This is an educational blog for a Social Psychology class at Penn State University, Fayette. The purpose is to provide a forum for all students to express views and insight on a variety of topics covered in class and textbook.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Should you have to reclassify yourself to access legal benefits?
The Chinese in South Africa had to identify themselves as Black to access government benefits because being Chinese did not qualify for those benefits. Should the Chinese have had to do this? What could the government have done to avoid this? Can you draw any parallels with what is going on in this country with gay marriage?
926714485 As an American looking in on the situation, I feel as though they shouldn’t have had to identify as something they aren’t. On the other hand, they only had to do so in order to get benefits from the government. I think the South African could expand on their policies so that the Chinese there can identify as just that. Gay marriage in our country is similar to this situation in that at one point I believe there was a legal stipulation that in each marriage there is to be a “bride” and a “groom” despite there being two of the same genders in the marriage.
9 6670 2379 The government would not change the guidelines for Chinese people to be able to access the same benefits as black people for the same amount of work. So, the Chinese got their race changed to black legally so they could access these benefits. This parallels with gays in the U.S. Since married people receive benefits from the federal government, in previous years gay people were not allowed to access them because they could not legally marry. They were forced to form "civil unions" or "domestic partnerships," and the government still wouldn't let them access these benefits. Therefore, gays had to fight for the right to be called married.
Don't forget to START with your student ID# first! Did you remember to check your spelling and grammar? Lastly, don't submit two comments for the same post, I will only count one. Really lastly, make sure you answer all the questions in the post!
926714485
ReplyDeleteAs an American looking in on the situation, I feel as though they shouldn’t have had to identify as something they aren’t. On the other hand, they only had to do so in order to get benefits from the government. I think the South African could expand on their policies so that the Chinese there can identify as just that. Gay marriage in our country is similar to this situation in that at one point I believe there was a legal stipulation that in each marriage there is to be a “bride” and a “groom” despite there being two of the same genders in the marriage.
9 6670 2379
ReplyDeleteThe government would not change the guidelines for Chinese people to be able to access the same benefits as black people for the same amount of work. So, the Chinese got their race changed to black legally so they could access these benefits. This parallels with gays in the U.S. Since married people receive benefits from the federal government, in previous years gay people were not allowed to access them because they could not legally marry. They were forced to form "civil unions" or "domestic partnerships," and the government still wouldn't let them access these benefits. Therefore, gays had to fight for the right to be called married.