Care Of Their Hiv Positive Heterosexual Parents example essay topic

Homosexuality in our society today has become more openly widespread than ever, yet many still view it as something new and strange. Shakespeare wrote of cross-dressing in the Twelfth Night and the famous poet Walt Whitman was a homosexual. So, why does society put an emphasis on homosexuality as being "dirty" or "evil"? Two men or two women should be allowed to join in matrimony and adopt children in more than two states. Racism and prejudice are synonymous words yet, one would think that to be racist is worse than being prejudice. If one admits that one is a racist society condemns he or she; however, a fear or dislike of homosexuals seems to break a common ground for most heterosexuals in our society.

That fear or dislike of a person could be aptly defined as a type of prejudice. Bruce Bawer explains, "In a world of prejudice, there is no other prejudice quite like it. Mainstream writers, politicians and cultural leaders who hate Jews or blacks or Asians but who have long since accepted the unwritten rules that forbid public expression of those prejudices still denounce gays with impunity" (61). There are many reasons people have as to why same sex couples should not wed. For some it is a deep personal and private reason and for others it is the fear of being exposed to something that is different. Two of the more prominent and maybe more discussed reasons are Aids and child abuse.

Lets take each of these reasons and briefly discuss how they affect a persons emotions, alters his or her judgment, and how not to let these reasons weigh so heavily on a person's feelings and perceptions of others. Child abuse is a very common problem. Many children are abused in some form whether it is physical, verbal, or emotional neglect chances are you may have been or known of a child that has been abused. Sexual assault of children (mainly boys) is a concern for many when considering the problems of same sex families. In a study done of a 175 incarcerated Massachusetts men who were imprisoned for the sexual assault of children, none of the prisoners had relations exclusively with men.

Forty percent were involved in heterosexual relationships. It could be concluded from this information that pedophiles are in a class to themselves; they are not limited to homosexual men. Pedophiles are more likely men who are not comfortable with their sexuality. Men who are comfortable enough with their sexuality to marry other men are more likely men who identify well with who they are sexually and therefore not as probable to abuse the children they care for (Graff 136). Victims and abusers come in many races and social classes; they are not limited to homosexual men. The number of people in our population who have tested positive for HIV and Aids is sadly climbing.

In the early and mid 90's homosexual men accounted for at least 45% of people who tested positive for HIV, so it is not unlikely that people should think that children in the care of homosexual men might contract the virus. Aids cases among heterosexual men are increasingly rising over the numbers of cases of homosexual and bisexual men (Hopkins and Johnston 18). There are many children who are still in the care of their HIV positive heterosexual parents. Many children are also abused by their heterosexual parents and there are also spouses in heterosexual marriages that are being abused by their significant other whose children are forced to watch.

You can point, stare, criticize, analyze and even make it illegal, but ultimately two people who love each other will be together and there is nothing you can do. Aids and child abuse are both horrible things that heterosexual are exposed to and commit yet no one does anything about it. Some heterosexuals have Aids and some commit child abuse but people don't scrutinize heterosexual relationships as they do homosexual relationships. They do this probably because a homosexual relationship isn't the norm but what is normal?

Two people who love each other and want to raise a child together are not normal. That is the conclusion to make from all the anti-homosexual opinions. Sexual orientation should not matter when children who need loving and caring families are considered and it definitely not be considered when two consenting adult want to make a formal commitment to one another.

Bibliography

Bawer, Bruce. "Homosexuality Is Normal". Sexual Values Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. David Bender, Bruno Leone, and Charles P. Comic. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995.
61. Graff, E.J. What is Marriage For? Boston: Beacon Press, 1999.
Hopkins, Kevin R., and Johnston, William B. "AIDS Is a Serious Problem for Heterosexuals" AIDS Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. David L. Bender, Bruno Leone, and Karen L. Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1992.