LITR 5731: Seminar in American Minority Literature
University of Houston-Clear Lake, spring 2003
Student Research Project

In comparison to the stereotyping of women by men setting the platform for discrimination, gays also experience this stereotyping by the in-group inevitably leading to discrimination.  For example, in The Best Little Boy in the World the in-group sees homosexuality as a depraved embarrassing abnormal behavior.  This is demonstrated on several occasions throughout the novel.  For instance, the narrator’s father is beaten by his father for having a homosexual teacher.  The abnormal stigma attached to homosexuality is displayed when the narrator’s friend suggest that he sees a psychiatrist because the in-group sees it as a” problem”.

Clearly there is stereotyping where the homosexual and the woman are viewed and treated as second-class citizens.  In addition, the stereotyping of Native Americans in a negative perspective also demonstrates the Indian as a second-class citizen where because of the in groups views of this cultural group they are susceptible to discrimination.  Likewise, gays, shunned by the in-group of heterosexuals, are made into out groups who are discriminated against because it is only logical that discrimination follows negative stereotyping of that group.  The negative stereotyping gives the in-group ammunition to justify their superiority over the out-group.  Thus, the in-group seeks to oppress and discriminate the out-group because they stand to gain by keeping their superior status.  They gain the feeling of being better than the out-group because they have offered negative stereotypes to a group to make themselves look better. They gain or maintain their social, political, and economic status by ensuring no other groups infiltrate their sphere. The in group as men maintain their superior role in society by pigeon holing women into those stereotypes that ensure they remain the highest paid and get the jobs that are traditionally male.  Similarly, the in-group of white America stereotypes the Native American or any other ethnic minorities that benefit their agenda of justifying their actions toward a group.  For it is easier to accept a false generalization of a group when you are exploiting them or keeping them from progressing in order to maintain your political socioeconomic place in society.  For example, if one asserts that Native Americans are stupid and that is why the individual goes not consider a Native American for a job that pays more and has more responsibility and status, then discrimination based on stereotype has taken place.  Similarly, the in group seeks to protect their social standing in society and their institutions of religion and family by asserting that homosexuals are abnormal depraved and wrong for their sexual preference.  After all if the group stereotypes them in this negative manner then they couldn’t possibly give gays all of the rights a s heterosexuals— that would threaten their heterosexual way of life.

The stereotypes of Native Americans are not borne of relationship dynamics as the out groups women and men have been subjected to.  The in-group has obviously formulated this negative stereotype of the Indians to justify their actions toward the Native Americans in the past.  However, in the end gays, Native Americans and women are discriminate against as a result of the stereotyping of the in-group.  In fact, the feminist according to the book, The Feminist Movement sought to dispel “ the cult of true womanhood” wherein the woman’s domain is in the home.  Thus based on this stereotype— in an area of definite men and women roles--- women were not only prevented from aspiring to new goals they were also confined to this traditional feminine role.  Over the years, this stereotyping became more institutionalized into society.

In The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven the stereotypes of Native Americans are made evident to the reader based on the Native Americans Indians experience in everyday life.  Much like the women in American society in a particular era. Indians are made victims by the stereotypes that help develop society’s discrimination.  For instance, in the Lone Ranger the author quotes the following

                   “ Racism and loss as a people due to racism, Indians have a way of

                      Surviving big stuff, mass murder, loss of language and land rights

                      But not the small stuff like not being served at a restaurant because

                      He was Indian.”

This passage asserts it all in regards to how ethnic minorities who have negative stereotype attached to them by the in-group face blatant discrimination.  The seed of superiority has been planted by these stereotypes among the in-group.  The in-group must believe the stereotypes in order to justify their actions toward the Indian.  They must believe the stereotype in order to justify what it has done to the out-group in the past.  The actions and negative stereotype turn into dislike for the Indians.  This dislike turns into discrimination.

Unfortunately the same process takes place with stereotyping of homosexuals, which eventually turns into discrimination.  This is evident in TBLBITW where the boy hides his homosexuality because he fears experiencing the reaction that comes along with showing the in group that he’s gay.  He knew that he could not be the TBLBITW if he were to present his gayness because the out-group would discriminate against him spoiling the image he desired for himself.  Thus, he hid his homosexuality by passing as a heterosexual.  Incidentally, according to Lesbian and Gay Psychology, that passing enables gays to cope with discrimination.  It is asserted in this particular book that passing is effective in helping the user to obtain goods, services and jobs that otherwise would be inaccessible to them because of discrimination.  This discrimination by the in-group begins with the stereotyping, which fosters into their beliefs about homosexuality.  The belief system that is bias because it is used as a means of fostering the negative stereotype wherein homosexuals are seen as an inferior out group while the values of the heterosexual is seen as superior and or more normal than gay and lesbian sexual orientations.

Public policy laws have long been used to address and rectify the racism and discrimination inflicted upon vulnerable groups by the white male dominant society.  The law legislation has enabled the Native American, the woman, and the homosexual to live and function in society in a productive manner without or at least alleviating some of the discrimination these groups are subjected to because they are the out groups.  The public policy and laws have sought to address the effects of discrimination and racism inflicted upon these groups.  The effects of the discrimination on each group seemed to be different and therefore you see a difference in the legislation drawn for each group.  For example, the homosexuals not only wanted legislation to address how they are labeled in literature and media, but the right to work on a job as an open gay and not be discriminated against on the job because they are open gays.  Also, they voiced their desire to be afforded the inclusion of society’s institutions such as same sex marriage, adoption and the like.  The women’s legislation obviously did not reflect inclusion of America’s institutions of marriage because they were already a part of that.  In addition, the policies women rallied for to help alleviate discrimination did not, like the homosexuals, reflect changing policy regarding the labeling they’ve endured by the in-group.  The women’s biggest voice regarding legislation as well as homosexuals appear to be discriminatory employment practices.  Where women and gays parallel on the voice for legislation to address their unfair conditions, the legislation enacted for Native Americans was not enacted because of protest and the like from the Native Americans.  Instead the Indian’s legislation was enacted for the purpose of helping the seemingly passive Native Americans to assimilate into society and save them from socioeconomic ills.

The American Psychological Association Committee on Lesbian and Gay Concerns has set forth guidelines for avoiding heterosexual bias in language according to Lesbian and Gay Psychology recommending that authors use the terms gay male and lesbian rather than homosexual.  The changing terms regarding gays in written form were intended to reduce the perpetuation of negative stereotypes associated with the term homosexual.  In contrast, the women ‘s change regarding labels attributed to them was of no concern.  They were more concerned with dispelling beliefs that were embedded in society that sought to oppress them or make them subject to discriminating.  For example, in the book The New Feminist Movement the feminist wanted to dispel the label ‘ the cult of true womanhood” that includes the belief that the woman’s domain is in the home.  The feminist believed that this belief, like the bias terminology inflicted upon gays, sought to make them more susceptible to or fueled the discriminatory practices against them.  Another difference in concern among the homosexuals that makes some of their legislation different in content from the women and Native Americans is the homosexual’s desire to be included in the institutions of family, marriage and military.   Their sexual behavior specific to their sexual preference seems to play a major role in influencing legislation for them.  For example legislation exists that actually requires discrimination against them regarding the military regulations where women and Native Americans are not widely accepted into this institution.  Given that the only difference among these out groups in one respect is that the gays have unique sexual preferences, it stands to reason that the gays are not accepted by the military because of their sexual identity.  Same sex marriages, an obvious choice of concern for gays because it involves being legally married for emotional and economic reasons, is also legislation specific to gays. This issue has some ways to go given that only several states currently uphold same sex marriages.  In regards to gays making strides in family, it is more advanced as far as gay couples adopting children.  Additionally, it is far easier for a homosexual parent, post divorce, will be more favorably awarded legal custody of children.  Another area pertaining to gays that inspires certain public policy unique to the gay community and not pertinent to the other two out groups, Native Americans and women.  That specific issue is the sexual nature of or the act between homosexuals.  In response to this, the Civil Rights Commission of the U.S. has agreed to take jurisdiction over cases of unequal administration of the law based on sexual orientation discrimination and selective enforcement of sodomy laws.

While gays’ motives for certain policies are unique to what they experience in the form of discrimination and racism from the out group compared to women policies, the two out groups share one grievance and that is that there have been systematically discriminated against by the in group just as the Native Americans have.  However, the gay community and the women organized to protest discrimination thereby taking a proactive stance in changing their socioeconomic and political conditions. In contrast, The Native Americans’ legislation was brought about by the in groups’ initiative it seems and not by the organization or outcries of injustices on the part of the Native American.  Also, the Gays and Lesbians legislation appears to be legislation designed to make them more inclusive into society, but the Native American legislation seem to address mostly the issue of the Indians’ existence at the most basic levels of food and shelter as well as medical attention.

In the book Homosexuality and the Law, gays challenge the in-group regarding discrimination by battling it out in the legal courts.  This action has provided great strides gays gaining equal rights for themselves.  For example, in the public employment context there have been a significant number of judicial rulings that termination solely because of the employee’s homosexuality is impermissible, according to the book Homosexuality and the Law.  The case, Norton v. May was the first decision from a court ruling to hold that the constitutional rule that a public employee’s terms of employment be reasonable and nondiscriminatory applied to the case of a public employee discharged for immorality on the ground of homosexual conduct.  Another act of inclusion legislation for gays is that of the three US Courts of Appeals upholding the First Amendment right to university recognition of gay student organizations whose members advocated an end to legal restrictions on homosexual conduct and sought to generate understanding and acceptance of gay people.

Similarly to gays organizing and gaining more inclusion and less discrimination, the women as stated before, also experienced the same outcome from their protest.  For instance, organizations like NOW (National Organization for Women) borne out of the need to change women from second class to first class citizens helped to reverse a long-standing navy tradition by assigning female personnel to duty on warships.  The Federal administration specifically encouraged women to apply for White House Fellowships.  Attempts have been made by the two major political U.S. parties to increase the number of women delegates.  In the Protestant churches women seminary students demanded the opportunity to fill jobs traditionally held by men.  The EEOC, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was mandated by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to enforce laws that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex, race, and age.  Also, women made strides in equal opportunity in the Sears court case where the company was accused of sex discrimination in their employment practices.  The claim of sex discrimination on the part of the Sears Corporation was upheld as they were seen as not complying with affirmative action guidelines by not aggressively recruiting women for a particular job description.

In comparison, the passive actions of the Native Americans for equal rights were a very different outcome from the voices of protest by the women and gays.  The government allotted the Native Americans land under the Dawes Act.  They were also extended government assistance regarding housing and medical attention through Health Services and HUD.  The Native Americans favorable legislation for ameliorating their societal ills however did not come about by organizing such as the case with the other in groups mentioned.  It is important to note however that the Native Americans did experience benefiting from legislation that improved their economic status, such as the casinos on reservations and the use of their land for industry expansion as indicated in Lone Ranger.

The contrasts among these out groups are quite distinct even though the problems they face in society as far as discrimination are similar.  Differences exist in regards to what the in groups desire in their existence in America’s society has a lot to do with their differences in culture.  The Native Americans are not a people that are materialistic oriented as evident in The Lone Ranger.  In fact, the Native Americans want no or very little assimilation with the mainstream culture because they want to retain their own culture.  The customs and mores are experiences that the older generation of Indians knows as their life and they have passed those customs onto the newer generations of Indians as well keeping the customs and traditions of their culture somewhat alive.  An example of this demonstration of the Native Americans maintaining their culture is indicated when in Lone Ranger the Indian does not accept the watch given to him because it is considered the white man’s artifacts.  Also, when the Indians refer to time in this novel they measure it by using their breath or the moon and the like.  The fact that the Indians, as conveyed in Lone Ranger, are not willing to and in part unable to fully assimilate into the in groups culture because it is a foreign element clearly makes one aware of the Indians voice and choice regarding becoming part of the mainstream through legislation. Therefore, the Native Americans do not organize and protest for inclusion and equal rights and opportunity in the US to the extent of the other out groups because by custom the secular trappings and way of life of America is not what they desire.  To another effect, the women and the gays have known and lived the American culture that is discriminating against them and therefore has the desire to organize and protest in order to gain more inclusion into this culture.

Women appear to have more legislation in favor for them in order to counteract the discrimination faced in society than the gays.  It stands to reason that this outcome is in part due to the fact that society has dealt much longer with the issue of women’s right than it has homosexuality.  However, I believe the disproportionate amount o legislation between the two out groups exist primarily because the gay issue is a moral issue that seriously threatens the institutions that this country is based upon while the women’s issue s imply deal with dispelling a belief that has been embedded in society based on centuries of tradition.  The sexual act between same sex individuals is what threatens mainstream society causing them to exclude gays from the military, organizations, and institutions such as marriage and in some cases family.  The in group sees the gay’s behavior as not only unnatural and abominable but their existence and inclusion would go against the religious institution of the society.  Where many long standing religious factions believe that homosexuality is a sin having legislation in this country where religious tenements are deeply rooted into the core of American practices and more is going to take a much longer time to come to fruition than the women’s rights legislation has.  For accepting women into the military or corporate arena does nothing but dispel the myth that women are inferior to men.  However, allowing gays to legally marry, to become officially ordained priest, and to file, as husband and wife on tax returns are issues that tears away at the core morality of American society.  For example, Due to the fact that the institution of marriage as the in groups would assert is supposed to be between a man and a woman and to have the country assert it as being an institution involving two same sex individuals or a heterosexual couple is unthinkable to some.  It is unthinkable to the in-group because it threatens one of the institutions that this society has held endeared and defiling it seems irreprehensible to society.

The exclusion of gays under the affirmative action policy is another difference that exists between the mentioned out groups in this paper.  The women and Native Americans are protected groups under this policy to the exclusion of gays because of what I believe to be the issue of identification to a specific group.  The women and Native Americans can be physically attributed to their group of gender and ethnicity because they have apparent physical characteristic that enables society to label them appropriately into either or in some cases both minorities and female gender category.  This ability to easily identify women and native Americans into a certain group makes them more vulnerable and privy to discrimination by the in group because unlike gays minorities and women cannot hide the physical characteristic that make them specific to their group.

Lastly women contrast in their efforts to change legislation on their behalf compared to that of homosexuals because they had to redefine the roles that the in-group attributed t them over centuries.  While the gays only sought to have the in-group accept them as they were in a nondiscriminatory context.  Where women sought to voice and assert that they could do and was entitled to do any job that a man could do and their place in society was not only in the home, gays were asserting they had the right to be openly gay in their work environment and not be discriminated against because of this action. 

This research paper gave me insight about the process involved in historically discriminated groups becoming victims of racism, prejudice and discrimination.  The parallels among the in groups discussed were not surprising to me as I expected that certain synonymous aspects among the out groups were inevitable given that they are experiencing the same issues.  However the differences existing among the out groups regarding their treatment by the in group speaks volumes regarding the inability and inaccuracy of grouping these groups together and handling their situations the same from a legal and socioeconomic and political perspective.  Given this, it is clearly understandable how for example a white woman experience as an out-group would be drastically different and in most cases significantly less severe than the experience of a Native American or African American.  That the process and history behind the discrimination that the white woman experiences is less rooted in prejudice and hateful actions and feelings by the out group her assimilation into mainstream society will be a much more accepting transition than the transition of assimilation that an African American faces.  For the discrimination that and African American is affronted with involves centuries of systematic racism, negative stereotypes and the like that eventually culminates itself into racial discrimination.