House Of Bishops' Report: Issues In Human Sexuality
Page 34, Section 4.8
We recognise that there are major questions to be faced concerning the attitudes of homophiles in both Church and society. The phenomenon of homophobia is very real, and is not confined to those who actively persecute homosexuals. Repugnance at homophile behaviour (actual or imagined) and fear of the danger to others from tolerating or seeming to encourage it can combine even in the reasonable and charitable to foster underlying feelings of hostility toward gay and lesbian people.
The effects of such attitudes, both overt and covert, are twofold. One effect is to drive some homophiles underground. This inevitably makes it more difficult for them to build lasting relationships, and increases the temptations to infidelity and promiscuity. In addition the untruths and concealment to which some homophiles are driven for self-protection, and the constant fear that others will sooner or later penetrate the façade behind which much of their life has to be conducted, are corrosive of personal integrity.
By contrast other homophiles, who refuse to be trapped in these ways, are driven to protest by taking up a defiant stance, demonstrating their pride in being gay or lesbian, and making exaggerated claims and demands. This further polarises what is already a situation of conflict, and leads others who were sympathetic to be hostile. The complexity of the situation, however, should not blind us to the clear, simple and fundamental responsibility of Christians to reject and resist all forms of homophobia.
This carries with it the duty to be active in protecting those who are victimised, since it is sadly true that members of the gay and lesbian community are all too often not only verbally disparaged and abused or made the targets of cruel so-called 'humour', but are also physically assaulted.