Every human being is entitled to free agency above all else. Many may take issue with one’s sexual preference, fundamental belief systems, goals, dreams or aspirations. However, this should not be the case. We should all learn to respect the differences we have and live our lives accordingly. The preamble to the United States Constitution reads “[we] are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There are those that would attempt to twist these words to benefit hateful ideals such as racism, sexism, ageism etc. However, I believe that maintaining one’s life, exercising free liberties and pursing what makes you happy is just as long as it does not take the life nor impede another individual’s liberties or pursuit of happiness.
Drawing on my social work education I am draw to the study of human behavior in the social environment, specifically the ecological model. Every individual has the right to be considered in their context. The ecological model calls for an investigation into the ecology of human development. Practitioners are charged to explore growth of an individual nested in ever evolving systems. This theoretical perspective exhibits the importance of examining the connected micro and macro systems and their impact on the unique lives of individuals. Individual development is considered within a micro system which refers to the individual’s immediate setting whether it be home or school for example (Bronfenbrenner 1977). The individuals’ micro systems are nested within a mesosystem where different settings interact. One’s mesosystem may include interactions amongst family, school, and peer group etcetera (Bronfenbrenner 1977).
These are then nested within an exosystem which does not necessarily include the individual but embodies interactions between systems that impact the individual such as the neighborhood, mass media, or government agencies (Bronfenbrenner 1977). Lastly all these systems are nested within a large macro system which do not directly impact the life of the individual but provide the models of how that individual’s society should be structured. Cultural norms and belief systems are an example (Bronfenbrenner 1977).