RHETORICAL ANALYSIS (VISUAL DISCOURSE) FOR DARYL CARGLE CARTOON FOR Essay

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS (VISUAL DISCOURSE) FOR DARYL CARGLE CARTOON FOR THE HALLOWEEN IN 2007 - Essay Example Today, mankind behaves in an utterly foolish way-blinded by its own sinful ego and willing ignorance. No wonder history always repeats itself. It is startling to see as we study history, to realize that the same type of Nazi-fascism at work in our government today, is clearly evident in past tyrant dictatorships. It was none other than the tyrant Adolph Hitler who stated... "What luck for the rulers that men do not think" !! Literally, today's world is filled with a bunch of people who believe everything they here on FOX NEWS. Here's a good quote..."A man's judgment cannot be better than the information on which he has based it... Give him no news or present him only with distorted and incomplete data, with ignorant, sloppy or biased reporting, with propaganda and deliberate falsehoods, and you destroy his whole reasoning process and make him something less than a man." (Sulzberger 1948). The cartoon although portrayed in a funny way (and it should be) make the viewer think of the painful plight of fellow human beings around him. For example take the case of Iraqi war. Life is meaningless to the rich selfish monsters that inflict terror upon innocent civilians through military force.

Environmental Management Review of Dell Case Study

Environmental Management Review of Dell - Case Study Example The author of this research paper begins with the history of the company. Michael Dell founded the company when he was a 19 year old student at the University of Texas in Austin. He used a basic model: selling PCs to the final customer and built them to users’ specifications. Dell Computer still does it today, the so-called build-to-order scheme, although with some modifications. He started with telephone sales using IBM compatible PCs, and then assembling and selling his own brand. This model provided a 24-hour hotline for complaints and guaranteed immediate shipment of replacement parts, that is, 24- to 48-hour shipment. The improvements in design and production processes have helped Dell cut the estimated production cycle time for a desktop computer – from beginning of the build process to placement on a delivery truck – to 7 hours (McWilliams, 1997, cited in Kraemer et al, 1999:11). At its newest Austin plant, named Metri 12, sometimes a PC can be built, software installed and tested, and everything packed in a box for shipping within 5 hours (Ramstad, 1997, cited in Kraemer, 5). The customization that occurs in production is carried over to sales and service. For instance, Dell installs custom software on the machines that it builds for corporate customers. It also maintains an inventory of its customers. It seeks to lower the total cost of ownership for its corporate customers by helping them manage their PC inventories and offering technologies that reduce the cost of hardware and software maintenance in networks. (Dell outlines strategy, 1997). The company applies the principles of resource savings through the following strategies: Recycling Dell recycles unwanted Dell-branded products for free, and reduces impact to the environment through selling refurbished system. This saves money for the customer and lessens the amount of new materials used, while still keeping warranties from Dell. Old PCs, printers, software, modems and other such devices considered separate components, can be donated to charity organizations and foundations, through the company. The National Cristina Foundation and Dell have partnered to provide computer technology to people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons. Combined with training, this program enables them to lead more productive lives. (Dell website) Dell designs and engineers its products to prevent pollution and conserve natural resources throughout the system's life, achieving environmental responsiveness in tandem with sound business management. Reducing the environmental impact of Dell products begins at the design stage as cross-functional product design teams work to make thoughtful and effective decisions that will have positive environmental results throughout the equipment's life cycle. (Dell website: Environment) Environmental responsibility goals Recycle or reuse 99 percent of waste from manufacturing operations by 2012. Further reduce carbon intensity by 15 percent by 2012 (based on 2006 levels). Improve average score from the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System by 2012. Design for the environment Dell pledged to eliminate brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride from new product designs by 2009 that will force widespread changes in

Textual Analysis of TV Show

Textual Analysis of TV Show CHRISTOPHER LEA Textual analysis of the TV show â€Å"Gogglebox.†Ã‚   This analysis will look at series 2 episode13 of the Channel 4 television programme Gogglebox. This show is broadcast nationally in the UK on Channel Four and is now in its second season. This episode can be found here: http://tvshows.ec/episode/Gogglebox_s2_e13 It falls broadly into the genre of reality TV. The participants (I will call them the actors for the purposes of this analysis) watch TV and are filmed reacting and commenting on the shows. These clips are edited together within the sequential chronology of the TV show in order to compare and contrast reactions and comments. In analysing this text, I hope to look at how the text portrays the diversity of British life and promotes TV as a unifying social force for good. I am also interested in the version of reality presented here One of my reasons for looking at this text is that it is a popular TV show that is attempting to reclaim the idea of water cooler TV. In the face of competition from on demand services, such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer, broadcast TV has seen a decline in the number of people who watch a program at the same time and on the same date. I would like to look deeper into the text to look at the ways in which the show tries to offer a view of a shared reality to promote its own validity. The introduction and broadcast paradigm Through the narration, we are informed of the numbers of people who sit down and watch TV every night. The use of statistics and complete lack of modality in the language (present simple tense – used for facts) tells the viewer to think about this as reality, there is no need to watch critically, as this is all true. The references to everyday experience are explicit here. The title sequences show darkening streets and street lights being lit, indicating a return from the toil of work to the comfort and security of home. This is underlined by shots of curtains being drawn, indicating a private space. There are also establishing shots through the windows of the houses, as we see people sitting down with a cup in their hand, looking at the TV. The cup of tea is a signifier of relaxation, while the shots through the window indicate to the viewer that they are part of someone else’s private moment, they are almost spying on them, and they have been given permission to look in from the outside. This reinforces the idea that this is real life, it is not set up for the cameras, but it somehow corresponds to what you would see if you peered in to someone’s living room. The text belongs the broadcast paradigm of reality TV. There is a kind of generic realism at work here. The reality show genre is familiar and has become almost transparent. With this familiarity, viewers lose sight of the fact that there are lights, directors, producers, make-up artists, camera operators and sound recordists working in the same space as the actors. Social codes There are number of social classes and demographics covered within the show. These all conform to their tropes throughout the seasons. The main characters are as follows: The affluent couple; The working class retired couple; The gay couple; The black girl friends; The middle class families; The working class Asian family; The two elderly intellectuals. There are also various other types and tropes that appear from time to time, but these are the main ones. Broadcast codes Travelling shots of the living rooms are put in to create pauses between movements to different actors; they fulfill a similar role to establishing shots in that they help with the invisible editing of the show, which is a way of adding to the believability of the show as the viewer is less distracted by the editing. The actors are all filmed from eye-level, which serves to put them on the same level as the viewer. We have been invited into their private living rooms, and now we are sitting as their peers, friends and part of their families. We are close to them and on the same level, there is no power relationship here, this emphasizes again the inclusivity of this activity. Reaction shots of the actors are shot in close-up to add intimacy and edited in sequences to emphasise these as common reactions. There is the suggestion here that we all do this, we all react in virtually the same ways, no matter what our socio-economic context. Everyone is filmed sitting in close proximity, on a sofa or armchair. This attempts to show the closeness and intimacy of the event. In some cases this looks unnatural as the space is very limited, and this proximity is maintained, even when there are other empty chairs next to them. The shots are also constructed to show people sitting in exactly the same position in every episode. Genre and intertextuality This text contains strong allusions to a popular BBC situation comedy from the last ten years, The Royle Family. This was famously a comedy where nothing ever happened. It showed a working class family in the UK sitting together, occasionally eating, but mostly watching TV. The show was filmed in a very similar way, with the family looking at the TV and the camera mainly pointing from where the TV would be. The script followed the comments of the family on various topics of gossip and their views on the shows that they were watching. Season one was narrated by Caroline Aherne, season two is narrated by Craig Cash. Both of these are actors and writers for The Royle Family. This provides an intertextuality that suggests that this show is to be taken lightly, it is not a serious social commentary, and that it is about people, or rather characters. It asks us to look for the tropes within the text and sets them up very clearly. The narration begins each episode with the line: â€Å"More than twenty million of us choose to spend our evenings in front of the telly.† The tone here is informal and familiar, choosing to refer to â€Å"us† as it is inclusive and refers to the stars of the show and the viewers as belonging to the same group. The numbering, 20 million, shows that we are not alone, that a large proportion (around 30 %) of the population is doing the same thing at the same time. Again, this emphasizes the togetherness of the shared experience. This is followed by reaction shots, such as disgusted recoils, faces covered with hands and utterances such as â€Å"Oh, my God!† By inserting these reaction shots immediately after the narration, the producer wishes here to provoke feelings of empathy, that this is something that we all do when watching TV. It also establishes a certain narrative tension; the TV screen is not shown here, and so the viewer is led to ask what these reaction shots were reacting to, creating the desire to find out the answer by continuing viewing of the show. This is a technique that alludes to other genres of narrative, such as drama serials that hook the viewer in with unanswered questions. The narration continues with the line â€Å"We’re going behind closed doors† over the establishing shots of windows lit in flats and houses, then closer shots from outside of the windows, peering into the various living rooms, the private spaces, where the actors are shown chatting, laughing and drinking tea whilst sat on their sofas. The intended effect here is to grant the viewer privileged access to private spaces, the doors are closed and we will be going behind them, the viewer is peeking in through the windows, and then getting to go actually inside the room. The viewer is drawn in to a secret world, but one that is very similar to their own secret world. This is conspiratorial and is intended to generate intimacy and empathy with the actors. It also serves to reinforce this idea of reality, that this is genuine fly on the wall stuff, which it is not set-up in any way, this is what we would see if we just peered in through the window, and there is no artifice or p erformance here. The paradigm of reaction shots is again used, drawing the viewer further into the narrative with more questions, plus opinions expressed, such as â€Å"I love this show† between the narrator’s voice explaining that we will â€Å"find out what people really (emphasis in the text) thought†. This pushes this idea again of uncut real life, this is the real thing, this is what people thought of the shows, and it is not mediated or censored. Verbal language The show is very informal and contains expletives. The language used is mainly to agree or disagree with comments, to mock or play with someone and to make jokes. It is social bonding that is important in this context. The bonds are created through sharing the medium of TV and commenting on it, these bonds are then reinforced with the viewer as the viewer is implicitly invited to agree or disagree with the actors. There are a number of accents, portraying the idea of a range of social classes and regions of the UK. This again serves to emphasize the idea that this behavior is quite universal and therefore, real and true to life. Bodily and behavioural codes Postures are generally relaxed, and yet most of the actors do not touch at all during the show. There is only one couple who conspicuously hold hands while sitting at opposite ends of the sofa. Dress varies; some of the actors (mainly the younger ones) are very informally dressed, whereas most of the older actors are dressed more formally. This jars somewhat with the idea that this is a time when we relax, but indicates a higher level of media awareness of the older actors. There are two types of shots of the actors; the wide shot that encompasses the whole group, and close-ups. The wide shot is used to show the actors participating together in commenting on the TV. This switches to close-ups when reactions are shown. The effect of this is to become more intimate with the actors, to be really close to them when they show emotion, thereby drawing the viewer into their emotional state. The codes for food and drink vary between the actors and are clearly organized to depict a certain reality, to emphasize their character according to type. For example, the older couple drinks tea, the intellectuals always have a bottle of red wine, the wealthy couple enjoys copious amounts of alcohol from a well-stocked drinks cabinet, the Black friends always have a large quantity of take-out food, the gay couple always eats from a box of chocolates. Ideological codes While the whole premise of the show is based around the idea that we are glimpsing what really goes on behind closed doors, the reality of the show is that it is produced like any other TV show, it is just that the dialogue is unscripted. In many ways, it is more like an improvisation with amateur actors playing themselves, on the themes of whatever they are told to watch by the producers. Taken as a whole, this show falls into a broadly conservative ideology that supports the dominant ideology of the UK. The close family unit is celebrated, and while diversity is portrayed through the inclusion of the gay couple and the black friends, there are still many absences that are conspicuous. For example, single people are not portrayed, including single parent families; neither are students, the unemployed or anyone who watches daytime TV shows. The focus here is on evening TV, and this period is lionized as the time when we all watch TV. This serves to promote the idea that typical members of society have busy lives during the day, and get together in the evening to relax together with the TV. The show also promotes consumerist values. The actors are all engaged in comment and discussion, but are, in fact, passively consuming the media, along with consuming their food and drinks. The actors all have houses and we are invited to look both inside and outside of these and comment on them. Benefits of semiotic analysis By looking at how this version of â€Å"reality TV† is manufactured, I have tried to show that it is a creation of the producers. The actors are real people, who all now have managers for their burgeoning media careers. The show has become a hugely popular format in the UK and reviewers and online comments have referred to its warmth and feel good factor. However, this is a carefully managed response that is the goal of the producers, not just a happy coincidence that has popped up from filming people being themselves. References http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html (Last accessed 13.01.14) http://tvshows.ec/episode/Gogglebox_s2_e13 (Last accessed 10.01.14)

A Lesson before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines Essay -- A Lesson before Dyi

A Lesson before Dying, one of Ernest J. Gaines later works, was written in 1993. Some of his earlier works include A Gathering of Old Men and In My Father’s House. The novel covers a time period when blacks were still treated unfairly and looked down upon. Jefferson, a main character, has been wrongly accused of a crime and awaits his execution in jail. Grant, the story’s main protagonist must find it within himself to help Jefferson see that he is a man, which will allow him to walk bravely to his fate that lies in the execution chair. A Lesson before Dying captures the tale of a young teacher, who by helping another mistakenly finds his own soul. This paper explains the literary background of Gaines, facts about the novel, literary criticism, film reviews, social issues of the time, and a personal analysis of the movie. The story begins with a trial of Jefferson being accused of murder. During the trial his lawyer calls him a hog that is not even worthy of the death penalty. Ultimately Jefferson is sentenced to death by electrocution. During the weeks following Miss Emma, who is Jefferson’s "nanan", wishes for Grant Wiggins, a young schoolteacher to speak with Jefferson and make him understand that he is a man. Although Grant refuses he is forced to go by Tante Lou, his aunt and a good friend of Miss Emma’s. Upon their first few visits Jefferson is cold towards Grant and Miss Emma, obviously believing he is a hog, as the attorney has stated. He refuses food offered by his "nanan", saying that "food aint for hogs." After Frequent visits, Jefferson begins to open himself up to Grant and speak about his feelings. Once Jefferson trusts Grant he is able to realize that he is a man and not a worthless hog. Through helping Jefferson become a man, Grant has done his own unconscious soul search ing which has helped him find who he is, and has found him a place with God. Ernest J. Gaines was an African American writer who was born on January 15, 1933 in Oscar, Louisiana. Although Gaines’ schooling was limited to a few classes, he attended at San Francisco State and Stanford University he was able to become a distinguished author of his time. A few of his most recognized works include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman and In My Fathers House. Gaines grew up on a farm where he helped his family by working in the fields where he was paid only $.50 a day. Whe... ...The turning point was when Jefferson opened up to Grant and he was able to convince him that he was not a hog, but a man. I also believe it was the most moving scene of the movie. All the emotions that were put into words in the book came to life in the movie. Overall I thought that the movie was a very good interpretation of the novel. It is very rare to find a movie that follows the book so precisely. I think that even if I had not read the book I would have understood the movie well enough to follow along and understand Gaines’ message. I thought it was very moving, especially being able to see the characters of the book come to life in the movie. In conclusion, Ernest J. Gaines presents to us, the reader, a story about man’s ability to triumph over life’s obstacles when sometimes faced with harsh realities. For Grant, it was helping Jefferson to realize who he was, that gave him the strength to find himself. Sometimes the answers to life’s problems are not always cut and dry. The solutions can not always be seen clearly, but it is important to never give up. It is in the worst times when we must look to ourselves and examine who we are in order to thrive and carry on.

Social Class Essay

When sociologists talk of social class, they refer to a group of individuals who occupy a similar position in the economic system of production. Within that system occupation is very important because it provides financial rewards, stability and benefits like healthcare.Social classes are very complex, but â€Å"the relationship between power and wealth is undeniable.† (Marger 40) People can change the social class they are in, but it is not simply one factor that determines one’s social class. Occupation, income, wealth, education, and status are all major factors that can help determine which of the five social classes a person belongs. An individual can change his or her social class if they have the desire to do soMany sociologists suggest five:Upper Class – EliteRepresent institutional leadership, heads of multinational corporations, foundations, universities Capitalist elite – owners of lands, stocks and bonds and other assets – wealth derived from what they own Forbes magazine publishes a list of the 400 wealthiest families in America. In 1997, net worth had to be at least $475 million.Bill Gates, in that year, had net worth pf 39.8 billion. Of all the wealth represented on the Forbes list, more than half is inherited. Newly acquired wealth, nouveau riche, have vast amounts of money but not often accepted into â€Å"old money† circles.Upper Middle ClassRepresent scientific and technical knowledge – engineers, accountants, lawyers, architects, university faculty, managers and directors of public and private organizations. Have both high incomes and high social prestige. Well-educated. Difficult to define a â€Å"middle class† (i.e. upper middle, middle middle and lower middle) probably the largest class group in the United States – because being middle class is more that just income, about lifestyles and resources, etc.Lower Middle Class Clerical-administrative Provide support for professional s Engage in data collection., record-keeping Paralegals., bank tellers, sales Blue-collar workers in skilled trades Working Class Craft workers Laborers in factories Restaurant workers Nursing home staff Repair shops, garages Delivery services Poor Working poor – work full-time at wages below poverty line Social services UnderclassSocial class is one of the most important concepts that sociologists discuss and yet its definition is often illusive. There are two classical sociologists who are most important in the discussions about class .Karl Marx and Max Weber have different views upon social class in contemporary societies. In Karl Marx's perspective, social class has a two-class system whereas Max Weber argued that social class has three dimensions of stratification: class, status and party And what is frustrating about both is that they did not produce a viable definition of the things that they wrote extensively about.Karl Marx: 1818-1883 Karl Marx argued there are two major social classes, the ruling class who own the means of production and the subject class, who don't own the means of  production and are a diverse group of people controlled by and working for the ruling class. These two groups are better known as the bourgeoisie and proletariat. In particular, the bourgeoisie use a mode of production, in the form of capitalism, to oppress the proletariat. Whereby the owners of production (bourgeoisie) use the (proletariat) workers labour to produce their surplus value. In turn they pay their workers the smallest amount possible to make a profit, thus exploiting the working class.The defining factor in what makes them a separate class is the bourgeoisie's ownership of the means of production, not their wealth, because they don't produce the surplus value, the proletariat do. The bourgeoisie only appropriate the surplus. In essence the bourgeoisie are a ‘class for itself' whereas the proletariat are a ‘ class in itself'. Marx identifies that the reason we have classes is due to a group sharing a common interest and economic position. The bourgeoisie own the capital of land, machinery and raw materials. Whereas the proletariat own nothing, they can only sell their labour power in an attempt to survive and provide for their families. This in turn results in the social/power relations between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.Max Weber: 1864 – 1920 While Weber agrees with Marx's theory of the class distinction between the bourgeoisie and proletariat, he is more interested in the individual's market value. For Weber, an individual's class position is determined by their current market value. This market value is established by the individual's level of education, natural talent, skills and acquired knowledge. With these skills the individual is opened to numerous life chances and opportunities to further their career and increase their standard of living. Their market value equals their economic gain. Market value is defined by their ability to market themselves to a particular job opportunity. For instance, a university degree makes an individual more marketable and as such they have greater chances to work in their preferred field. They are given greater financial rewards and in turn move up the social ladder.Consequences of social classDifferent consumptions of social goods is the most visible consequence of class. In modern societies it manifests as income, inequality, through the subsistence societies it manifested as malnutrition and periodic starvation. The conditions at work vary greatly depending on class. Those in the upper-middle class and middle class enjoy greater freedom in their occupations. They are generally more respected, enjoy more diversity and are able to exhibit some authority. Those in lower classes tend to feel more alienated and have lower work satisfaction overall. The physical conditions of the work place differ greatly between classes. While middle class workers may † suffer alienating conditions† or † lack of job satisfaction†, blue-collar workers suffer alienating , often routine, work with obvious physical health hazards, injury and even death.In the more social sphere, class has direct consequences on lifestyle. Lifestyle includes tastes, preferences, and general style of living. These lifestyles could quite possibly affect education attainment, and therefore status attainment. Class lifestyle also affects how children are raised. For example, a working class person is more likely to raise their child to be a working class and middle class are more likely to be raised in middle- class. This perpetuates the idea of class for future generations.Since social class is often self-reported, it is difficult to assure the accuracy of the information collected. Even if the data is accurate, social classes are not the same in each region or city. What constitutes upper class in one location may be middle class in another. The lack of consistency involved in researching social class accounts for the difficulty in using it as a reliable variable. Schools and the workplace are greatly influenced by social class.The look of employment is changing because workers can no longer expect to work their way up through a company. Many companies look outside of the company for people with the right educational background instead of hiring from within . This greatly limits the potential for advancement of workers  who lack formal education. For people to move up in the social hierarchy, they must obtain higher education. Instead of spending years at a lower level position, people are spending more time in school and moving directly into management. . Therefore at this day and age, more importance is givin to education in order for one to work his way up the social ladder.

Gay Adoption in the US Essay

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the debate regarding gay men and lesbian couples adopting children in the United States. Thesis: Social stigma, legal hurdles, and agency biases are the main points surrounding the gay adoption controversy. Introduction: In 2011, 400,540 children in the US were in the foster care system, waiting to be adopted according to the Children’s Bureau page at the Administration for Children and Families webpage. However, an entire demographic is being excluded from giving these children a home: gay and lesbian couples. Just as there is controversy surrounding same-sex marriage, there is also controversy surrounding same-sex adoption. Some believe that the children are better off in foster care than to be adopted into a homosexual household. Others argue that gay and lesbian parents can provide stable, loving homes for these children. Regardless of your view point, the number of gay adoptions in the U.S. has increased from just 8% to 19% from 2000 to 2009 and still continues to grow, according to a 2014 article found at the Adoptive Families webpage page, titled Adoptions by Same-Sex Couples Still on the Rise written by Elise Rosman . With the increasing number of adoptions and the controversy that sur rounds it, it is important to know the main facts for both sides before forming a conclusion. Social stigma, legal hurdles, and agency biases are the main points surrounding the gay adoption controversy. Transition: Social stigma and public opinions are a very large part of the debate regarding adoption by gay and lesbian couples. I. And many people have strong opinions on both sides of this debate. a. There are many people who believe that placing children into same-sex families is a harmful practice, in regards to the child’s well-being. i. Timothy J. Daily of the Center for Marriage and Family Studies claims â€Å"The evidence demonstrates incontrovertibly that the homosexual lifestyle is inconsistent with the proper raising of children. Homosexual relationships are characteristically unstable and are fundamentally incapable of providing children the security they need†¦.† ii. Many people fear that a child being raised in a same-sex household will subjected to bullying, humiliation, and other forms of social ridicule. b. However, on the flip side, there are many who believe that gay and lesbian parents will be able to provide perfectly  stable homes for adoptive children. i. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, â€Å"Not one credible study has ever found that somebody’s sexual orientation alone makes him or her more likely to provide an unstable home†¦. Time and again mainstream groups have said that gay and lesbian parents are as likely to provide supportive, healthy homes as heterosexual parents†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ii. Also, many people fail to recognize that gay and lesbian parents may be more able to understand the challenges that their adopted children will face. They may be able to help their children in figuring out their identity and coming to terms with their out-of-the-norm situation c. Public opinion is an important part in the debate about gay marriage and gay adoption, considering they appear on election bills and those of us over eighteen get the option to vote in favor or not. i. If you look at this graph from a November 2012, USA Today/Gallup poll you can see that the majority about 61% of Americans in 2012 were in f avor of gay and lesbian people being legally able to adopt. Which is an increase from the 54% in the 2009 poll. Transition: But, sometimes social stigma isn’t the only thing keeping gay couples from adopting. II. There are often many legal hurdles that hinder prospective gay and lesbian couples from being able to adopt. a. Most states do not have laws specifically against gay adoption i. According to Scott Ryan, Sue Pearlmutter, and Victor Groza in their article â€Å"Coming out of the Closet: Opening Agencies to Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents â€Å" published in the Social Woek Journal, Recently overturned was the 1977 law in Florida banning gay adoption. This law was put into effect because of the Save Our Children movement, aimed at â€Å"protecting† children from homosexuality ii. To clarify: most states allow gay singles to adopt. But laws against gay marriage make it nearly impossible for gay couples to jointly adopt b. However, more and more states are allowing joint adoptions by same-sex couples. i. The increasing acceptance for gays and lesbians in our society, as well as the increasing number of states allowing gay marriage, will likely make it more acceptable and easier for gay couples to adopt. Transition: While legal issues are a big factor surrounding gays and adoption, they also have to face biases from the adoption agencies. III. There are many struggles they have to face when deciding to adopt. a. Most gay couples seeking to adopt are restricted to domestic adoptions, or adoptions within US borders. i. This is because many countries, including  China and Thailand, won’t knowingly place children with gay couples b. Gay couples might be wary to try and adopt through private adoption agencies, because many of these private agencies are affiliated religiously. c. Another factor influencing the number of gay and lesbian couples who are able to adopt is the attitudes, biases, and even misinformation of the adoption professional. d. Gay men and lesbian women often encounter barriers when they pursue adoption. i. Adoption workers are supposed to make decision about placement of a child using the best interest standard. 1. However, this standard does not take in to account ones intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational views and beliefs. Transition: Many gay and lesbian people face bias and struggles when trying to adopt though an agency. Conclusion: As you can see much like the issue of gay marriage, the controversy surrounding same-sex couples adopting is one with firm believers on both sides of the debate. As some of you probably know, the adoption process is not an easy one, and for gay individuals and couples, it’s even harder. Whether its agency biases, legal hurdles, or social stigma, same-sex couples looking to adopt have faced, and will continue to face, many challenges. However, as our society becomes progressively more accepting of gay couples, we will likely see an increase in the amount of gay parents in America. Whether you believe it is socially acceptable or not it is important to consider the 400,000 children in the foster care system and decide for yourself, should same-sex couple and individual be able to adopt? Bibliography Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY 2011 data, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb How Many People are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender?. (n.d.). Williams Institute. Retrieved November 11, 2013, http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/census-lgbt-demographics-studies/how-many-people-are-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender/ Kinkler, L. A., & Goldberg, A. E. (2011). Working with what we’ve got: Perceptions of