Introduction
The primary goal of this research is to identify how the LGBT community is portrayed by traditional news and to see if any signs of discrimination or unfair treatment are shown. It needs to be said that it is a significant issue that should not be overlooked and has been actively discussed over the last few years. One of the biggest problems that the LGBT community currently has to deal with is prejudice and misunderstandings. Newspapers have a huge influence on the population, and it is paramount to make sure that no form of discrimination is promoted or supported.
Methodology
A methodology for this research will consist of the review of online newspaper articles, and analysis using qualitative data analysis software, and manual review of the data that is received. It is paramount to note that sources were chosen based on convenience because it is an appropriate approach in this case. It needs to be said that the biggest number of articles were viewed on The Guardian and the New York Times websites because the information is presented comprehensively, and it is not a hard task to look for articles that discuss similar topics. The coding has been performed with the use of NVivo computer program that is known for its efficiency.
The results of the research will be discussed, and primary topics and patterns that have been identified will be mentioned. It is imperative to note that this software can be viewed as extremely reliable, and no issues with the validity of the data that is received are expected. One of the most significant aspects that should not be overlooked is that recent articles were used to get a better understanding of the current situation. Such codes as community, discrimination, gay, group, lesbian, LGBT, sex, transgender were chosen. In my opinion, they would help to identify how frequently such terms are mentioned. It is paramount to say that it is especially interesting how often issues that are related o unfair treatment are mentioned.
Findings
The results of the analysis indicate that such words as “gay” and “transgender” used quite often. One of the problems that should be mentioned is that some individuals believe that such terms should not be acceptable and prefer other ones. The word “gay” has been mentioned 71 times, “lesbian” was used 13 times. Such results indicate that the first term is globally viewed as acceptable, and it is entirely possible that the second one soon will not be used in newspapers. Another significant aspect that is worth noting is that such individuals are identified as community and group, and this factor should not be disregarded because it is evident that the movement is quite influential. However, a consensus on this topic has not been achieved. The fact that discrimination is mentioned almost in every single paper indicates that it is a critical issue that is frequently being associated with the LGBT community.
It is paramount to say that it was used 15 times, and “anti-discrimination” was used six times. It needs to be said that even such relatively small numbers should not be disregarded because it is a critical issue. Pride is another word that is frequently mentioned, and it is not surprising because it has been associated with this movement for a long time. Sexuality is another code that needs to be discussed because this topic has been extremely controversial. The problem is that some believe that it should not be openly demonstrated by members of this community. Another pattern that has been identified during the research is that many authors want to draw attention to issues that are related to reporting because they believe that many individuals do not have an understanding of their rights. Overall, it should be noted that similar terminology is used in most cases.
Discussion
It is paramount to note that the article titled “More than half of LGBT students have felt unsafe at school” was especially interesting because the author discusses issues that are not frequently mentioned. The students that use homophobic language are regarded as bullies, and it is believed that members of the LGBT community are afraid to report such incidents because they are worried that nothing would be done about it. The fact that they are discriminated by schools is especially worrying because it promotes such behavior among other students (Kohli, 2015).
Another critical aspect that should not be overlooked is that it is frequently mentioned that such individuals prefer a particular type of clothing when they participate in activities such as meetings and protests. An article about the situation in Russia was also essential for the research, and the author mentions that the way members of this community are treated in other countries is different (Raspopina, 2015). The biggest problem is that they have to deal with numerous attacks, and discrimination is especially dangerous.
Some people are described as not being afraid to voice their opinions, and always ready to fight for their rights. Another issue that should be noted is that homophobia is still present in almost every environment, and it is especially problematic in prisons (James, 2015). The primary goal of the article titled “Brands that come out for LGBT rights must proudly walk the talk” it to address the fact that companies should be respectful, and not use this topic as a way to promote their products. It is also interesting that the number of organizations that show support for such individuals is truly astounding. It is imperative to say that the fact that the LGBT community has suffered from stereotypes in all forms of media is also acknowledged (Rowland, 2015).
Another significant aspect that should be taken into account is that such individuals often have to deal with issues in other areas, and it is mentioned that anti-discrimination laws are needed (Eckholm, 2015). The protection that is offered is a vital factor that should not be disregarded because it is evident that the support that is being offered by the media is enormous. On the other hand, It is imperative to say that it is not surprising that writers are incredibly tolerant because any sign of discrimination that is shown in the articles at this point would be met negatively by the population, and the reputation of the company may also be affected. Another significant aspect that should not be overlooked is that. The fact that modern technologies have changed the way such individuals are perceived is also essential because it allows them to express their emotions in posts that can be viewed all over the globe with the use of such tools as social media (Haber, 2014).
It should be noted that most authors perceive it is a particular group of people that are different from others, and they deserve the attention because they have to deal with numerous problems that need to be addressed. It needs to be said that it is especially interesting that similar terminology is used to describe seniors in “Chicago’s first LGBT retirement center” article. The vulnerability of this community is also discussed, and it needs to be said that it is especially dangerous for an elder (Stafford, 2015). Another aspect that should be noted is that all of these papers mention issues that are related to policies, and authors agree that such changes are necessary. The support that is shown is massive, and the fact that people can be much more vocal is also critical (Smith, 2015).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that progress has been shown over the last few years, and the way the LGBT community is portrayed by traditional news has also changed. The terminology that is used is also worth mentioning. Most news sources prefer to describe such individuals as a group that has similar perspectives and opinions. It is possible that some of the terms will not be used in the future, but it is hard to make such predictions. It Is imperative to say that it is not surprising that the LGBT community is supported by traditional news, and the way they are portrayed is relatively the same. Overall, coding has helped to identify particular patterns that are present in the articles that were chosen, and the data that is received can be viewed as valuable.
References
Eckholm, E. (2015). Next fight for gay rights: bias in jobs and housing. The New York Times. Web.
Haber, M. (2014). Technology’s rainbow connection. The New York Times. Web.
James, E. (2015). Coming out: LGBT people lift the lid on life in prison. The Guardian. Web.
Kohli, S. (2015). More than half of LGBT students have felt unsafe at school. The Los Angeles Times. Web.
Raspopina, S. (2015). Russian LGBT festival refuses to be silenced by “gay propaganda” law. The Guardian. Web.
Rowland, N. (2015). Brands that come out for LGBT rights must proudly walk the talk. The Guardian. Web.
Smith, M. (2015). Indianapolis rallies around its gay citizens after a law sets off a flood of support. The New York Times. Web.
Stafford, Z. (2015). Chicago’s first LGBT retirement center. The Guardian. Web.