Issues that Lesbians Face in 2011

With a new year under way the lesbian community has an agenda of issues to explore. Most of these issues are carried over from previous years. Some of them may be settled in 2011 while others will most likely be carried on into future years. For example, at the front of the gay rights movement, affecting both lesbians and gays, the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rule has now been thrown in the garbage can where it belonged for many years. Even so, this was an issue that took a number of years to address and to solve. It can now be crossed over the “to do” list.

Another similar issue, that still remains with the lesbian community, is workplace discrimination. Of course there is a federal law in place that discrimination is illegal; however, let us face it, if a well-dressed woman walks into an upscale dress shop for an interview, followed by a dyke dressed in Levis and a flannel shirt along with her hair cut as short as possible – is there any question as to which lady will be offered the job? Although sex discrimination is against the law it is still a part of our culture. It is an issue that has been fought for many years before and an issue the lesbian population will face in the years ahead. Related to this issue is workplace discrimination. Nearly half of the states in America do not have laws that bans workplace discrimination based on a persons sexual orientation. The lesbians living in our country need to have a uniform policy that assures them that they will not suffer from workplace discrimination.

Family, relationships, and marriage are also issues that have faced the lesbian community for a number of years; unfortunately these same issues will most likely be with us in 2011 as well as into the future. Two women raising a child together still remains different, in the opinion of society, opposed to the customary husband and wife. Two women attending a PTA meeting, representing their child, still offers some uncomfortable moments for most female couples opposed to the husband and wife couple. Even the children of a lesbian couple continue to be discriminated against at school once it is learned that s/he has two mothers opposed to one mother and a father.

Naturally, at the top of the list of family, relationships, and marriage issues is that of gay marriage. Many lesbians have actually moved to different states or to different countries – places that accept gay marriages. This is a major political issue that remains in the forefront. Women want the same guarantee of rights as any married couple. The question remains: why shouldn’t they?

Those lesbians under age, still in high school for example, continue to be bullied and harassed. This makes it extremely difficult for a teen lesbian to function at school as well as in society. This discrimination is felt not only at school but in public as well. If the young lesbian chooses to dress in a less then feminine manner, wear her hair shortly cut, and so forth, she will most likely suffer from discrimination. This is a major issue in 2011 but hopefully it is an issue that will be extinguished one day in the near future as young people learn to understand and try to deal with differences in people.

Health care is also an important issue that lesbians must deal with in 2011. Unfortunately, this has to deal mostly with misinformation and inadequate information the medical care community has as well as the homophobia among some health care providers. These issues have led to an increased rate of suicidal behavior among lesbians as well as in stress related chronic illnesses. The lesbian community is making an effort to address many of these issues by supporting medical research in such areas as rates and risk factors of cancers, infections, and diseases among lesbians. There is also a widespread effort to gain access to the health care system. There is the need to address lesbian family issues as well as mental health concerns of lesbians.

The new year will most likely offer a continued struggle that lesbians will face in order to be heard; however, little by little they are making the guarantee that they will eventually be heard.