In Conclusion

Over the course of this quarter, I explored many aspects of homosexuality: current events, public opinion, and support groups.  While there are still upsetting occurrences of ignorance such as in Uganda, there is also a lot of promise that equality between all sexual identities is on the horizon.  The younger generation is already more accepting than the generation of their parents as a whole.  Even the rate of change over the past thirty years is astounding.  Most of my research made me very hopeful for the future of human rights.  The overall acceptance of Macklemore's performance with people being wed was a huge break through for the United States.  Not long ago, something like this would not be a possibility.  This is a very current topic in politics today and I found my research enlightening to the many opinions and facts behind the subject.

Same Sex Marriage Cartoons

Same Sex Marriage Cartoons

These political cartoons illustrate support for marriage equality.  In the 54 cartoons, there was a variety of focuses, ranging from refuting the opposing argument and the justice in gay marriage.  Although some were repetitive, many were witty illustrations that made a lot of sense.  Several focused on the sanctity of marriage, the hypocrisy of the opposing argument, and Obama's stance on the issue.

I have always enjoyed political cartoons and the satire used to convey political points.  So naturally, I enjoyed this collection of cartoons.  I thought the cartoons made many good points mainly that the argument against gay marriage does not hold any water.  Gay marriage does not threaten the sanctity of marriage any more than divorce or nontraditional marriage threaten conventionalism.  The religious aspect also has no ground saying that "God says its yucky" while eloquently put, is not accurate and is not an argument although it does encapsulate the basic position of the religious justification.  The religious argument is truly hypocritical as condemning a group of people is the opposite of the loving God christians believe in.  Most importantly, several cartoons make the point that marriage equality is the only just thing to do.

Ignorance in Uganda

Anti-gay laws in Uganda

This article focuses on the primitive behavior of the African country, Uganda.  On the previous Tuesday, February 25th, the Ugandan president signed a bill into law make homosexuality a crime.  In the early stages of this bill,  homosexuality was even made punishable by death.  This, however, was revised to the much more reasonable life in prison.  Showing just how enlightened this country is, the Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni when asked in an interview how he felt about gay people personally responded "Of course! They are disgusting.  What sort of people are they?"  Well this is just a thought, but the same as any other person deserving fair treatment and basic human rights?  This alarming statement may seem like something that would get a president kicked out of office, but shockingly about 96% of Ugandans disapprove of homosexuality in society.

I found this article both alarming and disgusting.  I understand that there is still controversy over whether or not gay marriage should be legalized, but I thought society had come far enough to understand homosexuality is not a crime.  I was concerned by the findings of Museveni's scientists since there have been studies that have found a link between genetics and sexual orientation.  Illustrating the deep-rooted ignorant hate going on in Uganda, a tabloid newspaper, Red Pepper newspaper in the country, prints lists of "the country's top homosexuals".  This has happened before with another Ugandan newspaper, Rolling Stones, instructing the reader to "hang them".  At first, it was incomprehensible to me how such a large group of people could be ingrained with such hatred, but then I think about Nazi Germany because sadly things like this have happened before.  I only pray that a change will come to take away the hardness in the heart of most Ugandans so that they may realize the cruelty in their unevolved thinking.