ideals, and principles one holds, democrat and republican categories mainly refer to political ideas, policies, etc. To give a real life example, the Log Cabin Republicans may not be considered conservative, as their views on LGBT rights are quite liberal, yet they are republicans. I find it interesting that I have grown so accustomed to feeling like democrat/liberal and republican/conservative are synonymous terms without giving it much thought, and this research has really led me to be more conscious of the differences in such words.
When I began this blog, I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. I briefly searched through news articles and websites, yet I felt that I needed more primary information from LGBT activists, writers, politics etc. Finally I began to stumble upon blogs that led me to the more in depth links I had been looking for. I became really interested in this topic, and would actually become somewhat mesmerized in the articles and stories I was reading. From one article I would remember some connection in another article I had read before and would venture back to it. Sometimes I would get lost in researching a historical event or term a blogger or article had mentioned. My way of doing research has developed as I have delved deeper and deeper into this topic, and my involvement and interest have peaked with my more intense thought and exploration.
LGBT rights, being a somewhat grim topic has also altered my perception of the world around me. Like when I started this blog, I still find it difficult to understand why hatred and denial of LGBT people is so prevalent. This society, which preaches freedom of ideas, speech, religion, etc. has a fairly nonrestrictive set of norms on the outside. Yet, at further examination, one can see that contrary to my previous statement, the set of norms in the American culture are incredibly narrow. Though they have definitely changed over the past few decades and have become more accepting to the LGBT people, all across the U.S. homosexuals are being discriminated against. With the bullying of young gay children and the enforcement of DADT as telling signs, our society still has a long way to go in the full acceptance of LGBT people. Because of all of the prejudiced acts that I have learned about throughout my research, my outlook that the American culture is an accepting one has become a bit more skeptical. Though other current and ongoing American issues also reinforce this skeptical viewpoint, my research on homosexual rights has had a big impact on it. All that one can do is remain actively aware and fight for the causes he or she believes in, eventually countering the bigotry and discrimination that is so dominant in this society.
In this blogging journey, something I have come to realize about myself is that I am incredibly biased, as many people are. In looking more at the side of those who are against things such as same sex marriage, I have broadened my perspective on these issues. Although I do admit that I retain my original opinions that I had from my first post months ago, I have been able to come to terms with idea that other people hold very different views from me. Through my analysis of this topic, I feel more prepared to have civil discussions with those who have contrary opinions. It is obvious that everyone we encounter will not feel the same way as we personally do on certain issues, yet we should all be able to live cohesively and accept our differences. My fundamental concern with the biases that those who are against LGBT rights have is that they sometimes attempt to control the lifestyles of those they do not understand. One’s judgment, to me, does not hold any significant ground until he or she reasons with the other side. Hopefully our society will become more accustomed to learning about differing viewpoints and be able to reasonably converse with the other side.
As I have narrated to you in this exceptionally extensive post, this research has had a profound impact on the way I view our society and myself, and the way I do research and interact with others. When I began this blog I did not expect the outcome I received, yet it was an undeniably beneficial one. Just remember to fight for what you believe in, while always considering what lies on the other side.
