Who Homophobia Affects
Homophobic attitudes can impact upon anyone who:
- is—or is perceived to be—lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender/transsexual
- has friends, family or colleagues who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender/transsexual
- does not conform to stereotypical views of masculine or feminine behaviour
Homophobia can happen anywhere: at home, at work, at school, at university, in the pub, on holiday, perhaps even in the supermarket.
The gay community is frequently seen as an easy target by offenders because they often suffer in silence. Most offenders expect that the people they attack or abuse will not report it.
Homophobia presents itself in people young and old. Some people react negatively to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people because homosexuality is something they have little understanding about. It is the fear of something or someone perceived as "different".
Such prejudice arises from long-standing cultural stereotypes that depict lesbians and gay men as immoral, criminal, sick, and drastically different from what society considers "normal".
This prejudice is wrong. This is what we need to stand up against.