#5 Read the Labels

Everyone loves to put labels on themselves to define who they are as human beings. Leader, mother, nerd, jock, smart: these are all labels that people use every day. Labels are very important in the LGBT community. Labels give LGBT people a sense of security that they don't have before accepting their identity. Before coming out most queer people are too afraid to even use words such as queer, bisexual, and especially gay. After they come out they can claim those words and they become a part of their self-identity. they can then proudly proclaim their queerness even if other people don't accept it. Some people will scoff at certain labels such as asexual, bi-romantic, or pansexual. Some heterosexual people do not understand the need or use of queer labels, but what they don't realize is that everyone uses them, ours are just more important to us. That’s why a queer person will ask you to respect and use the correct labels and pronouns, because they are a part of who LGBT people are. So until next time, always be kind and remember #LoveWins.

#4 LGBT+

This week I wanted to talk about the plus at the end of the acronym for the queer community. As some people may know the queer community is quite expansive and includes many different types of sexualities and identities. Technically the full acronym for the queer community is    

LGBT(GGGGBTTTTQIAAAAAPPOODSCT) This stands for Lesbian, Gay, Gender queer, Gender fluid, Genderless, Gynesexual, Bisexual, Bigender, Transexual, Transgender, Transvestite, Two-Spirited, Transitioning, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Agender, Ally, Androgenous, Androsexual, Pansexual, Pangender, Omnisexual, Omnigender, Demisexual, Skoliosexual, Cisgender, and Third-Gender. Since this is incredibly hard to say, it has been shortened to LGBT+ and the plus is meant to signify all of the other identities that do not have a letter in the shortened acronym.

But this is of course can be a bit of a sore spot for those that fall into a category that is not the most known four letters LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender). Some people will say that they feel left out of the community because their identity is not as present as the first four letters of the acronym. The queer community has always tried to be as inclusive as possible, but there are just so many different sexual identities that it becomes hard to keep up with all of them, let alone remember a thirty-letter-long acronym.

So is there a way to satisfy everyone? So far there has been no set in stone way to make everyone feel included, while also making the acronym easy to say. There has been a recent idea to throw out the acronym LGBT+ completely, and replace it with the acronym SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Acceptance). This would make everything easier to say and by making it more vague, it will hopefully spread to include all sexuality and gender identities, even as more are discovered and added to the community. As I like to say gender and sexuality are fluid, which means they are constantly changing. What do you think of this new acronym SAGA? Do you think it will or should replace LGBT+? Leave your comments below. Until next time, always remember #LoveWins!

#3 Protect Trans Kids

So, recently something has happened that directly affects a large chunk of the LGBT community. Our current president has signed off on a lot of executive orders recently that have a had a huge effect on America. Most recently the Trump administration has revoked the federal guidelines, put in place by the Obama administration, that protected transgender kids in schools by mandating schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that most correctly aligned to their gender identity. This will allow states to make their own laws on the bathroom issue, and transgender kids will no longer protected in the federal government.

I feel like this post belongs on this blog about LGBT stereotypes and discrimination because for a long time transgender people have suffered abuses for being "unnatural" or "an abomination." Transgender individuals should be a protected minority because 1 in 12 trans women are killed each year, and it's 1 in 8 for trans women of color. Cisgender, white, heterosexuals often see someone different from them or anyone they have ever seen, and feel threatened or angry, and they will often lash out. Transgender peoples, especially trans women, hear a plethora of insults and slurs hurled at them everyday. Slurs such as: tranny, he/she. and she male are not only hurtful but life destroying for someone facing severe gender dysphoria.

So in light of the recent changes, several celebrities have taken up a battle cry on Twitter. Just recently #ProtectTransKids was trending. Several protests have also been using this saying on their signs I believe this is a powerful cause and not to be taken lightly. If anyone is in the Topeka area, one place there will always be support for all youths is the equality house, which will soon be turned into a hangout space for LGBT individuals and allies as well. Until next week always remember #LoveWins.

Women's March on Topeka

A few months ago I was lucky enough to be able to participate in one of the Women's Marches that were occurring around the United States. We all stood in solidarity against a powerful force that wishes to knock us down and silence our voices. I got to be surrounded by the most amazing people that preached equality, love, and freedom. I took several pictures to document this historical event. These are a few of my favorite pictures.

#2 Gay Casting

For this weeks post, I am again drawing from personal experience, which just shows how often we are faced with stereotypes and prejudice in our everyday lives. This week I worked closely with the cast of a show at my university. I was stage manager for a cast of 18 actors and actresses. During the preparation  our show we had a conversation that involved the well-known stereotype that only gay men participate in theatre. This stereotype does have a bit of truth to it that a lot of gay men will participate in theatre because they find it easier to let go and be flamboyant on stage, but acting is more based on talent and personality. Which means that any man can be an actor in theatre if they are willing to put in the time to gain the skills that it requires.

In the theatre department at Washburn University there are equal amounts of gay and straight men. A good example is that in the cast that that I worked with, 3 out of 7 of the men that were in the show were straight. This shows only a slight majority of the men were gay, and this is only slightly more than any other department of study on campus.

I think that it is a bit odd that the stereotype is that only women and gay men can be in theatre, when in the history of theatre only men were allowed to act and they would often portray women in the productions. It seems clear that this stereotype only entered society in the 1900's when it transitioned to the belief that straight, or manly men, only played sports. I think that the reason straight men don't participate in theatre as often as gay men is due to the social stigma that surrounds it. Straight men will often feel that they will be viewed as less manly or even mistaken for being gay if they act in a show. Stereotypes will often feed off of social stigma. This stereotype may have some truth to it, but mostly because of the fear that straight men have to participate in theatre because of the social stigma. We could easily break down this stereotype by normalizing straight men in theatre and encouraging them to try theatre. Until next week, remember #LoveWins.

#1 Flannel for Days

This blog is dedicated to debunking stereotypes, so a good place to start is to establish the definition of a stereotypes. The sociological definition of a stereotype is a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group. Stereotypes constantly surround us and they affect everyone. There are stereotypes based on race, gender, culture, location, and sexual orientation. Stereotypes are sometimes true but a majority of them are completely false and based on misconceptions or prejudices against certain groups of people. I will be focused on the stereotypes that come form the LGBT community, a community that has been hated and persecuted around the world for many centuries

The stereotype I will be focusing on today, is the stereotypes that all lesbian or queer women wear only flannel shirts and jeans. I have had personal experience with this stereotype. Just this weekend I was out with some friends and we were shopping at the mall. We found an amazing closing sale, and my friend bought several flannel shirts. When we got back home she made a comment that stuck with me. She said, "Looking at my closet, you would think I was a lesbian." This comment was especially ironic because she is completely straight. This stereotype I believe was born out of the idea that lesbians are only butch women that look like men. So the flannel on lesbians stereotype was born. I break this stereotype directly because as a queer women I do not own a single piece of flannel clothing. Queer and straight women come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and even clothing. So until next week, always remember #lovewins.

Welcome to My Blog

Hi, my name is Sarah. I'm starting this blog to address the stereotypes of the LGBT community. As a young girl I struggled with my sexual identity behind closed doors because I grew up in a place that was not understanding of queer people. Since I had no exposure to LGBT individuals, I was forced to research online, which can sometimes be a good tool, but when it comes to LGBT matters the information can be varied and most of it is false. After I moved to a more progressive area, it was easy to see that the information I had found was mostly false.

Each week I will address some of the claims, or stereotypes, that can be found on the internet about LGBT people. I will explain how these stereotypes started, then debunk or give them merit based on my own opinion and research. I hope to help young kids struggling to find true information on the LGBT community. Until next week, always remember #LoveWins.