You will identify one area where sexism or heterosexism is evident in one of the key social institutions you have studied. You will find a current event article from a local, national or international news source that details an institutional act of sexism or heterosexism. This might include laws that allow women or the LGBTQA community to be treated unfairly, reports on differences in pay or hiring practices, publicized violations of Title IX, or any other act that appears biased that is committed by an institution. For example, several years ago, the Boy Scouts of America (an institutionalized group) came under fire for refusing to allow gay men to serve as troop leaders. This is an example of heterosexist bias. Recently, the Pope made a statement that women were allowed to nurse their infants in any Catholic church during Mass; this was due to some parishes banning public nursing. Banning public nursing is an act of gender bias. Be sure that you are discussing an institutional act.
Please write an approximately 750 words of text (approximately 3 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font of text) essay addressing the following question prompts. A references list should make up an additional page.
• Briefly summarize the article that you have selected. Provide the specifics of the act and which social institution is engaged in the act.
• Provide a theoretical explanation for why the act occurred. This must be a structural explanation that focuses on the institution. Use the theory that best fits your understanding of the act.
• Discuss how this act was managed. For example, if it was illegal, what were the legal sanctions against the institution? If not illegal, what was the public response?
• Finally, suggest policy changes that might prevent future occurrences of this act.