Gay Rights

Historically, the term gay rights has encompassed areas as diverse as free speech, employment, religion, and cultural expression. Proponents of gay rights argue that the ability to inherit property from their partners without paying inheritance taxes, to have legal standing in matters involving a partner's health and legal guardianship, the right to marry, and the right to adopt children are basic civil rights that belong to all individuals, including gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals. Critics of gay rights argue that homosexuality is contrary to human nature, generally from a moral or religious perspective.

Because there are so many interest groups with widely diverging perspectives, there can be no single definition for the term gay rights, but in a broad sense it refers to a movement that supports nondiscrimination against lesbians, gay men, transgender individuals, and other sexual minorities identified by sexual orientation. From a business perspective, such support would include access to equal employment opportunities, provision of domestic partnership benefits, gayinclusive diversity training, the protection of employees against violence and other forms of harassment in the workplace, and nonbiased representations of gays and lesbians in television, newspapers, and all other forms of media. Critics of such corporate policies contend that promotion of a gay or lesbian lifestyle undermines family values. Groups such as Focus on the Family and The Christian Coalition argue that gay rights advocates are seeking special treatment. In response, these groups conduct protests, create picket lines, and boycott products and services to make their opposition known.

Taking a position either for or against gay rights must first assume that all individuals are entitled to rights. From a philosophical point of view, a presupposition to rights can be disputed. Rights theorists have examined this question from a variety of perspectives, taking into consideration the fact that an individual's actions may be governed by self-interest or preservation of a culture or community, or that one might shift the discussion from a matter of rights to one that focuses on responsibilities. If an employee, for example, claims a right to spousal health insurance, does that employee have a corresponding obligation to claim that right for others in the same firm? In addition, one might argue that such benefits are not natural but acquired rights, and as such do not extend to all members of the community. Such arguments have broad implications. Nevertheless, organizations, whether countries or corporations, have created constitutions, laws, policies, and regulations based on the assumption that certain fundamental rights do exist. Whether or not these rights can be extended to specific interests groups such as gays and lesbians is a matter of historical debate.