Fear and Normalcy: Controversy Surrounding Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian or Trans-gendered Persons in Our Society
This 7-page undergraduate paper considers why the right to live openly as a bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered person has been and continues to be controversial. Briefly, this paper concludes that from a consideration of the ways in which bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons are seen as controversial in our society, we can see that controversy surrounding these groups stems not from the groups themselves, but rather from the definitions and norms of the larger society. That is, to comprehend why bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons are seen as controversial, one must consider the ways in which these groups challenge the norms and ideas of society, and thus are condemned as outsiders by the very society where they seek acceptance and an open lifestyle. That is, bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons are controversial because they are defined as “other” and are thus feared. Some fear, for example, that bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons will upset the ideals of family, “proper” sexuality, or will create more persons who are bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered in their sexual orientation. Thus, society defines bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons as “other” or outside the rigid definitions of “normal” but then penalizes these groups for supposedly being outside normality. Briefly, to understand why bisexual, gay, lesbian or trans-gendered persons are controversial, one must grasp that these groups are uncomfortable for some heterosexuals because they suggest changes to popular thinking.
