LGBTQ representation in our society has grown substantially throughout recent years. LGBTQ individuals were once brushed off by society, and those who had come out were ridiculed and discriminated against. Society disapproved of being a homosexual and some believed being a homosexual would result in going to hell after death. Families of those who were gay would often send them off to a conversion camp. LGBTQ individuals were tortured at these camps to try and “cure” them of being gay. The traumatic experience of these camps not only can destroy the individuals relationship with themselves, but also their families.
The shocking thing about this is that it is still legal. The article linked above was published in 2018, these are modern times and 41 states still have conversion camps legalized. LGBTQ representation in society has always been important, but now even more than ever. Since same sex marriage has been legalized in more states it may seem like equality is near. However, if that were the case these camps would not be legal in over 75% of states in the United States. LGBTQ representation in comics and media is at an all time high. A film example of gay representation is Love, Simon while a comic that has a great example of LGTBQ relations is one we read in class, Fun Home. Before reading this in class, Professor Whalen gave us a warning that the comic involved explicit content. In this case, it was a lesbian pair engaging in sexual contact. This content being up for discussion at a University is very beneficial for the LGTBQ community because not only are they being talked about, but they are being talked about in an academic setting. This means they are now relevant in our education, and are more widely accepted than in the past.