Levi Haapala

Prof Parker     

ENG 102

09/Mar/2016

                                                        LGBT = Girl Scout Cookie

            Desired behavior has always been rewarded with a treat and now the LGBT community has the best reward for forward thinking; Girl Scout Cookies. In an effort to help in its support to help little girls everywhere the Girl Scouts of America (GSUSA) has a case by case policy for transgender little girls. Like it or not the GSUSA is the perfect place for the transgender little girls help develop into strong independent women, and why not? This organization has helped little girls find out about themselves in an environment that is both mentally and physically safe to do so. Not just the LGBT community but the every community needs organizations to take in young boys and girls and give them strong leaders to help shape them and to have someone to confide in that knows their struggles as well.

            Self-worth is a hard lesion to teach children yet one the GSUSA has always strived to do despite the opposition. One Girl Scout learned this in a rather roundabout way thanks to a mean comment by a neighbor. Stormi, who lives in Herrin, Ill., was out on her day going door to door selling her cookies was met by a neighbor who let her give her sales speech then replied ““nobody wants to buy cookies from a boy in a dress,”” (Gass). Kim, Stormis’ mom, quickly moved her daughters’ sale to the internet with some help of the GSUSA as well as relaying the story on an online forum for transgender parents.

Within day Stormi had received over a thousand letter of encouragement as well as over 3000 boxes of cookies sold to include both Canada and Australia.

            This is not the first time the GSUSA has been involved in this type of incident. In 2012 there was a national call to boycott the cookies due to the inclusion of a 7 year old transgender child to the GSUSA. The organization itself has also been known to return checks of $100,000 due to stipulations against transgender children (Gass). After returning this large donation the GSUSA created an Indiegogo account, promoted it nationally with the hashtag #forEVERYgirl, and then raised over $300,000. Sadly though the counterpart to the Girl Scouts is struggling to redefine and even find its own way on the LGBT issues.

            The GSUSA have set a president in this day showing that forward thinking is the right way for it helps those who get lost in this adult world. It gives compassion, strength, self-worth, and above all belief that you are strong in your gender or transgender. It gives the example of how those who fight on both sides of this issue should act with integrity leadership and compassion.

 

 

                                                            Work Cited

Gass, Henry. "For Transgender 9-year-old, a Very Girl Scout Lesson." The Christian Science Monitor. N.p., 3 Feb. 2016. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. <http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/0203/For-transgender-9-year-old-a-very-Girl-Scout-lesson>.

Levi Haapala

ENG102

Prof Parker

07/Mar/2016

                                                LGBT Not so Subtle Enemy

            Across the world LGBT right for equality have been passed with hard work and battles won, but who is the enemy of the LGBT community? For many it is a boogie man tales of monsters that will attack when least expected. Sadly there is no boogieman, or shadowy figure lurking in the closet afraid to come out when the lights are on. No it is a group one that has been defined as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. World Congress of Families (WCF) based out of Illinois is a world conglomerate that believes in its righteousness and moral authority it openly fights and challenges any and all LGBT movements. It is hard enough to fight when your opponent is on equal footing it is harder when your enemy had political figures of influential power and other countries rallying to the hate flag.

            According to the article "Exposed: The World Congress of Families," many conservative religious groups based in the U.S., religious authorities and even politicians are a part of this group (Carez). The funding for this group can be traced to many countries, like Russia, that have placed anti-homosexual propaganda laws. The WCF also gets funding from its parent company The Howard Center, but not the all of its donations the WCF does get a majority of its funding from American sources though. The halting of LGBT right is not the only thing this group is fighting against with the LGBT community the WFC is also fight against women’s right as well.

            With this not being has not been confirmed to have been happening in Russia it has been in reports in Africa. The WFC has been pushing for continued criminalization of any LGBT community to include with this a slow down or halt in women’s right, sexual health screening, and sexual education (Carez). In countries like Nigeria the WFC has been caught encouraging the country to break its international commitments. In Australia the WFC has held rallies against same sex marriage with results towards their goal, due to Prime Minister Tony Abbott appointing a long time leader and supporter of the WFC to the position of Minister of Social Services. With high influence over powerful political positions this group can be very hurtful to the goals of equality for the LGBT community.

            It comes down to this if left unchecked a group like the WFC, that does not have a high support numbers, can achieve what it wants with just a few people in key places. This and other groups have in their arsenal one of the trickiest things that they can use if ever put on the defensive. A victim card call religious right with this it makes every argument one of freedom of religion and tucks itself away under this shield. While this may not have a lot of weight here in America is does have overseas, coupled with key political people as member s of this group it could be a battle lost if not watched with a carful eye

 

 

                                                              

 

 

      Work Cited

Williams, Steve. "How One US Group Is Using Family Values to Promote Global Anti-Gay Hate." Truth-out.org, 20 Aug. 2014. Web. 7 Mar. 2016. <http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/25904-how-one-us-group-is-using-family-values-to-promote-global-anti-gay-hate>.

Levi Haapala

Prof Parker

ENG 102

2/Mar/2016

                                                LGBT Equal Footing for Kids

            The so-called Gay Agenda is at it again to stifle freedom of speech and indoctrinate kids across America. Many critics opposing bill H.R.4530 are saying things similar to have you believe that this bill is not about an equal footing but plans that are far more sinister. This was just some of the hurdles that needed to be jumped only six years ago, a bill that gave equal rights to children who are a part of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGBT) to help ensure of a safe environment for all students. Archaic schools of thought will always try to fight against change it views as non-traditional, and fear runs rampant against all in the way.

            In what class is hatred taught, when should schools allow these classes to be taught the answer; never. Jared Polis a Democrat from Denver has been quoted to say when helping purpose this bill “"Every student has the right to an education free from harassment and violence”” (Miller). This is a great idea if critics of this bill were not so against it saying it helps push the Homosexual agenda in schools. In fact Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, has put even stated that this bill could make anything other children say against the LGBT children would be illegal. This leads to the question how are racial slurs any different that gay slurs or bashing? How is one not socially acceptable but the other is?

            Any discrimination in any school against any group be it nationality, sex, age, or even sexual orientation should not be allowed. By allowing one to be left behind and acceptable gives the impression that one group of children is less than any other. If this old way of thinking continues one must ask where does it stop, who is safe and why are they worthy of protection and not the other?  

                                                                 

                                                                  Work Cited

 

Miller, Joshua Rhett. "Gay Discrimination Bill Will Stifle Free Speech, Advance 'Homosexual Agenda,' Critics Say." Politics. Fox News, 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 2 Mar. 2016. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/22/anti-lgbt-discrimination-stifle-free-speech-critics-say.html>.

           

Levi Haapala

29/Feb/2016

ENG 102

Prof. Parker

                                                Children Under Fire in the War Against LGBT

            Once again the youth of LGBT are under fire this time a very specific group has been targeted in South Dakota; transgenders. In the article, Dispatches: South Dakota Nears Dangerous Precedent by Ryan Thoreson, he tells a story of fear and bigotry focused on a target that is not unfamiliar in the fight for equal rights to live. Transgender children are at the center of a new bill trying to be sent up to the state senate that does not allow transgender children use restrooms or locker rooms affiliated with the gender that they now associate with. (Thoreson) This article is a rallying cry well put together using logos and pathos in a great balance to educate a spur action to continue to protect children in the LGBT community.

            The author begins with briefly telling the reader about HB1008 a bill that was approved by the house and is now going to the state senate for finalization. The bill as is explained lightly would not allow transgender children to use lock rooms or bathrooms with the gender that they associate with. It would in fact force them to be defined by the gender they were born as (Thoreson). Then later gives the reader an official statement made by the represenitives quoting them as saying “transgender people (are) “unfortunate” and “twisted” This piece is the best logos one could ask for in an argument it is fact they went on record to say these things and the emotional response is intensified by this.

            Mr. Thoreson then gives another great source of information on how things proceeded with this story. A first-hand account of the hearing that went on his first hand account as he attended this hearing. He tells the reader that “Transgender students, parents, educators, faith leaders, and advocates drove in from all corners of the state to testify against the bill” this is what he saw and is an indisputable fact. Again he uses pathos with logos to give the readers hope and inspires a sense of pride in the reader to have so many come to the defense of those who normally have none.

            Lastly he give any who read this a bread crumb by saying those who support the bill are out of state lobbyists who have been on the front lines and against LGBT rights of any kind. This does not hurt the argument as it should in fact is makes it stronger. Mr. Thoreson empowers the reader to fact check this small bread crumb and begs us to question why would out of state lobbyists be so aggressive towards the LGBT communities weakest members? Why would they be so intent on singling out transgenders? Mr. Thoreson does not give us the reason in fact he even tells us when these groups were asked the same questions they themselves could not even give an answer.

 

                                                                    Works Cited

Thoreson, Ryan. "Dispatches: South Dakota Nears Dangerous Precedent." Human Rights Watch.       N.p., 12 Feb. 2016. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. <https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/12/dispatches-south-dakota-nears-dangerous-precedent>.

Levi Haapala

ENG 102

Prof Parker

24/Feb/2016

                                                  Forward Progression in Reverse

            Moving forward on equality for those who fall into the Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) community can be said that it has been an uphill battle. Sadly there are countries that have slipped, decided to climb that hill by walking backwards, or even taken the motto one step forward two steps back, thus making it harder to be treated with equality in basic human rights. In human colonial area laws make it hard to be any part of the LGBT community laws that make being anything but heterosexual illegal

Levi Haapala

ENG 102

Prof Parker

18/Feb/2016

                                        Forgetting the LGBT Youth

Forgotten youth, time stands still for the LGBT’s most important members of their community as they wait to grow up. With so many victories in the community with LGBT rights adults are making progress for adults, but what about those that seem to not be covered by these leaps and bounds as they are still growing up and not yet adults themselves. The right to marry and legally adopt children is a huge step in the fight for equal rights with adults in the LGBT community, but how does that help our young children still struggling with themselves and coping with a world that seems to be not moving forward. As adults move forward to solve adult problems with equal rights there is collateral damage on the battlefield. The adults are forgetting to also protect their youth with the fight that is globally known; equality.

 In using the Concordia University stakeholder as a reference, I came across the article “How can we make things better for LGBT youth?” by Hilary Rose. A national survey in Canada was taken by the human rights organization Egale Canada, found that depression was three times more likely found and reported by LGB kids who did not feel that fit in at school (Rose). Egale Canada has also kept records of suicide attempts in non LGB it holds at 7%, sadly with the kids in the LGB community it jumps up to 33% a 21% difference (Rose). So how does marriage equality help these kids in short it doesn’t. In fact the McCreary Centre Society in Vancouver, British Columbia has been watching this closely for the last 15 years (Rose). They have found out that homosexual slurs and discrimination has increased, especially for students identifying themselves as bisexual. Equality in marriage is a great step forward in the fight for equal rights, sadly everything has a price, and the LGBT community needs to ask are they willing to sacrifice the next generation of their community.

Hilary Rose uses Logos effectively and strongly throughout this article, she show the information that she uses and even sites the sources where she got it. Her ability to leave out ethos also strengthens her argument seeing that logic is hard to disprove with evidence.

 

Rose, Hilary. "How Can We Make Things Better for LGBT Youth?" Concordia University. Concordia University, 28 July 2015. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. <http://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main/stories/2015/07/28/boy-scouts-of-america-hilary-rose-op-ed.html>.