The first web site is called Anti-Violence Protection and is based in New York City. The web site address is http://www.avp.org/. It is wholly dedicated to anti-queer violence and it informs you of how to get involved. The web site itself is fairly simple and neat. It is easy to understand and does not overwhelm you with information. It gives out contacts and information regarding pro-queer issues. They support hate crime legislation and encourage you to contact elected officials in order to get laws passed in New York state and Washington. They do not come across as extremely persuasive. They inform visitors of current homosexual hate crimes and give an annual report. They ask any lawyers to contact them and basically help any person who does not know how else to be heard or to get help.
The site gives connects to a number of other pro organizations and web sites by giving you the web address/link or the address and phone number. Anti- Violence Protection supports anti-violence and homosexual freedom. Their focus is mainly on violence and assistance to those in need. They are against anti-homosexuals, homophobes, and anti-gay organizations. It is apparent that they are against anti-gay web sites because they do not give links to anti web sites or mention anti-queer organizations. Their larger objective seems to be protection and aid to victims of hate crimes and reporting any violent actions to police. They appear to take an order perspective. They see sexuality as fixed or a part of human essence. Heterosexuals and homosexuals are biologically determined and it a person has no control over it. They do not attack heterosexuals, but they do try to protect homosexuals without violence. Their critical interest is to preserve that order and politically they realize power relations. They try to be heard by higher officials as we see in the case of trying to get hate crime legislation passed. They also keep in touch with the police department who has the ability to protect them. These are good political strategies for control of the hate crime problem. Their main goal is to reduce hate crimes and anti-gay violence in order to achieve a more equal society between heterosexuals and homosexuals.
The second site is about gay/lesbian issues and the web site address is http://gaylesissues.miningco.com/. The site contains various gay/lesbian topics and issues such as politics, marriage, work issues, military, family/parenting, and other important issues. Overall it is very neatly organized, but it does have a lot of information and links. It gives links, bulletin board, newsletter, chat, and events that are very useful. This is a political web site and they seem to take an essentialist perspective. They look at sexuality as biological and natural. Humans are naturally born to be either gay or straight from birth. This view is very similar to the order perspective that the Anti-Violence Protection organization takes.
The vast amount of information and links is very time consuming, but helpful. Other organizations, such as women liberation groups support this web site. Emphasis on discrimination and anti-gay articles can be found here. It is a more persuasive technique to help the viewer feel the great injustice that homosexuals have to deal with. An article on a veteran scout leader being dumped caught my attention. Boy Scouts of America is supposed to represent and stand for the freedom of America, however, ironically the scout leader was dismissed for supporting and "involving Scouting youth" in a campaign to overturn the Scouts' anti-gay policy. There was no legitimate reason for his expulsion because he followed the guidelines to the letter, but the Scouts' discriminatory policy had him dismissed anyway. He was only trying helping give gay men and boys the right to have the choice to participate in Scouting.
This is an example of the types of articles found in this
web site. It gives you a brief summary and the web site link if you
want a more detailed story. The purpose of this web site is to make the
readers aware of all the discrimination occurring throughout the country
against the homosexual community. They are hoping it will persuade
you to help the gay community, as well as other discriminated groups, in
its fight for equality. This site may be a little more powerful than
the Anti-Violence Protection site because it is bigger with more information
and links allowing for more exposure. Their theoretical argument
for legitimizing and empowering queer people is social construction is
created in society through power relations. The most powerful people
are not doing everything they can to make homosexuals feel equal.
Politically, this site is interested in substantial social change. Although
there will unlikely be a world with no discrimination of any kind, this
site wants to see a definite change in society, but only time will tell
if they have succeeded.