I think we have to realise how much better things are now, at least no one is afraid of being put in prison because of their sexuality, but also it has to be admitted there are still some homophobic people around. Religion is often blamed but some of the most homophobic people I've met have no religious faith at all, they are in gangs it's all so macho they are afraid of even catching gay gene !
Are we still homophobic?
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Originally Posted by max_garfield:
“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.”
“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.”
No I'm not scared of my house
Originally Posted by Brandy211:
“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.”
“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.”
You think trans people are the same thing as gay people?
I think guys find gay men a bit girly and like girls who are annoying at te best of times, so not homophobia but just cant be arsed with image obsessed men who act like women?
Originally Posted by Elvisfan4eva:
“Yes but I'd say it's more the older generation. The younger people are more tolerant I think.”
“Yes but I'd say it's more the older generation. The younger people are more tolerant I think.”
They won't be. Intolerance is always going to exist. You could eradicate racism, homophobia, all the usual things, but people will just shift their intolerance onto new targets. Probably because it's in our DNA.
Intolerance and bigotry will always exist in one form or another, the targets just change that's all.
There's always going to be a lifestyle or difference of thought which when it becomes the minority will be seen as a good target to express hatred towards, because that will be the new different.
Originally Posted by Pumping Iron:
“Sadly some religions causes a lot of people to be unnecessarily homophobic. Unless religion modernises, there will always be homophobia.”
“Sadly some religions causes a lot of people to be unnecessarily homophobic. Unless religion modernises, there will always be homophobia.”
As I mentioned in my post above, this is how it'll happen. Don't think I'm having a go at you because I promise you that I'm not at all, I'm just highlighting how opinions change. For example you can see a situation where religious people are condemned for their attitudes to gay people. It will start out as criticism, but then many years down the line it becomes normal to be accepting of gay people and for religious people become the new target of hatred because their belief system is no longer deemed to be acceptable.
This was very evident in The Spanish Civil War when a distrust of religion eventually turned into murderous hatred against practitioners of the state religion.
Every new generation thinks that they're the most enlightened generation ever and are just the right people to build a fantastic future for humanity. But alas we're human beings and we have always made the same mistakes again and again and again.
We appear to be fated to have hatred for other people of some kind and then justify ourselves when we behave abominably towards them. It really will be inbuilt into our biology.
Originally Posted by max_garfield:
“I mean, generally.
.”
“I mean, generally.
.”
I suppose certain sections of society still are, but is it not time to drop that silly homophobic label thats been doing the rounds for the last decade or so and come up with a better title more in line with how things actually are..??
As IMHO it actually misses the point totally as those that dont accept gay people don't do so outta reasons of phobia or fear of gays more so for reasons of prejudice be it cultural or religious in origin.
Religion is full of homo/bi and trans phobia and it's going to take some considerable work to even start to break that down. You'll hear lots of preachers/religious leaders spewing out hate speech time and time again, always using selective quotes from which ever religious book they read, always ignoring other things within them books that suggests. This gets passed down from generation to generation, and till any work is taken or countries take action to remove churches/religion out of any power structures in those lands and make them less influential it will continue as it is.
It isn't just religion, it's attitudes of those in the past who pass them down as well. We are only a few years down the line from the repeal of Section 28, which was passed in 1988. Think about that, in 1967 we passed the Sexual Offenses act which legalised homosexual sex for gay men over 21. That's coming up to 50 years ago next year, yet 21 years later Thatcher was banning talk of anything to do with this in schools. People from these times and before are still around and pass on what ever they were taught down to each new passing generation.
What will help combat this is getting into schools, teaching them that this is OK, this isn't something to bully people over that anyone can be LGB or T. Let's change the minds of the next generation and the generations after them, they can pass that onto there own kids and slowly but surely we will find a less homophobic society
It isn't just religion, it's attitudes of those in the past who pass them down as well. We are only a few years down the line from the repeal of Section 28, which was passed in 1988. Think about that, in 1967 we passed the Sexual Offenses act which legalised homosexual sex for gay men over 21. That's coming up to 50 years ago next year, yet 21 years later Thatcher was banning talk of anything to do with this in schools. People from these times and before are still around and pass on what ever they were taught down to each new passing generation.
What will help combat this is getting into schools, teaching them that this is OK, this isn't something to bully people over that anyone can be LGB or T. Let's change the minds of the next generation and the generations after them, they can pass that onto there own kids and slowly but surely we will find a less homophobic society
Originally Posted by johnF1971:
“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?”
“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?”
Trans people found that the LG community and use that specifically at the time as that how it was seen by society was very welcoming to them, as opposed to the rest of society many years ago. They felt more comfortable in that community and slowly as the LG rights increased and the bi community stood up for itself, and was included in the LG community it was felt eventually that after all it was a trans person who started the Stonewall riots, that set off the LG rights fight in the US that spread around the word, that they should add T to the community title, it is only a fairly recent thing. Early to late 90's roughly.
There is a good argument to remove the T from this list within the trans community, but till we have equal rights for everyone it won't leave the confines of the community as strength in numbers does help in a fight.
I'm a reasonably broad-minded 71 year old woman. I've been married and had children. I have gay friends, mostly male, who are good company - BUT I still feel very uncomfortable if I see gay men kissing on TV, especially on the soaps. Does this make me homophobic?
I am of the opinion "I dont care what people do as long as they leave me alone,and don't scare the horses" 
That said,far too many are defined by their sexuality and nothing else in this day and age.
There are morons in all walks of life,but many morons from minority groups refuse to accept they are,in fact, morons and blame it all on phobias and isms .
That said,far too many are defined by their sexuality and nothing else in this day and age.
There are morons in all walks of life,but many morons from minority groups refuse to accept they are,in fact, morons and blame it all on phobias and isms .
Originally Posted by joshua321:
“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?”
“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?”
I bet that comment got a lot of thumbs up and "agreeds" too. If Stephen Port had killed 4 young women he met on Tinder, no one would be dragging their names through the mud like that. Much like if the current football grooming scandal involved men abusing young girls people wouldn't be going on about the evils of heterosexuality (seen loads of comments on this predictably treating paedophilia and homosexuality as the same thing).
Originally Posted by GusGus:
“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”
“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”
The demise of gay bars and clubs is not a good thing - I have seen many places become steadily more gay UNfriendly as they woo a 'mixed' crowd, so it's not wonder people don't feel comfortable flirting there any more. The sentiment seems to be: 'Let them 'frighten the horses' online instead, after all they don't need to bother us in public any more, they have Grindr'....
Originally Posted by gamez-fan:
“I suppose certain sections of society still are, but is it not time to drop that silly homophobic label thats been doing the rounds for the last decade or so and come up with a better title more in line with how things actually are..??
As IMHO it actually misses the point totally as those that dont accept gay people don't do so outta reasons of phobia or fear of gays more so for reasons of prejudice be it cultural or religious in origin.”
“I suppose certain sections of society still are, but is it not time to drop that silly homophobic label thats been doing the rounds for the last decade or so and come up with a better title more in line with how things actually are..??
As IMHO it actually misses the point totally as those that dont accept gay people don't do so outta reasons of phobia or fear of gays more so for reasons of prejudice be it cultural or religious in origin.”
Homophobia has actually come to mean hatred or prejudice towards gays. I'm not sure what a better word would be.
Originally Posted by stoatie:
“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.”
“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.”
Hmmm - he's certainly been unlucky with sexual assaults, or attempts thereat.
Very pleased to say that nobody has ever once tried it on with me. Probably because I've always been an ugly git, built like a brick shit house.
As far as the OP's question, I'd say that homophobia is still around in pockets, but thankfully it's in long term retreat these days.
A good test for your own personal homophobia is to consider how you would respond if your son / daughter comes out.
If you can be happy for them then I think your OK.
If you can be happy for them then I think your OK.
Last week I was out with my boyfriend, my daughter and her girlfriend. We went out as it was their birthdays (daughter and boyfriend). My daughter was in front of us and holding hands with her girlfriend, whom I'm really fond of and had spent a few nights at my place. Then these 2 drunken arseholes approached them and mocked them, called them all sorts of names, how they made them sick. My boyfriend went completely mental. They backed off but thought they were brave calling my boyfriend racist names (he's from Trinidad). I was so worried. I genuinely thought we were going to be hurt. But my boyfriend knows a lot of people in area and they came to help us out. It just really upset me that in this day and age people can still be so prejudiced.
I think people are definitely more accepting of it, but there are people within these communitys who waste it for others as they see their identity as a way to act excessively and seek attention.
Originally Posted by dosanjh1:
“A good test for your own personal homophobia is to consider how you would respond if your son / daughter comes out.
If you can be happy for them then I think your OK.”
“A good test for your own personal homophobia is to consider how you would respond if your son / daughter comes out.
If you can be happy for them then I think your OK.”
But anyone can say they're fine with a hypothetical situation but nobody really knows how they'll react until they're actually in that situation.
Originally Posted by Get Den Watts:
“But anyone can say they're fine with a hypothetical situation but nobody really knows how they'll react until they're actually in that situation.”
“But anyone can say they're fine with a hypothetical situation but nobody really knows how they'll react until they're actually in that situation.”
No they can't.
What you do is consider it deeply to prepare yourself. Can't do much more though.
Social media is the biggest indicator of peoples TRUE reactions and feelings about homosexuality. I just done a few random searches of "homophobia", "coming out as gay", "closeted gay men" and stuff on Facebook and checked the top news articles relating to those key words and most of the top comments by users are things like "gays need to stop being so attention seeking, not everything is homophobic, people are entitled to their own opinions!!" and stuff. I've also saw things like "so much more important things going on in the world than gays and their rights, get a life!" and "just because we don't want to see two men kissing doesn't mean we're homophobic!!" etc etc. The sad thing is that these comments have hundreds of Likes and are getting alot of support. 
Also I've saw an annoyingly increasing amount of "tag a mate who is gay" type posts on Facebook as well. One look at the comments has hundreds of straight guys tagging their friends for "banter" and calling eachother faggots and stuff.
Sigh.
Also I've saw an annoyingly increasing amount of "tag a mate who is gay" type posts on Facebook as well. One look at the comments has hundreds of straight guys tagging their friends for "banter" and calling eachother faggots and stuff.
Sigh.
Working as a nurse I've come across a lot of homophobia during my career... some of it actually quite frightening
Originally Posted by Sife Lucks:
“Social media is the biggest indicator of peoples TRUE reactions and feelings about homosexuality. I just done a few random searches of "homophobia", "coming out as gay", "closeted gay men" and stuff on Facebook and checked the top news articles relating to those key words and most of the top comments by users are things like "gays need to stop being so attention seeking, not everything is homophobic, people are entitled to their own opinions!!" and stuff. I've also saw things like "so much more important things going on in the world than gays and their rights, get a life!" and "just because we don't want to see two men kissing doesn't mean we're homophobic!!" etc etc. The sad thing is that these comments have hundreds of Likes and are getting alot of support.
Also I've saw an annoyingly increasing amount of "tag a mate who is gay" type posts on Facebook as well. One look at the comments has hundreds of straight guys tagging their friends for "banter" and calling eachother faggots and stuff.
Sigh.”
“Social media is the biggest indicator of peoples TRUE reactions and feelings about homosexuality. I just done a few random searches of "homophobia", "coming out as gay", "closeted gay men" and stuff on Facebook and checked the top news articles relating to those key words and most of the top comments by users are things like "gays need to stop being so attention seeking, not everything is homophobic, people are entitled to their own opinions!!" and stuff. I've also saw things like "so much more important things going on in the world than gays and their rights, get a life!" and "just because we don't want to see two men kissing doesn't mean we're homophobic!!" etc etc. The sad thing is that these comments have hundreds of Likes and are getting alot of support.
Also I've saw an annoyingly increasing amount of "tag a mate who is gay" type posts on Facebook as well. One look at the comments has hundreds of straight guys tagging their friends for "banter" and calling eachother faggots and stuff.
Sigh.”
Apart from the ignorant people you mention, you must remember that the Gay population according to office of statistics was/is just 1.5%, so 98.5% of the population are Straight & many don't accept that the 1.5% should be different to them.
Bullying is rife on social media and not just aimed at the Gay population, but anyone with a different view.
If you look for something you will find it.
Just continue to be who you are and hopefully people will accept you for your positive personality traits, rather than as a Gay person.
What you enjoy doing in the privacy of your bedroom, shouldn't come into the equasion, should it? Or am I being ignorant too for thinking that?
We can all fight homophobia. If someone calls you gay. Uses as a term of abuse. Dont find it offensive.....
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