The Changes in Culture that No Longer Consider Deviant Behavior Acts

Its 2019 and the word has progressed in so many ways. I think it’s easy for individuals to forget certain instances in the past, and rely on the fact that society literally never stops changing. Optimism is important because it hails on the principle that good times are always on the horizon. In recent times, there have been two events that were extremely taboo in the past that only a few remember. It’s an important reminder that there will always be “naysayers” who fear change and do not want to be a part of it, however progress will not be stopped because of the cries of the few. In recent times, two events have caught my attention and that’s the progression of gay rights and interracial/ mixed marriages from deviant to societal norms. To put these events into perspective, I always look back into history and carefully evaluate how far we have come and how far we still have left to go. Back in the day, both homosexuality and mixed-race relationships were considered deviant behavior and going against all that is “right”. This paper will discuss the changes in culture that no longer consider these acts deviant behavior.

Homosexuality has been “taboo” for certain communities for centuries mainly for religious reasons. It has been considered “ungodly” or “nasty” to the moral elite. Homosexuality is thought of as a deviation from the societal norms, and because of that it’s seen in a negative manner. The very concept of homosexuality creates fear in the eyes of people who are worried it will put an end to procreation. Because of the “fears” associated with homosexuality, there have been rules in place to sway societal opinion and protect what has become commonplace across cultures. Homosexuality was seen as a negative lifestyle choice. To be blatantly honest, the majority of religious text is riddled with homophobia, so witnessing homosexuals being ostracized from society was somewhat of a “spiritual cleansing. Homosexuals are an easy target because spiritual text deems it as an unnatural disgrace of human nature. It was common for mental health professionals to institutionalize, castrate, and even use shock therapy to stop or “cure” people from being homosexual.

Due to immense stigma on homosexuals there were policies put in place to essentially silence their struggle and keep them “in their place”. One of the most notable policies was Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Don’t ask don’t tell was a military policy that allowed members of the military to not seek evidence of homosexual activity among enlisted personnel. Under this policy it was not punishable to refrain from disclosing homosexual behaviors identities. Before this policy was in effect, the military had a segment that investigated cases where there was a suspicion of homosexual behavior, and if discovered it was possible for dishonorable discharge. According to Kellie Buford’s article From Exclusion to Acceptance A Case History in the U.S Court of Military Appeals “Military personnel of all ranks and occupations harbored a variety of attitudes and beliefs about homosexuality that challenged the legitimacy and uniformity of the military's legal assault on sexual deviance. Over half of the active duty personnel originally accused of homosexual tendencies received either sentence reductions or sentence reversals as a result of this highly contested process by which official military policy was translated into practice via courts-martial.” (Buford, K 2013). This shows the attitude that was so engrained in our society against homosexuals, that individuals that wanted to serve our country were considered unfit because of their sexual orientation.

Similar to laws like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, there were laws banning the recognition of same sex marriages as well. For instance, Prop 8 passed in California stating that the only marriage recognized by the state of California was between a man and a woman. California has a very high homosexual population, and Prop 8 was another reminder that they will never have the same rights or get the same recognition as same sex couples. Many proponents of the ban on gay marriage were happy that the institution of marriage was “protected”. Traditionalists believe that if marriage is no longer between a man and a woman, then marriage doesn’t exist, and that marriage between same sex couples opens pandoras box to allow unions between people and animals. Laws like Prop 8 and Don’t Ask Don’t tell paved the way for gay conversion therapy programs.

Conversion therapy’s sets out to change the sexual orientation of an individual from gay, bisexual, or lesbian to that of a “normal” heterosexual. Conversion therapy is essentially rehoming a person’s mind. Conversion therapy consist of therapy, homosexual deterrence techniques and prayer. Conversion therapy has been known to have long lasting damaging effects. “Adults who have been through some form of this so-called ‘treatment’ as youngsters often become depressed and suicidal due to inner conflict about sexual orientation — and guilt over the inability to change it. Such survivors of conversion efforts often become unable to form intimate relationships in adult life” (Rushlow, A 2015). The mental health of people are not considered in these “therapy” programs, what is given consideration is the perception society has on homosexuals because they are not heterosexual.

Whereas it is true that there is still much of the world that openly attacks the LGBTQ community, thanks to increased awareness and the free information dispensed by the support groups and various media outlets homosexuality is slowly being de-stigmatized. In today’s society it is common for members of the LGBTQ community to be seen in public and thriving. Policies like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell were repealed in 2011, and the ban on gay marriage was lifted by the supreme court on a vote of 5-4. The ruling states that the constitution guarantees the rights for same-sex couples to marry. “Anti-LGBT+ biases dropped significantly as same-sex marriage was being legalized across the United States, according to new research looking at the link between attitudes and policy change. Biases declined both in states that legalized gay marriage and in states that did not.” (Ryan, K 2019). This shows an immense turnaround in the opinion on gay marriage. The more people are exposed to LGBTQ couples, the easier it is for people to open up and see that that everyone is different and have the freedom to love whomever they choose.

Just like the concept of homosexuality was and, in some segments, still is considered deviant behavior, the concept of interracial marriage was also a deviant behavioral taboo. Race has been an issue in the US and around the world for many years. One of the greatest fears was “tainted bloodlines” so efforts were put in place to preserve racial boundaries. The unfortunate ideals of racism and bigotry are tough to eliminate. Unfortunately, some people see ethnic/ racial minorities as a huge threat to their survival and overall supremacy. When a person chooses a partner of another race it turns heads. Parents would actively disown their child if they choose to marry outside their race. Just like any act that is considered deviant, there are laws in place that continue to push the narrative.

It started in 1664 with the British Colonial law that stated that marriage between Caucasians and slaves were illegal. It’s important to note, that this ban mainly targeted Caucasian women who had affections for black men, since this was an “issue” they mainly suffered with. The law essentially called for the imprisonment if found guilty. There have been numerous laws that have threatened the wellbeing and freedom of people because they decided to marry outside their race. Just like the British Colonial Law enacted in 1664, in 1883 Pace vs Alabama was put in place by the supreme court. That law stated “If any white person and any negro, or the descendant of any negro to the third generation, intermarry or live in adultery or fornication with each other, each of them must, on conviction, be imprisoned in the penitentiary or sentenced to hard labor “(Head, T 2019). Being in an interracial marriage was considered a crime. Even considering being in an interracial marriage could be seen as deviant behavior similar to theft, abuse, or assault and battery.

These laws were enacted during a very difficult time in the U.S to be a minority. Segregation and the laws of Jim Crow were a societal norm. Seeing black and white people on the same level was almost inconceivable. The thought of a white person “tainting” their race by mixing infuriated state leaders, which is why many made sure that its punishable by law and tasked the local police with keeping an eye out for this deviant activity. The severity of these laws was shown in the infamous Loving vs. Virginia. Richard and Mildred loving were married in Washington DC. They moved with their family to Virginia which had anti-miscegenation in place. They were convicted of violating Virginias anti-miscegenation law by being married and living together. They appealed to the ruling to the US Supreme Court. The Loving’s were forced to leave Virginia and go back to Washington D.C while they fought the judgement.

In a unanimous verdict the Supreme court stated that laws against interracial marriage were a violation of two clauses in the 14th Amendment. “In the years since, the couple’s victory has often been seen as a touchstone in the fight for black civil rights. The Lovings’ lawyer’s assertion before the court that anti-miscegenation statutes were the most odious of the segregation laws and the slavery laws” (Coleman, A 2016). This verdict was a huge landmark for interracial relationships. Because of this ruling, interracial relationships were now legal and could start the process of de-stigmatization. This once “deviant” behavior was now legal for all.

Today, interracial marriage is not considered deviant behavior. There are still individuals/groups who do not like the concept, but that doesn’t make it taboo. There have been concerns about the “success” of interracial marriage due to misunderstandings in culture, especially since interracial marriages are known to have a higher rate of divorce than any other marriage group. However, even with certain statistics in place, people deserve the right to marry whomever they choose regardless of class, race, sex or gender. “Interracial marriage is at a historic high. According to a recent Pew Research Center report, couples with different racial backgrounds made up one in six new marriages in 2015.” (Obasogie, O 2017). In todays society, interracial relationships are seen everywhere whether it be in movies, magazines, commercials etc. The constant view of there mixed raced relationships helps to normalize people’s perception on the union. However, as stated earlier, there are still groups who do not like the concept. Many purest coalitions, a few strict religious sects, and nationalist groups still do not approve of “race mixing”. Luckily those groups are few and far between, and couples are not faced with constant harassment because of who they choose to be with.