Sexual+Orientation+Inequality+in+U.S.

**The Battle Against Bullying For Sexual Orientation in America**
**Task 1-Someone who suffered sexual orientation inequality-Emma Duquet**

Billy Hanna is a 15-year-old teen who suffered from bullying because of his sexual orientation. The bullying led to his suicide, although he did not classify himself as being homosexual. The teenager was found hanging in a family barn on a sad Thursday night. Billy Hanna attended Greensburg Community High School in Indiana, where he was harassed for years even through Middle School. One of Billy’s friend, Dillen Swango who was an eyewitness to the harassment Billy endured said “People would call him ‘fag’ and stuff like that, just to make fun of him because he’s different basically.” (Williams, Steve.) Billy was one of numerous students bullied at that particular school although the Principle of the establishment Phil Chapple stated “He didn’t know Billy was one of the victims.” (Williams, Steve.) To prevent more students from being tormented by other schoolmates, Greensburg Community High School installed a system where kids can come in to talk to counselors about their situation. Billy had been teased, almost tortured about his sexual preference, to the point where he received violent threats from classmates. Another tragic example of what Billy was going through is the day of his death “Some students told him to kill himself.” (Williams, Steve.) According to the article, Billy was an easy target because he made a very slight effort to fight agains the bullies. Billy’s story can now only help prevent future tragedies from happening. It can also give school’s a reminder to act if any type of bullying is going on in the establishment. Billy’s experience was horrifying. Although this article was written to raise awareness of bullied teens because of their sexual orientation. It was also written the hopes of someone like Billy reading it, and knowing they're not alone and there are people out there to help them.

 The red ball is the odd one out, just like Billy was at his school.

 Just like Billy was, this student is being harassed.


 * Works Cited: **

Almeida, Helder. “Teenager Student With Fear At His School.” Digital image. Shutterstock.com. N.p. Web. 3 Nov. 2010.

MarkLim81. “Odd One Out.” Digital image. Earlychildcare.wordpress.com. N.p. Web. 3 Nov. 2010.

Williams, Steve. “Bullied Indiana Teen Commits Suicide.” Care2.com. n.d. N.p. Web. 3 Nov. 2010.



Henry Hay was a life long outspoken advocate for gay and lesbian causes and rights. Herny Hay created the Mattachine Society, a society of gay men to help other gay men in the modern day. The Mattachine Society name comes from a group of preformers that were in the Mattachine group to help spread important crucial information to the closeted people of France during the 13th and 15th century. Henry Hay outlines his hopes for the world as he states, “I hoped such a society of modern homosexual men, living in disguise in twentieth century America, could do similarly for us oppressed Queers” (Henry Hay). Henry Hay was a very dedicated man to his crafts and causes by learning the best way to organize his foundation of his society; “The Communists Party taught Hay every possible organizing technique” (Henry Hay). This shows the determination and dedication to his own work to make it the best organization as can be. Henry Hay was involved with a plethora of other gay and lesbian rights supporting groups, and trying to influence as many lives as he could. “With Hay, the Radical Faeries, Nambla, Act Up, The American Civil Liberties Union and a vast assemblage of demonstrators marched from the original Stonewall site to Central Park” (Henry Hay). Hay has a remarkable impact on what we now have as support for gay rights in the US today.
 * Task 2- A person who fights against sexual orientation inequlity-Josh Fontaine **






 * Works Cited**

"File:San Francisco Pro Gay Marriage Protest.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 31 Oct. 2010.

"Harry Hay." Gay & Lesbian Biography. Ed. Michael J. Tyrkus and Michael Bronski. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 29 Oct. 2010.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Sushiesque". Gay Marriage Protest | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. 9 Nov. 2006. Web. 28 Oct. 2010.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Women not having rights is the same as gays not being able to be themselves and be free. In “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard feels trapped in her marriage. She cannot be free in her marriage. When her husband dies, she suddenly sees the window of opportunity fly open. "She was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window" (Chopin). Once her husband is dead, she has the ability to be free and whispers "Free! Body and soul free!" (Chopin). The only way she could get this freedom was by having her husband dead. Her husband is actually still alive. She losses her freedom and actually dies from not being able to be free and do the things that she wanted to do because her husband did not allow her freedom. The quote "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills" (Chopin) shows that the characters thought that she died from being happy that her husband is still alive while the audience knows that she actually died from having her freedom sucked away from her. That is how Billy Lucas felt. He felt that he had no freedom to be who he wanted to be because he was going to be judged and depicted for being gay. People where always making fun of him. Billy was called “f” because of his sexual orientation. Mrs. Mallard and Billy have something in common. They do not feel that they could live their life harmonious with freedom. When Mrs. Mallard finally is free, it gets closed right back up again. Billy probably thought that he could be free once he was true with himself. Unfortunately, he was unable to be free due to the thoughts what people would do to him if he was openly gay. Billy lost the urgency of freedom when people started judging him and making fun even though he was not officially out. Mrs. Mallard and Billy have something else in common; they both died from not having the freedom that they long for. Mrs. Mallard died from heart trouble and Billy Lucas died from suicide thinking that the inequality that he was experiencing was not worth living through anymore.
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Task ****3- How Gay Rights Compares to Women rights in 1900's-** **Gigi Kourepenos**

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 * Why gays should have equal rights**



The right side of the fence shows free area with plenty of area to go while the area on the left of the fence is filled with talk grass and hard to navigate through and has very little freedom.


 * Works Cited **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour”. The Seagull Reader: Stories. Ed. Joseph Kelly.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 32px;">Gay Men and Women Should Have the Same Rights//. Perf. Al Gore. //CurrentTV// 17 Jan. 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. < []

<span style="background-position: 100% 50%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 32px; padding-right: 10px;">Photograph. // Geograph //. CatN, 13 Sept. 2008. Web. 3 Nov. 2010. [].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sklar, Stephanie. "Bullied Indiana Teenager Commits Suicide." //A////<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">llvoices.com //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. All Voices, 18 Sept. 2010. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">< <span style="background-position: 100% 50%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; padding-right: 10px;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">>.



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Harry Hay, an American activist, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an American social activist, both connect to each other because they are both engaged in fighting for what they believe in and for what they believe would benefit people’s way of living. Hay insists that homosexual people should fix the situation for gays to be tolerated as full beings. In previous years, Stanton argues for full rights of women, “…if we consider her as a citizen, she must have the same rights as all other members,” (Stanton). These two people believe in equal rights for every individual. Hay helped to set up gay liberation in the Unites States and also gave influential and creative ideals for homosexuals. “I hope that such a society of modern homosexual men, living in disguise …could do similar for us oppressed Queers” (Hay). By giving influential and creative ideals, Harry hopes that more homosexual people will come out, and will lead the path for more generations, making others around them feel more comfortable with homosexuals. Just like Hay did for homosexual people, Stanton gave women ideas and courage to make a change for equality. “…she must have the same rights as all other members,” As more women hear Stanton’s points of view, more women feel capable of making change by supporting and joining Stanton’s ideals which is one of her goals that will help her reach women’s equality.
 * Task 3- Vanessa**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Works Cited**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Equal Rights It's the Law.” Photograph. 26 November 2006. Equality Commission. N.p. Web. 29 October 2010.

“Women's Rights Prize.” Photograph. 13 September 2006. Science in Public. Peter Gruber Foundation. Web. 1 November 2010.

We will help fight against Sexual Orientaion Inequality with these six steps. 1).To show support: We all will participate in our schools ally week. We will dress according to the colored days to show that we support Gay Lesbians Bisexual Trans Genders. 2). Join an Organization: We all together can join the Nation Gay Lesbian Task Force Foundation which focuses on giving power to the gay lesbian bisexual trans gender by training activists with skills to organize campaigns. By joining and supporting these campaigns we can all raise awareness in the country and in our community. 3).Hold and Dance: In April, 2010 Constance McMillan from Mississippi, asked her high school if she could go to her schools prom with her girlfriend. The schools policy requires senior to bring dates of the opposite sex. McMillan took the case to court and won her rights to take her girlfriend to prom. We feel we should propose to hold a speacial dance sometime during the year for everyone(gay,lesbian,bisexual,trans gender,straight), thats is dedicated to supporing LGBT. Attending the dance will show you support and are agaisnt sexual orientaion bullying in our school. 4). Raising awareness in schools: Another way to raise awareness about sexual orientaion bullying in america would be to visit schools about our state and present to the kids the ideals of what happens when kids are bullied for their sexual orientaion in schools and how it can impact a teens life. Also give ways to prevent it from happening. 5). Sell LGBT pins of support: In our school we can sell pins that display the LGBT logo and buying and wearing one would show that your respect people of gay lesbian bisexual trans gender orientation in our school. The money can go to a local organization (like the National Gay Lesbian Task Force Foundation) to support activists who raise awareness all over the country. 6). Local Celebrity to support the casue: Another idea we came up with was to ask Niki Tsongas our district congress women to come to a fundraiser hosted by us at our school. We could rent out the auditorium and have a local band come and sing. We can also have local activists come and talk about raising awareness to our community. Tsongas is a big supporter in equal rights for LGBT.
 * Task 4- Ways to alleviate sexual orientation inequality-Group Task**


 * Works Cited**

BYRD, SHELIA. "Mississippi Prom Canceled After Lesbian Date Request." //Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post//. Movable Type, 3 Oct. 2010. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. < [|http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/11/mississippi-prom-canceled_n_494555.html]>.

"Mission Statements | National Gay and Lesbian Task Force." //National Gay and Lesbian Task Force | Building LGBT Political Power from the Ground up//. 2010 National Gay Lesbian Task Force Foundation. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. < [|http://www.thetaskforce.org/about_us/mission_statements]>.

“Meant to Live”- Switchfoot this song connects to Billy Lucas a 15 year old from Indiana who was bullied for his sexual orientation and killed himself (Task 1). The song “Meant to Live” performed by Switchfoot was written by Jon Foreman who is the alternative rock bands lead singer and guitarist. The lyrics were inspired by,"The Hollow Man", a poem by T.S Eliot. The chorus line of the song,” We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?”(Foreman).The line connects to Billy Lucas by showing that he is equal to everyone and was meant to live for so much more than what he was experiencing in his life. His friends say he was being bullied and did little to defend himself. “Somewhere we live inside”(Foreman). This line in the song connects to Lucas by him not speaking up for himself and letting people continually bully him for years. Another line in the song, “Maybe we’re bent and broken”(Foreman).This refers to Lucas as being constantly put down by taunting and angry words all the time about his perceived sexual orientation by his classmates. He had never identified himself as gay. The bullying eventually beat him down so bad that he thought the only way to escape everything was to take his own life. The line, “We want more than this worlds got to offer” (Foreman).this can refer to Lucas and all gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans gender people being bullied today. They want to be treated as equals to everyone else and want more than what the world views of them. Billy Lucas is just one of thousands of kids bullied for their sexual orientation and this song really portrays what he had to go through and how he was meant to live for so much more.
 * Task 5**-**Identify a piece of art that depicts or connects to the individual/group in Task 1 or Task 2. - Jillian Dee**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="nrL2qSTFb4Q?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

=**Switchfoot - Meant to Live lyrics**=

Foreman, Jon, and Tim Foreman. "Meant to Live." Rec. 2002. //The Beautiful Let Down//. Switchfoot. John Feilds, 2003. //Youtube//. SarahH2O, 18 Feb. 2008. Web. 1 Nov. 2010. < [|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrL2qSTFb4Q]>.
 * Works Cited**

"Switchfoot’s Biography – Free Listening, Videos, Concerts, Stats, & Pictures at Last.fm." //Last.fm - Listen to Free Music with Internet Radio and the Largest Music Catalogue Online//. Ed. Deborah001. CBS Interactive MUSIC GROUP, 28 Nov. 2009. Web. 02 Nov. 2010. < [|http://www.last.fm/music/Switchfoot/]wiki>.