Homophobia is the range of negative attitudes and feeling towards homosexuality or people perceived or identified as being lesbians, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), or gay. Furthermore, it has been described as hate or antipathy, disdain, aversion born out of ignorance and unreasonable fear, which is often associated with religious beliefs. Homophobia manifests itself in hostile and critical acts, such as aggression and bigotry based on non-heterosexual sexual identity. There are various types of homophobia, such as, internalized-which is experienced by individuals who have same-sex attraction, yet they have negative feelings and views on their sexuality and institutionalized, which involves state-sponsored and religious beliefs.
Homophobia has a great impact on heterosexuals where they highly discriminate the non-heterosexual since they do not understand these individual’s beliefs (Dilley, 2019). The most effective way to reduce the homophobic attitude in people is by allowing the heterosexual and non-heterosexual to interact. This helps reduce prejudice between the two groups by confronting each other’s beliefs or stereotypes and get to understand and face the realities of the matter.
Hate crimes are criminal offenses that demonstrate dislike or prejudice toward a victim based on their gender, identity, or expressions and sexual orientation. The practice is often carried out by state and non-state actors and is characterized as both global and local, and it occurs in public, online, home, education institutions, international, and in a nation. Studies demonstrate that LGBTQ people are more likely to suffer violence due to their non-conformity with sexual norms and gender as compared to the general population. The LGBTQ experience sexual and physical violence that harms their bodily and mental health and society at large (Dilley, 2019). The department of justice has enforced hate crime laws that are based on color, religion, nationalism, disability, and gender identity. Besides, it also prosecutes those involved in hate crimes where perpetrators pay penalties when found guilty.
The gay rights movement is a civil society that campaigns for non-heterosexuals equal rights and aims to repeal sodomy bans. It also campaigns for a stop to prejudice against them in jobs and housing. Harry Hay formed the first male association in the US in 1950-51 in Los Angeles. The movement association won a Supreme Court decision in 1958 that allowed it to distribute a newsletter through the postal system. The document also proposed that private homosexual relations between consensual adults be excluded from the scope of criminal legislation, which the legislature later adopted. In June 1969, the gays protested against the police for the raids in the bar. This was significant as it symbolized the formation of the new movement advocating for justice and equal rights.
In December 1973, through movement efforts, homosexuality was no longer considered a mental illness. Harvey Milk, the first openly homosexual elected representative, was murdered in November 1978. In December 1993, the Pentagon implemented a policy “do not tell do not ask” policy that allowed gays in the military as long as homosexuality was not revealed. President Bill Clinton signed the Marriage Protection Act, which legalized same-sex unions, in September 1996. The Supreme Court ruled in June 2003 that anti-sodomy statutes were illegal. In November 2008, California voters approved of the proposition of gay’s right to marriage. In May 2012, Barrack Obama signed in for the “do not tell do not ask” policy.
In November 2012, Maryland, Maine, and Washington affirmed same-sex marriage through popular vote. In June 2015, same-sex relationships were legalized in all 50 states. In 2020, the court declared that sacking an employee for being a non-heterosexual was a violation of civil rights (Dilley, 2019). As to the public perception of homosexuality, the movement aimed at eliminating discrimination, derision, and legalization of same-sex marriage. Through the movement, all this was achieved as homosexuality was no longer affirmed as a form of mental illness. There was no longer discrimination in terms of housing or employment. Furthermore, the heterosexual had equal rights in terms of marriage as it was legalized in 50 states and there was no longer hiding one’s identity.
Reference
Dilley, P. (2019). How non-heterosexual student groups utilized liberation to achieve campus assimilation. Gay Liberation to Campus Assimilation, 233-252. Web.