LGBT: Understanding Sexuality and Gender Identity - Essay Sample

Introduction

LGBT is an abbreviation that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This term is meant to stress the diversity of sexuality and gender identity-related cultures. A lesbian is a woman who is sexually and emotionally attracted to women. The term gay implies a man who is sexually and internally attracted to other males. A bisexual is someone who is sexually and emotionally attracted to both males and females. Lastly, a transgender person is someone whose gender identity varies from his/her sex at birth. LGBT are explained in relation to three distinct traits: sexual orientation, gender identity and sex traits (Boylan, 247). Sexual orientation involves three aspects which include sexual self-identification, sexual behaviour, and sexual attraction. Sexual orientation permits for a varying of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and heterosexuals. The differences are that gender identity refers to a someones' internal sense of being masculine, feminine or both. It also allows making a distinction between transgender and cisgender people, someone who is a transgender person being the one whose gender recognition varies from his/her biological sex during conception. Sex traits involve the sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal designs (Boylan, 244). An individual attribute concerning sex can be in line with the notion of mens' and women's' bodies or not. In the latter scenario, that individual is defined as being intersex. In this paper, there is a discussion on the comparison between LGBT rights between Brazil and Italy. Each of these countries has rights that differently affect this community, both working along with laws and policies that protect the individual described in any one of those characteristics. Brazil is the most developed in Latin America and also globally involved, with LGBT individuals given the rights to be in a marriage, and those rights extend all through the state since the year 2013 (William, 286). However, there are some challenges that LGBT individual goes through in the country, especially involving social discrimination. In Italy, the challenges faced in Brazil are still faced by LGBT individuals despite the significant change during the past few years on rights concerning LGBT.

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Both of this countries have been making sure that LGBT rights and the individuals falling under the category, can openly be able to express their sexual orientation, their identity concerning gender and the status relating to intersex in an environment where discrimination level is reduced. For example, in both countries, marriage rights, especially in Brazil, had the Supreme Federal Court ruled that gay and lesbian couples be granted similar 112 legal rights given to non-LGBT married couples (Evan et al., 151). All rights enjoyed by the opposite sex when married are now being experienced in both Italy and Brazil, which also encompasses economic and social rights. One of the reasons for defending the rights in these countries is based on ethics. Sex traits, sexual orientation and gender recognition, are essential aspects to all, which has formed the base for the support of the LGBT community. In both countries, LGBT individuals are being protected from coerced concealment and discrimination. This is a requirement affirmed by international bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR). Therefore such as body will recognize a country to have failed if the state is unsuccessful in punishing anti-LGBT violence and discrimination to be a violation of their duty to protect all individuals.

Another reason the countries focus on protecting the rights of the LGBT community is based on social aspects. This is focused on developing a positive attitude and behaviour towards the LGBT community, which can increase social cohesion effectively. Antagonism concentrate on the population of LGBT is closely similar to supporting traditional gender roles whereby men, often bodily more robust tackle the potentially dangerous common sphere. At the same time, the females maintain and take care of the home and raise the children. The support of the rights of the LGBT community is therefore based on denying that there are no two distinct gender identities that people fall into at conception denying thus that LGBT individual is abnormal individuals who need to be made "normal." In this context, the political rights declare all people equal, and that the LGBT community is the same as all other people. These rights fight toward discrimination concerning sexual orientation, therefore, accepting LGBT individual and ultimately, other minority groups as well such as immigrants (Caetano, 203).

The third reason based on fighting discrimination politically in both countries includes the aspect of economic reasons. Denial of the LGBT community to prosper in school work and the work market produces a cost in the economy of the countries. The governments of both countries agree that an economy that fails to value diversity loses considerable gains. This is because diversity allows for the state to share a valuable array of competencies, experiences and ideas that frequently limits communication between individual and most likely produces a possibility of a conflict that may be prevented in a diverse community. This reason supports that reducing anti-LGBT prejudice might increase economic gains (William, 205).

While the LGBT communities are being supported politically, in Brazil as well as Italy, full-fledged social and legal acceptance of LGBT individuals as not being adequately met, Brazilian society can be discriminatory towards sexual minorities because of the constant presence of religious and ethical conservatism. The discrimination is increased by a high degree of poverty and inadequate education, which develops a "reality of massive inequality". According to an NGO that takes the measure of the statistics in the LGBT numbers shows that about 160 LGBTs are killed annually due to social stigmatization and marginalization. The human rights helpline of the Brazilian government recorded in 2011 a total of 3 to 4 daily complaints of brutality offences towards the community, involving bodily, sexual, and mentally and institutional brutality in addition to discrimination Stephenson & Jessica, 285). Brazil, despite its fight against discrimination, lack laws that fully shelter LGBT individuals against hate speech and therefore, some LGBT individuals are subject to sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination at the state level. The opposition stems much from catholic and evangelical politicians, and as a result, some essential laws and identification of same-sex couples were acknowledged recently in 2011. However, both Brazil and Italy have been continually "friendly" and accepts the community, having founded a long history of human rights and anti-discriminatory policies. The endorsement of the community commenced in the year mid-90s following the AIDS crisis (Gary, 28).

Both Brazil and Italy are OECD countries, where attitudes are gradually improving globally on LGBT individual, but Italy performs slightly worse than Brazil. Low acceptance of LGBT individuals increases their risk of discrimination. Similar to Brazil, the LGBT community in Italy face significant criticism from the Catholic Church, arguing that such unification is not natural and should not be passed by the government. The Church officials have also criticized the television media for presenting positive news of the LGBT community. In most cases, the particular requirements of LGBT patients are failed to be acknowledged. Also, even though the provision of banned gay men from giving donations of blood has been eliminated, there is still some discrimination directed towards gay individuals when it comes to donation of blood and considered to some degree a disorder. The degree to which the LGBT is subject to brutality and attacks in Italy is highly noticeable and widespread in the nation (Charlotte, 243). Several agencies have criticized the challenges of working together with the police force and widespread homophobia associated with transphobia in the police department. The agencies have also criticized the lack of a vital stand by the state to prohibit such actions and the low levels of intervention both in suggesting good legislation and in terms of creating educational awareness. Currently, there lacks a criminal and civil legal offer concerning hate speech linked to homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Criminal law only punishes hate speech linked to discrimination concerning race, ethnicity, nationality and religion. The available data that supports homophobic violence, verbally or physically, is part of the events of numerous LGBT individuals. In Italy, about half of LGBT individuals were aware of feeling unsafe because of their sexuality. There is also various level and kind of bullying in schools which is somewhat silence on LGBT issues and lacks a system that covers LGBT individuals. Some of the factors to this involved inadequate access to sex education in schools is also pointed out as a setback.

Also, in Italy, gender reallocation surgery is present in state hospitals without any charges attached. However, the procedure is subject to the ruling of the courts. A transsexual individual has to make a double request to the court before being given the authority to have the needed surgery. Qualitative sociological studies on LGBT individuals and the state of living has pointed out that numerous kind of social and economic challenges which is associated with the transition period before sexual reallocation. This period can take a few years or become a long-term status for the individual who desires to decline the sex reassignment medical operation. LGBT individuals also experience challenges in acquiring treatment as hormone therapy and gender reallocation medical operations procedures are offered in few places within the nation.

For this reason, there is a considerable obstacle for LGBT individuals and an economic challenge that propels marginality and social exclusion. In 2017, the Italian legal system allowed same-sex marriage especially woman to woman marriage (William 284). Also, it included any other kind of similar sex union with transgender individuals permitted to change change their gender legally. It has resulted in a reduction of discrimination in some areas within the country. Therefore some recognition has been allowed, such as a partner being identified as a next of kin and ultimately allowed data and participation in deciding a partner's health condition and the needed care. Also, LGBT individuals have gained access to the possibility of rejoining with partners who are non-citizens of Italy (Gary, 25). There has also been informed on the reuniting and permits offered for residence within the country.

In both countries, there are surveys conducted nationally on the attitude focused on LGBT individuals and recent measures being provided. These surveys aim to answer to what level homosexuality is justifiable and accepted. The other question is the level of acceptability of living in the same neighbourhood with LGBT individuals. Both Brazil and Italy are among the least in showing acceptance of the LGBT community than other countries. Homophobia remains to be widely noticed. As the countries participate in LGBT-encompassed laws, the attitudes on homosexuality continue to increase. For example, in Italy, the legal permit for same-sex marriage enabled an improvement in the attitude towards homosexuality. Ther is, however, still a gap between Italy and Brazil and also other countries that had permitted marriage for similar sexes earlier. Therefore, there is a significant positive relationship between acceptance of homosexuality and similar sexes union. However, t...