Summary

Although we’d like to believe that LGBT individuals are free to be who they are and our now only fighting for positive freedoms, or “freedoms to…” this isn’t the case. In some states, LGBT individuals can be fired for being open about their sexuality. Some states have failed to put in place hate crime laws or equal housing laws. Although we have come far with equality and civil rights for some minorities, we have a ways to go with sexual minorities.

Perhaps you’ve heard of a the term, the “gay agenda.” This term is used to suggest that the LGBT community is out to control society or to obtain special privileges. But what is it that gay individuals really want? LZ Granderson makes so many great points in his TED speech entitled, “The Myth of the Gay Agenda.”

“When you hear the words ‘gay lifestyle’ and ‘gay agenda’ in the future, [look] to your left, look to your right. That person next to you is a brother, is a sister. And they should be treated with love and respect.”

With these words, he is trying to remind society that gays are not that different from the rest of us. They have the same activities, love their families, and don’t want to be treated than anyone else. That’s all.

Many of the cartoons analyzed seem to be targeting people’s emotions, whether for or against same-sex marriage. This type of targeting sometimes can ignore the facts of the debate and lean towards making people feel that what they believe is true. This type of messaging doesn’t really recognize facts in the arguments, and fails to help people gain an unbiased understanding of the issues at hand.

I’ve noticed some things while researching cartoons portraying marriage rights for same-sex couples. I learned that some of the issue still rests with cartoonists characterizing stereotypes of the LGBT community in their portrayals of these individuals. Stereotypes such as feminine men, being extremely confrontational, promiscuity, and a variety of others, are reinforced in the average citizen’s mind who may not be familiar with an LGBT individual in their life. Its important that to these people, we represent the LGBT community in an accurate and fair way.

Another issue I identified in cartoons that negatively portray marriage rights is their demeaning of the value of marriage. They claim that they want to protect marriage, but then they say that it is just a “distraction” or isn’t an important issue when it is related to same-sex couples. But it shouldn’t be ignored. Marriage is extremely important to these people, and it is hypocritical to declare that one is out to defend the importance of marriage and keep stating how important it is in society , but then refuse the right to so many people that wish to marry and have a family. It keeps the LGBT community under their scrutiny and doesn’t elevate them to the status as an equal citizen in the eyes of the general public, or the law.

Some cartoons shed positive light on the issue as well as sexual minorities themselves. Cartoons showing gay couples as regular looking individuals, often with families, shows a more accurate picture of LGBT people. Those that wish to marry are loving, and often looking to start a family or unite a family. These cartoons show that love is not different just because the genders of the individuals is the same. They also portray the false logic that accompanies anti-gay activists, and really make us think about the role of equality in modern society.

In the end, the purpose of editorial cartoons is to start a discussion, and they surely do this. One cannot help but feel a certain way, whether consoled by a similar opinion, or enraged by a stance one does not agree with. Editorial cartoons create a visual of the arguments that are often left unsaid in society, because people are too afraid to say them. These cartoons can truly be a voice of the unheard.