The Lavander Scare: Discrimination and Inequality Towards the LGBTQIA+ Community in the Past and Present U.S.

Abstract

This paper focuses on the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States in accessing equitable treatment and opportunities in multiple sectors. A starting point for understanding the issue is going to be an analysis of the Lavender Scare, the U.S. government's systematic persecution of suspected homosexuals during the Cold War. Considering that historical precedent, the research navigates how discrimination and inequality towards LGBTQIA+ individuals persist today: In the employment sector, sexual discrimination is pervasive in the hiring process, career advancement, and working conditions, leading to disparities in salary and economic marginalization. Regarding education, American students who identify as LGBTQIA+ are often victims of harassment at school, which has a detrimental impact on their social lives and academic performance. In healthcare, disparities arise in the availability of high-quality care, the treatment healthcare professionals reserve for LGBTQIA+ individuals, and the consequent lack of policies that fully protect the community. Inequality also has a significant effect on mental health outcomes, with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide risk among LGBTQIA+ individuals. The study is supported by a thirty-year literature review of governmental reports and academic studies from 1993 to 2022 and it seeks to analyse inequality from a horizontal point of view, that is between groups within a region with different identities. This paper also aims to promote awareness of the status of LGBTQIA+ rights in the United States and hopes to highlight the urgent need for more efficient anti-discrimination policies and holistic LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices.