Research Paper for Human Services 500 class
I just want to share my most recent research paper. It is for my human services class. We will see what my professor thinks. :)
Running
Head: HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION 1
Homosexual Oppression: When
Views of
Morality Interfere with Human
Need
Kandy Crosby-Hastings
Liberty University
HOMOSEXUAL
OPPRESSION
2
Abstract
Christian
human service professionals are likely to work with individuals of the lesbian,
gay, and
transgender
community. Research reflects the legal
and psychological ramifications of
discrimination
and oppression against homosexual individuals. Homosexual individuals are
victims
of hate crimes and discrimination due to their sexual orientation. Oppression is often the
result
of Christian views of morality. Lesbian,
gay, and transgender youth are forced into
homelessness
by Christian parents. Members of the
lesbian, gay, and transgender community are
refused
housing. Job discrimination against
homosexuals is legal in some states. Business
owners
refuse to serve homosexual clients.
Marriage laws are debated.
Debates include legal
issues
such as health insurance for spouses only and who is allowed to make
hospitalization
decisions. Christian counselors are known to refuse
relationship counseling to members of the
gay and
lesbian community. Christian counseling ministries often focus on changing the
gay
client
into a heterosexual person. Homosexual
individuals and couples who choose to stay in
Christianity
are often psychologically distraught by teachings that they are displeasing God
or
going
to hell. As professionals, Christian
human service workers must balance religious beliefs
with
serving the lesbian, gay, and transgender community.
Keywords:
homosexuality, Christianity, hate crimes, discrimination
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
3
Hate Crimes and Discrimination
Interpretations of Scripture
“We must
always acknowledge that our religious traditions can be both a cause of
oppression and an inspiration for liberation. Religious arguments have fostered terrible
sectarian division, hatred, and violence, but faith has also
worked to set people free”
(Melendez & LaSala, 2006, p. 374).
Christian
human service workers must decide what they are going to do with the issue of
homosexuality. There
are many facets they must observe. On
the one hand, there are biblical interpretations. On the other, there is what many consider
discrimination toward homosexual individuals.
How are these human service workers to handle the conflict of ideas of
morality versus human need?
The purpose
of this paper is not to dispute or debate exegesis. It is to research
the subject of homosexual discrimination in the name of
morality. Because it addresses the issue
of homosexual discrimination in the name of morality, namely Christian
morality; it will initially include
controversial passages from the Bible that are often used as justification of
such discrimination.
Perhaps a
good place to begin is by pointing out that there is more than one
interpretation of Scripture.
There are at least 497 different Christian denominations. Each denomination has a different
interpretation of the Bible that it believes is true. There is no
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
4
agreed-upon set of truths
(Melendez & LaSala, 2006).
Thus, the
traditions of the individual professional's interpretation or denomination
often
determine his ideas of morality. Some of the more controversial Bible Passages
that address
the topic of homosexuality include (from the New International
Version) Leviticus 20:13 “If a
man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman,
both of them have done what is
detestable. They are
to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” Romans 1:26-
27 “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.
Even their women exchanged
natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned
natural
relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one
another. Men committed shameful
acts with other men, and received in themselves the due
penalty for their error.” Lastly, I
Corinthians 6:9-10 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will
not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be
deceived: Neither sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who
have sex with men nor thieves nor greedy nor drunkards nor
slanderers nor swindlers will
inherit the kingdom of God.”
Hate Crimes
The national
news and internet abound with stories of hate crimes against people who are
homosexual. Whether it be the ideology
of Westboro Baptist Church or something even more sinister, hate spread in the
name of love is prevalent. Any
professional who provides mental health services will encounter victims of homosexual
discrimination. Often these
professionals must assist with counseling as well as empowerment/advocacy. Therefore, it is important for the
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
5
human service worker to know how these hate crimes occur and how
to help their victims (Hein & Scharer, 2012).
Heterosexism
is the belief that heterosexual behavior is the only normal form of sexual
behavior. (Hein & Scharer, 2012). Heterosexism
is often the underlying ideology behind hate crimes. Studies indicate hate crimes are almost
always unprovoked, are three times more likely to be the cause of serious injury,
and 60% of those committing the hate crimes admit they did it because the
victim was “different” (Hein & Scharer, 2012, p. 85). As a rule of all hate crimes (those based on race,
gender and sexual orientation), hate crimes based on sexual orientation are the
most violent.
Here are
more startling statistics:
1. Half of hate crimes
based on sexual orientation are not reported by victims.
2. Only hate crimes
due to race are more prevalent than those due to sexual orientation.
3. Twelve percent of
transgendered people who did report hate crimes reported being
denied equal treatment by the court system.
4. Hate crimes are
often used by the perpetrator as a tool to incite fear within the LGBT
(lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community) (Hein &
Scharer, 2012).
Studies also show that both homosexual men and women are at
higher risk for sexual
assault than heterosexual men and women (Menning &
Holtzman, 2014).
In 2009,
President Obama stated,
we must stand against crimes that
are meant not only to break bones, but to break
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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spirits – not only to inflict
harm, but to instill fear. You
understand that the rights afforded
every citizen under our Constitution mean nothing if we do no protect those
rights
– both from unjust laws and violent acts... Because no one in America should
ever
be afraid to walk down the street
holding the hands of the person they love.
No one in
America
should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are (Hein
&
Scharer,
2012, p. 86).
Human service professionals must
understand that they will not only be dealing with
victims of hate crimes and physical violence, but also with
victims of emotional abuse based
upon the client's sexual orientation. Bahns and Branscombe (2010) confirm this,
noting that gay-bashing is any “verbal denigration” that is made based upon
another person's sexual orientation (Bahns & Branscombe, 2010, p.
388).
Bashing and bullying are not just
physical actions. For example,
heterosexuals making anti-gay comments or jokes to one another can be interpreted
as gay-bashing because (1) someone who is homosexual could overhear the
discriminating comment or joke and (2) because such comments could contribute
to the legitimization of discrimination against the homosexual population
(Bahns & Branscombe, 2010).
Although
such verbal discrimination is not limited by age, children who do not abide
by traditional gender roles are often targets of what would
be considered non-violent comments
or acts (Bahns & Branscombe, 2010). Two recent events involved a girl who took a
Star Wars water bottle and a boy who took a My Little Pony backpack to their
respective schools.
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRSSION
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Parents of gay children are also
not immune from such discrimination.
Glennon (2012) includes reports of one parent whose gay son was barred
from a neighbor's home, of another parent’s report of not receiving Christmas
cards after the news of their son's homosexuality spread, and yet another of
receiving an anonymous condom in the mail (Glennon, 2012).
While the
reasoning behind hate crimes is sometimes intimidation, the reasoning for gay
bashing and bullying is for the perpetrators to feel better
about themselves. In their minds,
when the victim decreases in social status, they increase
(Glennon, 2012). Aside, however, from
narcissistic competition, such bullying is more often than not the result of
the idea that such actions are correcting a wrong and, thus, are good for the
victims (Glennon, 2012). Thus the
victims are not only vulnerable to the psychological effects of the bashing or even
of hate crimes, they also fall prey to the philosophy that the hurt they are
experiencing is to make them more moral, and thus, it is for their own good.
Discrimination
So far, the
research has related to individual discrimination as in person against
person.
What happens, however, when discrimination is legalized? Dent writes,
Full legal
and social equality of homosexuality, however, cannot be squared with respect
for the
traditional religions that disapprove of homosexuality. If government treats
homosexuality
as equal to heterosexuality, and through nondiscrimination laws requires
citizens to
do likewise, then disparagement of homosexuality must be condemned and
suppressed
just as racial discrimination is now (Dent, 2006, p. 556).
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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discrimination
in service
Human
service professionals must examine this claim in light of the individuals
involved.
Legal discrimination due to sexual orientation is a known
problem in the United States today.
One of the biggest issues as of late centers around a
business owner's right to refuse service to a gay or lesbian couple. For instance, should a Christian bakery be
required to bake and decorate a wedding cake for a homosexual couple? Should a photographer be required to
photograph them? Should a restaurant
owner be required to serve them?
Wintermute (2014) contends that religious beliefs should be allowed as
long as there is no direct or indirect harm to the customer (Wintermute,
2014).
The question
for the human service professional, then, is will the action of being
refused service psychologically harm a customer? Does rejection through segregation affect
those being rejected?
Again, the question that should be posed is not of the legality of a
refusal to serve, but of how such an action would affect the
people involved and how a
Christian human service worker is able to deal with the
reaction. Christian human service
workers must be able to stand for equal treatment of all individuals.
discrimination
in housing
A second
area of rejection that is often experienced by homosexual individuals is in the
area of housing. Perhaps
most pertinent to the human service professional is the issue of gay
adolescents who have been kicked out of their homes by parents because of the
adolescents' sexual orientation (Addler, 2009).
Homelessness is a major problem
in the lives of many
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
9
homosexual youth (Addler, 2009). The unfortunate fact remains that few
organizations come to their aid (Addler, 2009).
Not only does this potential action question child welfare, but
homelessness puts adolescents at risk.
Prostitution, for example, is prevalent among homeless
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered youth (Addler, 2009).
The human
service worker must assist these youth who have experienced parental
rejection in one form or another, homelessness, and the
abuses that result from both. Will the
Christian human service professional advocate for the youth
in these circumstances and even
work to stop such circumstances from occurring?
job
discrimination
The third
area of homosexual discrimination is job discrimination. According to the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, discrimination is not allowed based on
race, gender, religion, or color.
Because sexual orientation is not listed; under religious
freedom, there is no federal law against
discrimination due to sexual orientation in certain
circumstances. According to Dent (2006),
employers must not lead potential employees to believe that that all employees
who perform well
will be allowed to continue working for the company (Dent,
2006). Because there is no federal law
barring such action, states vary as to their laws regarding the legal
termination of employees based upon sexual orientation (Dent, 2006).
discrimination
by churches
Earlier, the
research alluded to the psychological effects of homosexual discrimination
from people who bully in the name of trying to right the
alleged wrongness of homosexuality.
Proponents of Biblically-based morality often take an us versus them
approach. Burack (2009)
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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believes there is a psychological need for enemies as well as
allies in everyone’s lives (Burack, 2009).
The gay community often provides this enemy for those that consider
themselves on the side of morality.
References to the gay community as a threat to the nation further the us
versus them mentality (Burack, 2009).
Another
movement that is perhaps well-meaning but may be more harmful than its
adherents realize is the idea that Christian ministry and
psychology can change a gay person
into a straight person (Robinson, 2008). Such ministries do not deal with the
psychological
ramifications due to rejection that the homosexual individual
faces. Such ministries often add to
the rejection while ignoring the emotional hurt the
individual faces (Robinson, 2008). The
psychological ramifications are many for gay Christians who wish to stay in the
church but are told they must change, are going to hell, or are an abomination
to God (Levy, 2011). Homosexuals from Christian families often
suffer from depression and even attempted suicides (Levy, 2011).
There are
Christians who are attempting to change this mindset. Melendez and LaSala (2006) write of
Christians who have taken a stand for public justice over strict ideas of
morality (Melendez & LaSala, 2006).
Christian human service professionals must often come to this same
decision, asking themselves if they will stand with the traditional understanding
of biblical truth, using the Bible as a weapon; or if they will follow the
less-traditional interpretation of standing for social justice.
discrimination
in what marriage entails
Gay marriage
laws seem to be on the minds of individuals from both sides of the debate.
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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Gay marriage laws entail more than just government
recognition of homosexual marriage.
Addler (2009) recalls a statement made my singer Melissa Etheridge about
the cost of her cancer treatments.
Etheridge described what it is like for a homosexual couple if one
partner’s work carries insurance while the other’s does not (Addler, 2009). Hospitalization and even life support
decisions are also made by legal spouses.
These are
issues that human service professionals will face when working with the
gay/lesbian community.
They are issues that they must weigh the moral value of when deciding
for whom to advocate.
discrimination
in counseling
Lastly, the
area of discrimination that relates most to the human service profession is
in refusal to counsel homosexual individuals (Herlihy,
Hermann, & Greden, 2014). Lawsuits
involving counselors refusing to provide relationship counseling to homosexual
individuals, counselors who referred clients to other counselors because of
their objection to the homosexual lifestyle, and even counseling students who
have been dismissed from programs of study because of their views on counseling
gay clients have become popular in recent years (Herlihy, Hermann, & Greden,
2014). The argument from the counselors
is generally that they are not competent to counsel homosexual individuals
because of their religious beliefs. The
clients would be better served with another counselor (Herlihy, Hermann, &
Greden, 2014).
While these counselors have a valid
argument, Christians within the human services field
must decide how they would handle such situations. Would they be uncomfortable offering
relationship or family help to a gay or lesbian couple?
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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Decision of the Human Service Professional
Decision to Serve
As workers in the human services
field, Christians who may disagree with the clients they serve on the issue of
homosexuality must come to a decision.
They must decide if they can serve the gay and lesbian community without
judgment and with the same love and concern they would offer to the
heterosexual community. “As professional
social workers we are required to follow the NASW (1999) Code of Ethics,
including self-determination and respect for differences and diversity. Additionally, we are expected to serve
clients based on evidence and best practice (NASW)” (Levy, 2011, p. 222).
Levy (2011)
advocates that human service professionals incorporate just as respectful of an
approach for individuals from the gay and lesbian community as they do for members
of the
heterosexual community.
The following steps should be incorporated:
1.
Listening
to the individual’s concerns, including concerns about the hurt inflicted by
the Christian community (Levy, 2011). This includes providing a safe atmosphere for
clients to discuss their feelings as well as using terminology (i.e. gay,
lesbian, or homosexual) that the clients prefer rather than labeling (Levy,
2011).
2.
Showing support
for the clients and referring them to churches and organizations that
will offer them acceptance and support (Levy, 2011).
3.
Asking
for time to process the information is important in any counselor/client
relationship (Levy, 2011).
With a topic as complicated as discrimination due to sexual orientation,
this time to process how best to counsel is a must. Not only this, but this time to
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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process will provide workers time to rid themselves of any
personal biases against the clients (Levy, 2011).
4.
Seeking
additional information from the clients (Levy, 2011). Human services
professionals are required to provide assistance (Levy, 2011). Seeking additional information may also
entail the counselors seeking more education for themselves (Levy, 2011). It is also important that counselors see the
diversity within the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered community. As with all communities of individuals, there
are differences of religions, cultures, and personalities (Levy, 2011).
5.
Seeing the whole person rather than only
focusing on areas of sexuality (Levy, 2011).
Human service professionals see the individual being
counseled. There may be many issues
the individual is facing, and this person deserves to have
help in all areas (Levy, 2011).
Decision to Advocate
Lastly, human service
professionals must decide if they will offer advocacy against
homosexual discrimination.
As with any area of the human services profession, social justice
and victim advocacy are important aspects of working with a
diverse population. Just as religious
beliefs can lead to hatred, they can also lead to advocacy for a better life
for everyone (Melendez & LaSala, 2006).
Perhaps
there is too much of a debate over the societal (and often Christian) idea of
born gay versus lifestyle choice. Perhaps the question Christian human service
professionals should ask themselves when serving victims of discrimination due
to sexual orientation is “How
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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would Jesus treat this person? How would Jesus deal with those inflicting
emotional pain in His name?” That is a
question each Christian individual in today’s human services world must ask and
be prepared to answer.
HOMOSEXUAL OPPRESSION
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