I mean, generally.

Don't get me wrong, gay rights and equality has become so much more accepted and less of a big deal than say, 30 years ago, but at the root of it all is there still some stigma or attitude today that is still the same as xx amount of years ago.

After reading about the serial killer Stephen Port and the victims families (amongst others) please to investigate each murder (as they were happening), it does seem that there is a completely different attitude that segregates gay men and the "gay scene". Of course this particular case is a completely different topic but I am just using this as reference. It drew me back in from thinking we've come so far to "have we really?".

I am a bisexual male and part of me feels quite shy to admit that in person or to certain people, simply because there is quite a stigma with bisexual men as opposed to bisexual women. There seems to be more questions with this sexuality I find.

Yes unfortunately there are still homophobic people around in modern day society. I have quite a few gay friends both male & female that suffer verbal abuse from others, some of which have been disowned by family because of their sexuality. Also there has been many publicised homophobic attacks, not just from violence but also general non acceptance, like those idiotic religious nut jobs that refused to make a cake for a gay couple, as it was against their fairytale. I say Nut jobs as they used their choice of religion as a cover up to be homophobic.

yes and there always will be, same with racists etc

I think as time goes on there is less and less homophobia around but it takes time, imagine taking a gay guy from 1950 and taking him around canal street etc today and knowing he could marry the guy he fancies...you'd need oxygen on standby.

Its a slow battle and after all the religious / legal stuff until the late 60's its hardly surprising that some are against it.

Yep theres idiots around but they look for anything be it music/dress style/same sex/whatever and will use it for a hate fueled diatribe.

But as they always have said those who are most anti gay probably are secretly using rent boys.

One of the comments in the Daily Mail when four young people have lost their lives was: 'The seedy grubby underworld of these people makes me feel sick.'

Does that answer your question?

We're getting better, but of course there's still some homophobia about. Most people are cool about it, though.

Not gay myself, but here's a thing a friend of mine wrote about the Stephen Port case and his closeness to it, and the way reactions to this kind of shit make him feel.

these days most of the homophobes and racists seem to exclusively make youtube comments

Interesting, especially the bit about not feeling you can go to the police and the 'normalising of assault' in gay culture.

Perhaps I'll get shot down in flames for saying this, and I know the writer has experienced things more seriously, but I don't really think I take 'sexual assault' as seriously as perhaps we're 'supposed' to either. If someone gropes me who I don't like, I usually think 'so what?' and just push them away.

If someone gets a bit carried away and maybe hurts me a bit or does something I don't really like during sex, I still usually let them do it, especially if I like them. Maybe as men we feel we're more in control, but I suppose cases like this show that isn't always the case.

Wow, I found that an eye-opening read! I understand a bit more about these crimes after reading that, and my heart goes out to your friend and boys like him for the violence they endure that to them, is normal!

There probably will always be homophobia. But, i dont know why.

I cant think of one solid reason to hate gay people....

Generally speaking I wouldn't say so

I think people are still homophobic.

They may not admit it, unless the subject is bought up & they know that their group has the same opinion as themselves.

Those who express their homophobia with vlolence are in the minority...Unless that includes online homophobia.

It,s the silent racists & homophobics that are in the majority. They may only express their views online, at home, or in the safety of their circles who think likewise.

Stonewall facts & figures show that homophobia is very much alive. 81% of Trans said they are stared at, whispered or spoken about in public.

Changes in laws, don't change how people actually feel.

Can't quite recall exactly but pretty sure The Mail did some sort of shitty article alluding to seediness after that boy band member died, someone from Boyzone or Take That I think.

I think for some people it's not hate, it's a lack of understanding that causes more fear than hate.

Agree with this but think there's more things at play here. Firstly the Internet has made homophobia In some ways more acceptable as groups of ignorant people can converge and have 'safe' place to express their ridiculous views which means they expose others to their views and so help keep homophobia alive.

New laws won't change a thing, I agree but a realistic view on how long it takes to change society is needed. Attitudes are.much better than 30 years ago on the whole but millions of people alive then are alive now and so it takes generations of gradually watering down attitudes through better education in school etc before society as a whole changes. I love the fact that .my 11 year old daughter sees Trans as something she uderstands and respects through her education, whereas if I'm honest, I wouldn't have had a bloody clue what it meant, let alone understood it at her age. What helped.me gain understanding was working with a colleague who was going through gender reassignment, we had a lot of very open conversations about it and he was great at conveying what he had been through.

Finally, I think 'staring' is a very poor method of judging homophobia or transphobia. this is going to come across poorly but a lot of people stare just to validate what they have seen or to have an internal dialogue. For example, I'll often take a second look at someone I think may be wearing a wig, bright coloured clothing or have striking features. Not because see them as anything other than a person, but because they stand out from the crowd a little. I have no Intention of making people feel uncomfortable, I probably just need to be more aware of taking a second look at someone, although being a bloke, I can't help it when I see someone attractive!!!

Yes, that was Jan Moir's piece on the late Boyzone singer Stephen Gately.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...stephen-gately

Horrible, but it did attract a record number of complaints.

Yes but I'd say it's more the older generation. The younger people are more tolerant I think.

This allegedly more homophobic older generation must be getting older and fewer as each year passes.

That's not really homophobia though is it? Gender identity is completely different to sexuality I thought? (on a related point I've never understood why transexual people are lumped in with lesbians, gays and bisexuals in the LGBT 'community')

Is there a word for fear/hatred of transsexuals?

Interesting that the writer refers to "queer folk". Why? Hardly inclusive
I think we have come a long long way in accepting gay people as part of our community, you only have to look at the demise of Gay clubs. They are all now just clubs where people of every sexual persuasion go doe a good night out - quite right too

Transphobia.....

Oh yes, makes sense.

(The word I mean, not the attitude!)

Sadly some religions causes a lot of people to be unnecessarily homophobic. Unless religion modernises, there will always be homophobia.

I don't fully agree with this, as many of the older generation,s children think the same & so it goes on.
Many immigrants and their children might be even less tolerant, depending on which country they came from & what their religious beliefs might be.

There are many religious people people that are from the younger generation who don't feel its acceptable to be Gay. That,s what they are taught.

There will always be those who think that everyone in society should think, look, feel & live either like they do, how their "book" tells them they should, or how they think people have always have done in previous generations. They see it as "the right way" to live, or be.
It will be along time yet before the world fully accepts other,s differences. Whether that be how they may look, their race, religion or gender.

Change isn't accepted by everyone. They may tolerate it, but don't think its acceptable.

Even though schools are diverse, people more often than not stick to their own groups.

I was once told by someone younger than me, "your so tolerant". This was at a large gathering. I replied "what do you mean"? They replied whilist looking at certain people at the gathering, "Well you know, I could never be like you, accepting people from other countries". I replied, "I take people as I find them"...

It was only a few hours later, I realised this person was referring to my in laws who were at the gathering. Family members that were actually second & third generation born to immigrant parents/grandparents!
This person was going only by their appearances, thinking in their minds that they were "foreigners"!!
I found it absolutely hilarious that some of their relatives had been in this country since before this ignorant person was even born! But, in her & her circles minds, they aren't English.

There are still many, many people in this country, who have never had a friend who has been different to themselves. Either of a different race or who wasnt hetrosexual.

Shockingly, I have even heard the words "spaz" and "retards" used by a 20 year old, to refer to disabled people...In 2016.