Essay On Homophobia

The effect of Homophobia in men and woman

Have you ever wondered why there aren’t more gay characters on television or in movies? Whether gay and lesbian characters are portrayed differently than their straight counterparts? Why stories about gay and lesbians tend to revolve exclusively around their sexuality and sexual orientation? Historically, many societies have been intolerant of homosexuals, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Media has played a role in both perpetuating and resisting this state of affair. Growing up, men and woman are faced with the continual threat of being seen as gay and the continuous challenge of proving that they are not gay. In short, men and woman are kept in line by homophobia. Media representations of GLBT

As a culture, we put so much pressure on our other to conform to a certain mold. Society seems to be forcing other people to try to measure up in all areas of life, even trying to tell them how to act and how not to act. Those gays and bisexual people living within communities where anti-gay sentiments are not only common, but also accepted, have, on average, a shorter life expectancy in comparison to their peers who are fortunate enough to live in more open-minded communities. A common way of hurting these homosexuals emotionally is through stereotype which then leads to low self-esteem. Homophobia can be used to stigmatize, silence, and, on occasion, target people who are perceived or defined by others as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but who are in fact heterosexual. Homophobia affects some gay people and causes them to be in denial about their own sexuality or forces them to mask their homosexuality for the fear of other homophobic people finding out they are homosexual. It is tragic to know that some people feel they have to deny their sexual orientation. The effects of hearing homophobic remarks and hatred towards homosexuals cause them to not like who they are and hide it by sometimes trying to live a heterosexual lifestyle. The television show “Will and Grace,” frequently illustrates representations of homosexuality mainly to reinforce negative, cultural stereotypes about gay men (2016).

Homophobia is a sheer killer and can cause lots of destruction towards homosexuals. Society 's homophobic views of homosexuality leave many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth feeling confused, ashamed, guilty, and afraid and alone putting them at a greater risk for suicide, drugs and alcohol abuse, homelessness, and sexually transmitted diseases. Gay, Lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth because of homophobia. The leading cause of death for gay youth is suicide, which can be attributed to our homophobic, intolerant society. Frontiers Magazine—a Southern California gay entertainment magazine—featured a cover story entitled “Butch is Back,” which explored how the repackaging of a Los Angeles leather-themed gay bar was redefining masculine ideals in the local gay community (Cullinane, 2007). StraightActing.com—“A site for [gay] guys that like sports, can change their own car’s oil, or just don’t fit the effeminate stereotype” (text taken from Website’s homepage)—offered an on-line discussion area where many posting revered traditional masculine ideals and expressed hostility towards effeminate gay men (see Clarkson, 2006). These real-life examples and the suggestion that masculine ideals significantly affect many gay men may surprise people who are not intimately familiar with the gay community—a community that is often perceived as