UH LGBT Pride Scholarship Essay, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Designs and Groups

Download UH LGBT Pride Scholarship Essay and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Designs and Groups in PDF only on Docsity! UH LGBT Pride Scholarship Essay The Benefits of Being LGBT By Kevin Pham April 2012 When assessing the LGBTQ community from an outside viewpoint it is easy to evaluate and envisage the many problematic issues that the LGBTQ community encounters; the struggle for marriage rights, the fight against bullying, and the equalization of status in the workplace are all focal points of the LGBTQ community’s persona in contemporary society. However, due to the unprecedented amount of focus on the aforementioned issues, it simultaneously becomes simple to ignore the many wonders and benefits bestowed upon members of the LGBTQ community—benefits that truly encapsulate and enliven the LGBTQ holistically. It is important to note that homosexuals and heterosexuals are not very different from each other—we both (hesitantly) get out of our comfortable beds in the morning at an ungodly hour to the sound of an abrasively loud alarm; we both drive in a state of agitation in the inhumane traffic of the freeways during rush hour; and we both dream of eventually finding the perfect person that makes waking up to all the aforementioned atrocities worthwhile. We both deal with the issues of contemporary, human existence and receive the benefits of that existence. One of the most overlooked (and often most astounding) benefits perpetuated by members of the LGBTQ community lies not in the idea that we are different, or separated, from the rest of humanity, but in the fact that we are connected to it—we are part of the whole of humanity, and one of our greatest benefits lies in the fact that we are human. Even as a distinct minority with a fabulous community and support network, we cannot ignore the blessing that comes from being part of the human community at large; we are a vital part of that aforementioned community, and add to the diversity and freshness of the holistic human image. After all, what would society be without our perceived penchant for fashion and design? The primary delight in being part of the LGBTQ community lies not in the benefits we give to ourselves, but in the ways we benefit and give back to the human community at large. For example, although the wide range of events the LGBTQ community is known for (such as gay pride parades, the gay rights movement, etc.) is obviously enjoyable for members of LGBTQ community, but the real merit of these LGBTQ events is not in the fact that they are just “fun” or “liberating” for ourselves. Instead, the greatest, underlying effect of these LGBTQ happenings (and the LGBTQ existence) lies in the fact that they contribute to the diversity and education of society. As homosexuality becomes increasingly accepted in society through the contributions of the LGBTQ community and their allies, the real beauty lies in the idea that we are helping liberate and open the collective consciousness of humanity—and not many people get to do this! An advantage of being gay in this day and age is that we are inherently part of a loving community in the midst of huge, dynamic movement that is revolutionary; the beauty in this remarkable movement is that we are essentially doing society a service by diversifying the human image and are part of something that is truly historic. Although gay rights have improved vastly over the past couple years, the struggles that the gay community faces are still titanic in number; nonetheless, the struggle for equality and minority status give bestow a unique benefit on members of the LGBTQ community. Even with our perceived differences from the whole of