LGBTQ+ Community Asks for Basic Human Rights
Written by Anthony Allen
An exhibit explaining the progress of the LGBTQ+ community and their struggle in becoming of the same legal status as straight people in Missouri was relocated from the capital state building and moved to a side state building away from the public. The exhibit was planned to be in the state capital as a showcase of Pride until the state GOP, the Republican party, had it removed from Capitol grounds questioning why it was being shown in the first place. The exhibit is now being held in the Jefferson City waterfront building. This work was only on display for four days until the Republican controlled senate questioned why this was taking space in the Capitol. Several complaints from citizens of Missouri, towards our current Governor Parsons, expressed against the exhibit and representatives of the state complied and removed the exhibit. Democratic representatives expressed their concerns saying “ We apologize the way this unfolded … We agree the history of all Missourians is an important story [that] needs to be told” says Dru Buntin, the DNR director, on Friday, September the 4th. Democratic leaders in the Missouri Congress fought against the house, controlled by the Republican party, against the removal of the exhibit expressing that this “[is] extremist in the Legislature who will go to any length to erase LGBT+ history” reported by the Kansas City Star. The exhibit is currently at the Lohman building.
Missouri has had its fair share of laws against the LGBTQ+ community. In 2004, Amendment 2, a law against same sex marriage, passed with 71% of the vote. The law only recognized marriage between a man and a woman. ` Since this law was inplace, the Federal Government of the United States passed same-sex marriage for all states in 2015. After this occured, Missouri was required to not only support the federal law enacted but now introduce their own legislation supporting the federal law. Surprisingly, the senate, mostly Republican controlled, passed laws against sexuality, sexual preference, and gender identity.
On an opinion point from now on, the senate of Missouri has let down thousands of citizens on this issue. The Republican controlled senate of the state constantly attacks its own citizens who not only work in the state but also pay taxes. The LGBTQ+ community has only asked for basic human rights, the same ones straight couples have had for centuries now. People, no matter what denomination or sexual identity deserve the same rights and respects as all citizens of the United States. The people of this country claim this is the “melting pot of all cultures” all while hating certain communities of people, especially minorities and people of color. People of this country need to realize that their neighbor, no matter how different they are from you, are still human beings in the end and deserve all the respect and love you pass on to others of your own kind. There are worse problems in our society than to pass hate onto one another just out of differences you cannot agree with.
