Friday, February 4, 2011

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is not a choice!

In many of our conversations with average Kentuckians, some maintain sexual orientation and gender identity should not be protected under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act because they believe sexual orientation or gender identity is a choice.  It is not, people are born lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender according to the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, the United Nations World Health Organization, and countless other accredited associations and organizations.

People have been born lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender since the beginning of humanity.  They are not mistakes, and parents did nothing wrong.  I don't blame my straight parents that I was born gay; I have always been gay, even as a child.  My siblings are heterosexual. 

In Kentucky, sexual orientation and gender identity are not protected by law yet religion and smoking are. How is this possible?  If you actually believe sexual orientation and gender identity are choices, so is smoking and religion which are both protected by the Kentucky Civil Rights Act.

Why should smoking and religion be protected (clearly, a choice) under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, and not sexual orientation and gender identity? 

Act now!  Sign the petition to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Kentucky Civil Rights Act!

When we allow our governments to discrimination against a specific group of people, we are all damaged; it opens the door to additional government repression.  It impacts every single person in Kentucky and the United States.

Have we not been through the Black Civil Rights Movement, and the Women's Civil Rights Movement?

--> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

1 comment:

Anderson Ruth said...

This is my view exactly Mr. Palmer. The sign above says it all in my opinion. It really disappointed me when I heard about the situation in Iowa. How some stated that if they legalized gay marriage that next incest and polygamy would be legalized as well. It really upset me that some have that particular mindset.

It also goes without saying that nobody should be fired because of their sexual orientation. How does being gay affect your job. Does a straight person do it better. If others are uncomfortable working with somebody who is not the same orientation. Why not offer a sensitivity training or some other program to help out instead of ruining somebodies career over something they can't help in the first place.

I am more than happy to sign this petition.