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Lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues.
All viewpoints covered.

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The terms "LGBT" and "GLBT" are acronyms for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual, and "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
 Transgender/Transsexual. Sometimes, additional letters are
added such as: "Q" for Queer or questioning, "I" for Intersexual.

Welcome to the conflict:

Major and apparently irreconcilable conflicts exists in North America over equal rights and protections for GLBT persons (gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered individuals and transsexuals), including the right to marry.

Many GLBTs, their organizations and supporters are heavily involved in the promotion of equality for persons of all sexual orientations and sexual identities. This involves working towards a culture where:   Persons of all three sexual orientations (heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual) and various sexual identities (cisgendered, transsexual, transgendered) are accepted, valued and given equal rights and protections.   Homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality are recognized as unchosen, natural, normal and fixed (or essentially fixed) sexual orientations in adulthood.   Loving, committed same-sex couples can marry and receive a full set of both state and federal benefits and rights.

Many social and religious conservatives in North America, their organizations and supporters are heavily promoting the restriction of rights and protections for sexual minorities. Their target is at what they call the "gay agenda." This involves working towards a culture where:   Heterosexuals are given special rights and protections in employment security, access to accommodation, access to marriage, inheritance rights, hospital visitation privileges, etc. Gays and lesbians would be denied these rights.   Homosexuality, and bisexuality are recognized as chosen, sexual behaviors,  unnatural, abnormal, disordered, sinful, hated by God, changeable, and perhaps worthy of criminalization.   Same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships are unavailable in North America; those solemnized in other countries are not recognized in the U.S. and Canada.   Loving, committed same-sex couples are regarded by the states only as roommates. Their children are considered illegitimate. Their families have no access to the 1,400 or so state and federal benefits and rights enjoyed by opposite-sex married couples.. Countering sexual equality has surpassed in importance even the conflict over abortion access in the minds of many -- perhaps most -- fundamentalists and other evangelical Christians. Some religious conservatives believe that the goals of the GLBT movement is the destruction of the Christian religion, dismantling the institution of marriage and adversely changing the rest of the culture.

There is a lot of anger and essentially no dialogue between the two groups. Resolving these conflicts through debate is often impossible because the fundamental assumptions, studies, conclusions, and beliefs are generally rejected by the other. They even define words differently, thus making any type of communication essentially impossible. The situation has many points of similarity to the battle over abortion access.

Topics covered in this really big section:

Introduction: (We recommend reading one or more of these essays first.)   Common beliefs about GLBT persons; trends How this this website discusses sexual orientation Terminology related to sexual orientation A brief overview: quotes, the core problem, oppression, etc. Resolving differences in beliefs about sexual orientation

	Culture shift: Events illustrating a cultural shift about homosexuality, etc. among the public
	Basic info about homosexuality and bisexuality: Six common belief systems by religious folks about homosexuality; Brief quotations; Meaning of terms; Meanings attributed to the term "sexual orientation" Beliefs about causes; is it changeable? abnormal? immoral?; Preventing homosexuality Same-sex parenting, foster parenting, and adoption Bisexuality; Public opinion polls; Emails we have received; The suicide rates among gay and lesbian youth; Other topics: dialog; statements of professional groups; terminology.
	The impact of religion: Six common belief systems by religious folks about homosexuality (repeated); The Bible and homosexuality -- the famous "clobber" passages Other essays on dialogue, change, conflicts, policies, compromise, schism, teaching in schools, etc.
	Same-sex marriage (SSM), civil unions, etc SSM in the U.S., Canada, and other countries; Polls; Benefits of marriage; Assessing the will of God; 1999 ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada; 2004 presidential race and SSM; etc.
	Challenges faced by gays and bisexuals: Employment insecurity; ENDA laws Public school harassment; Gay-Straight Alliances; Family of origin problems; Attacks on gay-positive churches; Accusations of child molestation Who are the LGBT's?
	Homophobia against homosexuals and bisexuals: Multiple meanings of the term "homophobia;" Causes, incidence, cost; Boy Scouts of America; "Dr. Laura;" Senator Santorum.
	About ex-gays: reparative & other therapies:  Introduction; Statements by professional groups; Beliefs by the public; Results of studies...
	Laws & regulations affecting gays & bisexuals Worldwide laws protecting, recognizing & persecuting LGBTI persons UN declaration on the decriminalization of homosexual behavior State laws formerly criminalizing homosexual behavior; Changes in laws and regulation due to the "gay agenda;" U.S. and Canadian hate-crime/hate-speech legislation; Should homosexuals and bisexuals be a protected class in law?; Exclusion of gays and lesbians from the military. Timeline of the granting of GLBT rights in Canada
	News in the media Events indicating an increasing acceptance of homosexuality, etc. by the public The "Dr. Phil" TV program & sexual orientation Gay liberation; Homosexual milestones in the media; The National Day of Silence; Updating news feed; Major news items: 1996 to the present time.
	Parenting a gay/lesbian child; essays; sermons; etc. What to do after your child says "I'm gay" Dealing with a son's homosexuality; A gay person's letter to his church; Keynote sermon; Analysis of an anti-gay essay; Can a homosexual remain a Christian?; Challenging Emails we have received about homosexuality. A mother's open letter to President Obama, 2009-JUN
	Resources Books on homosexuality and bisexuality; Gay and Bisexual-positive resources; Conservative Christian resources.

You can buy the following books on homosexuality from Amazon.com's online bookstore:

Reference used:

The following information source was used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlink is not necessarily still active today.

1. The "Christians No Longer Gay Living for God" is at: http://cnlglfg.com

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Last updated 2009-JUN-02
Author: B.A. Robinson

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