About the Creator
Alixandria Wright is a first-year student at the University of Maryland from New York. Wright is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Black Women’s Studies. In the future she hopes to positively influence the black community through effective changes in public policy. She conducted research on this topic to learn more about LGBTQ communities of color and how they are treated differently than either white LGBTQ members or people of color outside of the LGBTQ community. Wright created this website for her English Academic Writing course that was based on a research paper on this topic. Wright hopes to learn more about disparities in treatment for LGBTQ people of color and the oppression that stems from their intersectional identities.
Understanding Discrimination Towards LGBTQ People of Color
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Purpose
In order to understand the rights of those who identify as LGBTQ, the entire LGBTQ community needs to be examined in a way that acknowledges intersectionality, which allows for an understanding of one person’s possibility of being marginalized because of the several different groups they identify with.
Before conducting any research on the LGBTQ community of color, I knew there were disparities in treatment because I was aware of the oppression that comes with being either a member of the LGBTQ community or a person of color. How the two identities intersect, however, was new to me. I have learned that there are extra stressors that come with not being accepted by either community.
Some questions arose before conducting the research: What is kinds of inequalities for LGBTQ are found in media? Where is the discrimination occurring? Why is it occurring? What are the factors working with this discrimination? First, the we all need to understand exactly what kinds of discrimination that LGBTQ people of color face in order to make effective changes. I think a change in power would make a big difference.
If those who are oppressed are given a platform to properly express their views and needs, they may be able to lessen the discrimination and tension within the LGBTQ community. I am not sure how easily people will accept new perspectives and opinions, but I do believe that when you recognize the intersectionality of the LGBTQ community, you can better understand how to address specific issues and lessen discrimination.
LGBTQ people of color face more discrimination and oppression than white LGBTQ members due to their intersectional identities, placing them in danger of increased risk of mental instability, diseases, experiences of violence and death by either murder or suicide.