1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Homosexual Rights

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by ebra, Nov 29, 2007.

  1. ebra

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2007
    Messages:
    125
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton (In Alberta, In Canada!)
    Canada's charter of Rights protects people against discrimination based on religion, race and other characteristics but not on sexual orientation. The Charter should protect homosexuals too. (Agree or Disagree)

    This is an assignment I have for my introduction to Law class.

    Any views and opinions would be great, and so would permission to use them in my paper.

    I know you guys will have a fun time with this one :grin:
     
  2. Louise

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2007
    Messages:
    1,376
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    France
    AGREE!!!!​
     
  3. Louise

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2007
    Messages:
    1,376
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    France
    Seriously any and all minority groups should be protected from discrimination. What I find hard to understand is 'human rights' are for all humans right? So it shouldn't matter if you are black, Jewish, Hispanic, gay, one legged or bald! You are a human being thus the human rights are your rights!
     
  4. joeyconnick

    joeyconnick Guest

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Messages:
    3,069
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Well obviously I agree but I'm surprised you would get assigned such an assignment in a law class given that sexual orientation was "read in" as a protected grounds in the mid-1990s with the Vriend case. That is, legally speaking, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom DOES protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

    Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vriend_v._Alberta
     
  5. beckyg

    beckyg Guest

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2007
    Messages:
    6,656
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Middle of Oregon
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Straight
    Joey, I'm curious. Does it protect gender identity also?
     
  6. joeyconnick

    joeyconnick Guest

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Messages:
    3,069
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Hey Becky,

    Sadly, yet predictably, (as far as I know) no. I think there might have been some progress on that front by trying to handle gender identity discrimination as sexism... basically considering "sex" as not wholly biologically determined but rather more the modern theoretical way that "gender" is considered, so that if someone essentially transitions from male to female or vice versa and you refuse to acknowledge that and discriminate against the person because of the refusal to accept the transition, that is said to fall under the grounds of people being protected against discrimination on the basis of their "sex." As you probably know, that's a poor substitute for stronger and clearer language because really then it only covers transsexuality and not other forms of alternative genders.

    (I just checked on wikipedia to make sure I wasn't completely talking out of my ass and I did get it right--as much as one can rely on wikipedia--about things federally in Canada. One of our territories, the Northwest Territories, actually specifically protects people against discrmination on the basis of gender identity, and one of our provinces has more vaguely worded protections regarded the same thing.)
     
  7. biisme

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2007
    Messages:
    0
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    of course i agree!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  8. Jamie

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2006
    Messages:
    680
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Drammen, Norway (from England originally).
    hmmm come to a GLBT website and then ask if we think protection of people due to sexual orientation should be provided.... hmm i'd have to say agree!!! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  9. sdc91

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2007
    Messages:
    1,402
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The Castro, San Francisco, California
    In an ideal world we wouldn't need laws that specifically provide protection for minorities, but sadly we do in this society.
     
  10. Zak

    Zak
    Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2007
    Messages:
    0
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    I agree 110%
     
  11. Proud1p4

    Proud1p4 Guest

    as for the "gender identity" question, i don't know about legally,
    but its every year it shows up in our school policy pamphlets.
     
  12. beckyg

    beckyg Guest

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2007
    Messages:
    6,656
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Middle of Oregon
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Straight
    Our laws here in Oregon protect gender identity also. We are one of just a few states that do so. I think these people are discriminated against more then gays and lesbians.
     
  13. justjoshoh

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2005
    Messages:
    363
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    This is a side note, but it is something that bugs me whenever non-discrimination issues come up. The natural idea is to think of the protected class to be the minority, i.e. for race issues most assume blacks, for gender identity most assume transgendered persons, for sexual orientation most assume homosexuals.

    Though the non-discrimination legislation to be valid, at least by United States standards, everyone must be equally protected under the law. That means that the protected class is not limited to the minority, it is that everyone is part of the protected class. It is just as discriminatory for a homosexual boss to terminate a person for being heterosexual as it is for a heterosexual boss to terminate a person for being homosexual.

    This is usually a fundamental argument that is overlooked by dissuaders when anti-discriminatory legislation is debated. Those seeking to place characteristics in anti-discriminatory legislation are seeking equal rights, not special rights.

    Sorry for the tangent, between this thread and the feedback from my city's recent anti-discrimination ordinance I have seen too many references to gay rights, implying a special right.

    Nonetheless, as you might imagine, I support equal rights being extended to include the characteristics of gender identity and sexual orientation.
     
  14. beckyg

    beckyg Guest

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2007
    Messages:
    6,656
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Middle of Oregon
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Straight
    Good point Josh!
     
  15. Psychedelic Bookmarks

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2007
    Messages:
    1,481
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    excellent point, josh! it also really bugs me when people talk about implementing "women's rights" or "women's issues" in some situations too, implying that women are the minority. women are half the population of the whole bloody world!!! like in history, if we study a culture, one part of the topic is often "the role of women". as if the whole of the rest, about general society, is naturally about the more important men, and you just need one specialised little section to deal with those little women over there. we are not the minority! you could equally have a small section on "the role of men" but it would be seen for what it is - ridiculous! what we want is equal gender rights for all people, not "specialised women's rights issues". meh.

    btw, sorry, ebra, i have nothing to contribute to your assignment. but maybe you could say that basically, people should have the right so be themselves without discrimination, if it does not infringe other's rights, or lead to societal breakdown. so, you cannot be mistreated because of gender or race: that's just who you are. similarly, gay people do no harm, it is simply the way they are, so they should be protected in the same way.
     
    #15 Psychedelic Bookmarks, Dec 1, 2007
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2007