Homophobia Is in Decline Due to Changing Attitude - Essay Example

Introduction A lot of research has been done in formal and informal s concerning homophobia. The term refers to a fear of individuals who are attracted to persons of the same sex. Analyses conducted in the recent past (less than eight years ago) indicate that attitudes towards homophobia are changing with most instances of prejudice being in decline. This may be a result of a myriad of factors that span across various areas of society. They will be examined in greater detail below. Changing attitudes Researches in the UK have revealed that teenagers and the youth are facing less stigmatisation in their institutions of learning than ever before. The 80s and 90s were times when conditions were highly unfavourable for gay youth in the country, but this is changing dramatically. McComarck (2013) did an analysis in 3 UK schools concerning the prevalence of homophobia. He examined the attitudes of sixteen to eighteen year old boys, and found that members of this group had shed off the stigma surrounding homosexuality. Many of them regard homophobic people in the same light as racists in that they are highly prejudiced, so several of them actually embrace persons of this orientation. Even phrases that were initially considered negative are no longer treated as such. When youth use the term ‘so gay’, they no longer use it in the homophobic sense that it was traditional intended. One of the most homophobic settings in the past has been the field of sports. Male athletes have born the brunt of this sort of discrimination owing to a series of sociological factors. Conventional masculinity and team sports have usually been regarded as complementary. Many gay men in the 80s and 90s stated that they were highly uncomfortable engaging in team sports because of the stigma attached to their sexual preference. Athletes are sometimes perceived to the ideal definition of masculine behaviour, so gay men can be regarded as deviant (Bush et. al., 2012). In the past, sportsmen thought that gay men were effeminate and that they were too frail to participate in sports. Essential members of this community were perceived as weak, uncompetitive and thus undesirable in sports. However, even this sector of sports has not been immune from change. Bush et. al. (2012) carried out an analysis of homophobia in British sports and also found that the vice was slowly dying out. They revealed that notions of masculinity were being redefined in the sports industry. Members of this gender did not necessarily have to affirm their masculinity by subordinating those who may be perceived as effeminate. The author posits that these changes are supported by inclusive masculinity theories. In an age where homo-hysteria or fear of being identified as gay thrived, masculinity was hierarchical in nature. Macho heterosexuals were placed on the top of the chain while those who possessed feminine qualities were placed at lower levels. However, in an age of inclusive masculine, which is today, multiple interpretations can coexist. People of differing orientations or gender identities can now work with one another and live harmoniously. In other analyses conducted outside the UK, it has been shown that some individuals actually celebrate members of other genders. If a person declares their gay status in some American team sports, they are likely to be celebrated rather than be stigmatised for it. Several gay actors, presenters and sportsmen and women have also announced that they belong to the LGBT community and been accepted in America (McVeigh, 2012). Bush et. al. (2012) also found that several sports and women were so confident in their attitudes about homosexuals that they ignored information from their coaches. In sports, conformity to authority is an appreciated quality, so many athletes look up to their coaches for attitudes concerning various things. However, in this study, it was shown that athletes and coaches did not share the same attitudes towards LGBT members. Coaches tended to emphasise the traditional, hyper-masculine conceptions of maleness while their players held different perceptions of the same. Sports coaches ought to be challenged by these progressive ideas. One should note that although attitudes towards same sex relations are becoming more positive, homophobic abuses are still not over. In some schools, a reasonable proportion of bullied children happen to be lesbian, gay or transgender. Some children still live in fear of attacks because of the sexual choices they made. Other individuals also assert that negative attitudes towards homosexuals still exist in milder forms. For instance, the fact that using the term ‘so gay’ still prevails indicates that biases against the group still exist. If a gay teen grows up hearing that silly or outrageous things are called gay, they will feel less confident about themselves and this will affect them psychologically (McComarck, 2013). Likewise, other studies are also supporting the above findings (Bush et. al., 2012). The authors asserted that most attitudes were changing but the nature of sports that an athlete played affected the extent to which they stayed homophobic. A person whose identity was largely determined by their ability to play sports was likely to hold some homophobic tendencies. Furthermore, about a quarter of male athletes in the secondary school environment are likely to exhibit certain levels of discomfort with sharing sports spaces with gay men. Implications Changing attitudes towards homosexual men and women indicates that members of this group can have the freedom of attending school, looking for work or living where they see fit. This implies that their liberty and human rights have triumphed and that many of them can enjoy fulfilling lives. Gay people can be popular and exploit their full potential in sports, entertainment, the corporate arena or other areas where their talents lie. This has implications on the country’s economy since individuals can particulate in economic activities without dealing with barriers from other individuals. Social lives for gay people have greatly improved as many of them now have the freedom to interact with members of any sexual orientation. They can now become friends, exchange ideas and show platonic affection to individuals of any groups without fear of persecution. Marginalisation of gay persons in the past often confined gay people’s social lives to visits in bars among other things. However, this is no longer necessary today as many of them now live normal lives (McVeigh, 2012). The statistic also has implications on heterosexual boys, as well, since gender perceptions are changing. In the past, people used homophobia as a mechanism for displaying their masculinity. Boys or young men were deeply insecure about the gender cues they reflected because these could misconstrued as gay. Once their peers misread their signs, many would be stigmatised or suffer the same fate as actual homosexuals. However, a shift in attitudes implies that it is not possible for straight boys and men to show affection to members of the same sex without fear of reprisal. This has put them at ease and encouraged individuals to become more intimate. Possible explanations An analysis of the issue could attribute these attitudes to technology use. A number of individuals can now connect with members of similar orientations and thus support one another. This was a quality that did not exist before the proliferation of the internet; many gay men and women felt isolated and lonely. However, now many encourage each other to come out openly and involve their family in it. Furthermore, the internet has assisted the public in accessing more information about sexual orientations. It may be argued that the lack of information or ignorance could have perpetuated fear of the LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Now these fears can be easily dissipated owing to the ease of availability of information on the internet. It may also be stated that the media has changed cultural discourse around the issue. Many individuals feared expressing their sexual orientation because they lacked people who they could look up to. However, now homosexuals can find gay role models everywhere. Individuals such as Graham Borton or Paul O’Grady are just some of the many examples of this kind. People cease objecting to same sex unions when so many such cases exist in movies and favourite television programs. Therefore, the media has facilitated this acceptance in a significant way. It is a given fact that the western world is becoming less religious. Since religious parties or adherents have often been strong opponents of homosexuality, their impact in society has dramatically reduced. Highly religious individuals use what many have terms as the sin theory to justify their opinions on the subject. They claim that the Bible rejects homosexuality, so society should do the same. However, a number of scholars have disputed some of the evidence that has been cited by conservative Christians to oppose homosexuality. The individuals have just realised that other non English translations actually do not contain the word homosexual. The term was discovered in the late 1900s long after the Bible had been written. Therefore, people feel that the use of the term in the English Bible is a result of cultural biases against persons of this orientation (Pharr, 2002). Some verses in the bible have also been quoted as possible justifications for homophobia and one of them is 1 Corinthians 6:9. Scholars supporting same sex relationships have asserted that what Englishmen perceive as homosexuality in these verses is actually masturbation or male prostitution. Additionally, another instance where it is claimed that homosexuality was forbidden in the bible is in Genesis 19 where Sodom and Gomorrah were under discussion. In this passage, supporters of gay unions have asserted that the bible was not really condemning homosexual relations. Instead, it opposed the gang rape and hostile behaviour exhibited by people in that passage. Therefore, all religious references that have been used by many religious opponents to same sex relationships have been disputed. This has neutralised their antagonism towards gay people, and made them more acceptable even in such conservative circles. Atheism is becoming increasingly influential in determining social values within the United Kingdom. Atheists affirm that homosexuality is a morally neutral act as it is neither evil nor good (Pharr, 2002). They believe that relationships should be regarded as immoral depending on the character of the relationship. If they exhibit violence or control and stunted growth, then they are immoral. However, the genders involved in any relationship ought not to be regarded as the problem. Matters surrounding universal standards ought to be considered. It is these ideas that have now been embraced by many individuals in the west and have caused society to warm up to the idea. Feminists have also played a significant role in explaining these changing attitudes. They have been at the forefront of the LGBT movement as they challenged notions of patriarchy. Some of them have spoken out against hegemony against their gender. The phenomenon espouses the notion that males must dominate society. Feminists have gone out of their way to question the concept of gender and who this suffers (Pharr, 2002). They have identified associations between homophobia, sexism, male patriarchy and economic control. A number of them assert that sometimes abuse of women by men was regarded as a way of enforcing male dominance. Even homophobia was one such avenue. These rallies against excessive or violent displays of masculinity by feminists have played a large role in changing such attitudes. Conclusion Overall, studies indicate that homophobia is in decline due to changing attitude. This has positive implications for gay people who are likely to live more fulfilling lives and for heterosexuals who can express themselves in effeminate ways without fear of marginalisation from others. The different attitudes have been brought on by proliferation of technology, decreasing religiosity and the committed efforts of feminists in society. References Bush, A., Anderson, E. and Carr, S., 2012. The declining existence of men’s homophobia in British sport. Journal for the Study of Sport and Athletes in Education, 6(1), pp. 107-120. McComarck, M., 2013. The declining significance of homophobia (sexuality, identity and society). Oxford: OUP. McVeigh, T., 2012. Homophobia is declining in schools, study claims. [online] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/03/homophobia-schools-study Available at: [Accessed 14 May 2014] Pharr, S., 2002. Homophobia: A weapon of sexism. Berkeley, California: Chardon Press. Read More