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Victoria Cendejas
Jennifer Rodrick
Queer Studies 115
20 October 2016

Space Shapes Queer Identities

Since the 1970s, a key goal of lesbian and gay activists has been protection against street
violence, especially in gay neighborhoods(Christina B. Hanhardt). Space has shaped queer
identities because they no longer feel like they are trapped in one place; they finally feel free and
they can actually be themselves without being trapped into labels that other people place onto
them. Religion, society, and family are the main factors to which the LGBTQ+ community feels
imprisoned within one another. Society, religion, and family make the queer community feel
restrained from being themselves because it forces them to stay hidden from who they truly are
instead of embracing who they want to be. By the second date of the 21st century the presence
of the gays and lesbians in urban areas is widely acknowledged, mostly tolerated, but still rarely
considered in public planning processes(Petra L. Doan). The presence of the people from the
LGBTQ+ community has been growing more and more on a daily basis which means that they
are now more comfortable being themselves around normal people.
The Duggars have held themselves up as a model of Christianity in America: wearing
their religion on their sleeves, the family is politically active, deeply conservative, anti-LGBT,
patriarchal, and anti-science. Some members of the family have adopted a particularly
evangelical bent to their faith, telling other Christians: if you arent as conservative as us, youre
not real Christians(Brynn Tannehill). Religion has shaped people from the queer community to
become more suppressed because they are not able to be themselves. Their religion doesnt allow

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them to truly be who they are because it holds them back instead of pushing them to be who they
want to be for the rest of their lives. This is slowly changing because people from the LGBTQ+
community are starting to care more about themselves than their religion. Theyre doing this by
leaving their religion in order to be free to be themselves.

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People who are both Christian and
part of the LGBTQ+ community
struggle more than others, due to their
religion not allowing them to be who
they are. "Real Christians" like the
Duggars would like to think they're
doing God's work. But if they're
judged by the fruits of their tree, as
the Bible teaches, they've actually driven Americans away from churches. And new research
indicates that their entrenched, anti-LGBT positions are part of why Americans are abandoning
the faith in record numbers and not coming back(Brynn Tannehill). There are people and
families who are so devoted to their religion; they wont accept anything that opposes it.
However, there are more people slowly leaving their religion because of people like the Duggars
family. My best friend is both gay and Christian and I saw him struggle so much because of his
religion. He had many arguments with his parents because in the beginning, they couldnt accept
the fact that he was gay. He left his religion as a Christian and became an atheist; his parents
kicked him out of the house and he had to come live with me for a couple of weeks. His parents
later on regretted their decision and eventually let him back into their house about two months
later. They realized that they were wrong and that they wanted to see their son happy no matter
what his choice was. Even though they still dont approve of their son being gay, they have
realized that no matter what happens, they just want to be there for him like any other parent
would be there for their child.

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On the other hand, not all Christians are not as understanding. I know a few of my friends
went through the same thing and their parents still dont talk to them or want anything to do with
them. This is shaping them to become stronger and more independent, its also making them
realize that there are a lot of people who wont accept them for who they are and there will be
others who will. Families and providers often believe that young people have to be adults before
they can know they are gay. Many assume that being gay is a phase that youth will grow out of
as they get older(Caitlyn Ryan, 2009, p. 2). My best friends parents also thought that being part
of the queer community is just a phase and he will eventually grow out of it. However, they are
beginning to realize that is not, its something that you cant grow out of after a couple of
months. Its been four years since they have found out that their only son is gay and they are
barely realizing that he is not going to change and he will remain as a part of the queer
community for the rest of his life.
Society has shaped queer identities because society doesnt allow them to be themselves
freely. The concept of normal has been a pervasive and debilitating standard by which
homosexuals have routinely and unfairly been judged. However, in an effort to be normal many
individuals in the gay community have embraced the politics of assimilation. (Yoshino, 2006, p.
77) (Kirsten E. Fricke, 2010, p. 43). Society limits them to as what they can do or be because if
they are different, they arent considered to be a part of a normal society. Even though there are
people who dont agree with those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, there are others
who will fully support them and their space. Space has helped the queer community because it
doesnt limit them to the different stereotypes they have. Stereotypically, the queer community
belongs to the art industry, however, now they are starting to become something else. There are
more engineers, teachers, and other careers that they are categorizing themselves into.

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Society is slowly accepting the queer
community and they have their own space to be who
they are. For example, they are being shown more
often and publicly. They are now being shown more on
television and on social media. Of course, one of the
earliest and most visible representatives of the LGBT
community was Ellen DeGeneres, who famously came
out on her television show Ellen in 1997 only to see her show canceled shortly
thereafter(Angela Watercutter). Even though her show was cancelled after she came out, it
eventually aired again and it is now a very successful and high rated show. There are also other
shows and movies that are highly supportive of the queer community. Another example would be
The Fosters; its about a lesbian couple who fosters children in need. The show has two women
as a married couple with four foster children and one child of one of the women. The show
demonstrates equality and how we should all be happy no matter whom you are.
Space has shaped the LGBTQ+ community because it allows them to be free from
everyones expectations. Families, society, and religion play huge factors in the queer
community because they all restrain them from who they truly are. However, most of the people
from the queer community are coming out more often because they began to choose their
happiness instead of staying suppressed into others labels and anticipations. Space has
encouraged the LGBTQ+ community because they finally feel free and they are able to do
whatever they want without being judged by others.

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Works Cited
1. Subject, By. Safe Space | Duke University Press. Safe Space | Duke University Press.
Safe Space, n.d. Web 18 Oct. 2016.
2. Doan, Petra L., editor. Google Books. New York, NY, Routledge, 2015.
3. Tannehill, Brynn. How The Nonreligious Nones Are Driving LGBT Equality in the
U.S. Gay News, LGBT Rights, Politics, Entertainment. Advocate, 08 June 2015. Web. 18
Oct. 2016.
4. Fricke, Kristen E. The Influence of Society on Queer Identity Development and
Classification. UMV. N.p., Jan. 2010. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
5. Ryan, Caitlyn. Helping Families Support Their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
(LGBT) Children. LGBT Brief. Family Acceptance Project, Fall/Winter 2009. Web. 18
Oct. 2016.
6. Watercutter, Angela. How Pop Culture Changed the Face of the Same-Sex Marriage
Debate. Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 27 June 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.