Lacey Dustin and Kaden Burdette

Course: Diversity in the U.S., SOC-215
Professor: Dr. Roxanna Harlow
Assignment Title: The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement

Assignment Details

Our project aims to offer context and information regarding common vocabulary and terms, the history of the LGBTQ community in the United States, and the struggles and strides of this community. People in the LGBTQ community have struggled to gain recognition as legitimate identities for many years, enduring marginalization, discrimination, and violence because of their identities. While many parts of society have attempted to push away and silence the voices of LGBTQ people, the community continues to push back and make their voices heard. 

In this project, we researched current and past laws limiting the LGBTQ community, and we had the opportunity to create a podcast with Assistant Professor at Carroll Community College and Air Force veteran, Austrie Duarte. This interview gave us a firsthand perspective of the personal impacts Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell had on herself, her family, and her work environment. We also touch on the impacts of heteronormativity, marriage rights, and what it’s like to be in the military amidst the DADT policy. 

Application

From creating this project, we gained transferable skills like website creation, design, and audio editing. This project gave us an opportunity to try a new format of presentation and learn new skills we can utilize in the future.  We also gained insights on advocacy, activism, diversity, and inclusion. Researching this topic revealed the intricate history and culture of the LGBTQ community. Our research provided a better understanding of how discrimination and marginalization have impacted the LGBTQ community in the past and today. This project also revealed that the LGBTQ community’s rights and safety continue to be at risk, and it is in everyone’s best interest to protect the safety and rights of all.

Results/Conclusions

In our takeaways section of the website, we created a podcast to conclude the project and talk about what we can do to ensure the rights of the LGBTQ community are protected. We concluded that action and recognition are important ways to support the community. We can act by holding our government accountable and ensuring that laws are not created to only benefit one group. We can also be vigilant by advocating for ourselves and our peers. Another way to act is by creating community and public awareness with the goal of the safety and comfort of all, regardless of one’s identity. Being seen and understood is extremely important, especially to a community that has been silenced and marginalized for generations. It is also important to challenge and question social norms, educate ourselves, keep an open mind, and practice deep listening to the perspectives and experiences of others. We must acknowledge the past, challenge the present, and create an environment of empathy and equity for our future.

Challenges and Successes

This was our first time creating a podcast and website. We were very excited about it and had high expectations, but it came with challenges. Editing and uploading our podcast was full of trial and error, but successfully uploading it to the website was extremely rewarding.  When we decided to create a website, we knew we wanted to add an interactive aspect through creating a podcast interview. Initially, the task felt intimidating, but we knew it would add a personal touch. Seeing our vision come together proved that we don’t need experience to attempt something new. We are incredibly grateful to Professor Duarte and her willingness to share her story. We believe that learning from the experiences of others to gain a new perspective and understanding of others.