Homophobia, Hate Crimes, and Gay Rights: A Personal Analysis

Introduction: Homophobia in American Culture

Even in the wake of political correctness, homophobia still haunts many people in our culture. Heterosexuality remains the dominant social expression, and any intimate relationship that falls outside the accepted boundaries of heterosexual union is considered taboo. The modern media and institutions of higher learning are only recently beginning to challenge the ingrained belief that heterosexuality is the only "normal" form of sexual relationship. However, in spite of gender studies courses and television shows portraying homosexuality in a positive light, many people still retain some homophobic beliefs. In fact, based on the recent outcry against gay marriage, American society is generally and powerfully heterosexist.

Homophobia manifests in a wide range of behaviors, many of which are so innocuous as to go unnoticed. For instance, when people make jokes or utter stereotypes about gay men or lesbians, they are essentially cloaking their homophobia with sarcasm or humor. Like racism, homophobia is pervasive and often subtle. In fact, many gay men and lesbians are themselves homophobic, as evidenced by the psychological difficulties of coming out of the closet and the internal struggles that accompany coming out to oneself. Unfortunately, in many cases homophobia creates severe and even fatal consequences, as in gay bashing.

Personal Manifestations of Homophobia

As a straight person claiming to be open-minded, I must admit that I retain lingering vestiges of heterosexism. My homophobia, however mild, colors the ways I perceive gay culture and gay individuals. I may have inherited my homophobic beliefs from my family, peer group, or the media. Regardless of where these beliefs stem from, I express homophobia in a number of subtle ways — mainly through stereotyping, avoidance, and overcompensation.

Stereotyping causes me to automatically pigeonhole certain people into categories and to label individuals as "gay" or "straight" based on their appearance. For instance, if I see a woman with very short hair wearing a plaid shirt and no makeup, I may assume she is a lesbian. From there I will conclude that she is a "butch" lesbian who exhibits certain personality traits. However, I have no idea who this person is, what her sexual orientation is, or what her personality is like. I have fallen into a key homophobic trap of negative stereotyping. Most of the time my stereotypes are not overtly negative in nature, but they are nevertheless harmful in that they prevent me from overcoming my prejudices. Interestingly, my stereotypes have little if anything to do with actual sex, as though I dissociate what makes gay people gay from the stereotype or label.

In addition to stereotyping, homophobia also causes me to avoid cultivating friendships with gay men and lesbians and to sidestep situations in which my own sexuality might be called into question. For example, if a friend of my same gender hugs me, I become self-conscious that others might assume we are gay. This underlying fear is the most direct manifestation of homophobia — the fear of homosexuality itself. Similarly, I have no close friends who are gay, though of course there could be many reasons for this, and the fact alone is not necessarily an expression of homophobia.

I also avoid confronting my own sexuality and my feelings about homosexuality because of this underlying homophobia. Because we have been taught that homosexuality is deviant, we do not want to be perceived as gay. Furthermore, a close examination of our personal sexual preferences can feel threatening and frightening. I might, for instance, find that I am attracted to members of the same sex. I believe that many heterosexual people are, in some ways and at some times, sexually attracted to persons of the same gender, even if they choose not to act on those desires. My feelings of homophobia emerge most strongly when they directly impact how I feel about my own sexual nature. If I have a same-sex fantasy, for instance, I immediately suppress it and would not share it with others for fear of exploring that aspect of my sexuality.

Because I recognize that homophobia is a destructive force comparable to racism, I also tend to overcompensate for my subconscious and conscious fears in an attempt to prove — to others and to myself — that I am not homophobic. For example, I go out of my way to advocate for gay rights, champion causes such as gay marriage, attend gay pride events, and watch films and television shows depicting gay individuals and gay culture. When people around me tell mean-spirited jokes or make blanket statements about gay men or lesbians, I come to the defense of those being disparaged and refute those statements as homophobic. In general, I try to maintain an open mind and express politically inclusive sentiments. However, I often sense that my behaviors are in some ways overcompensating for an underlying homophobia.

As with all deeply held belief systems, homophobia and heterosexism will be difficult to reverse. Embedded in the psyches of most people in our society, heterosexism will remain the dominant belief system for some time until a critical mass of cultural change is reached. Much as racism has not been completely eliminated despite laws and affirmative action policies, heterosexism will not be erased from the public consciousness even after laws are passed demanding equal rights and protections for gay citizens. I find it telling that sexual behavior should factor into human relations at all. What heterosexual couples do in the privacy of their bedroom is rarely shared with others, and straight people do not announce that they are straight. I do not on any level believe that homosexuality is immoral or unnatural, yet because of cultural programming and the influences of media, peers, and family, I still carry some feelings of homophobia. These feelings stem mainly from a fear of my own sexuality and sexual orientation rather than from an outward hostility toward gay individuals or the gay community.

Hate Crimes and Anti-LGBT Violence

Gay bashing and verbal assaults on homosexual and transgender individuals represent the most heinous manifestation of heterosexism and homophobia in our society. These hate crimes make stereotyping and anti-gay jokes seem mild by comparison. Moreover, such crimes say more about the perpetrators than the victims. Gay bashers harbor deep fears, anger, and hatred toward gay people — a disposition that borders on ideological fanaticism. The particularly brutal nature of many gay-bashing incidents is a testament to severe psychological disturbance. Furthermore, these hate crimes reflect the homophobic character of our broader culture. Unfortunately, in many instances authorities do not treat gay-bashing crimes as seriously as they should, in part because of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the victim. As these individuals are often considered deviant by mainstream society, they are treated as second-class citizens.

The brutal murder of Gwen Araujo is a prime example of a heterosexist hate crime. A pre-operative transsexual, Gwen was born biologically male. At the age of fourteen she essentially began living as a woman, dressing and socializing accordingly. At a party in Newark, California, Gwen was assaulted after a woman discovered her transgender status. Three men at the party gouged her face, beat her severely, dragged her into a garage, and strangled her to death. Afterward, the perpetrators drove her body to a campground to dispose of it. The three men were ultimately caught and charged with hate crimes and murder.

Matthew Wayne Shepard, a twenty-one-year-old University of Wyoming student, was beaten and tied to a fence post, where he was left to die. The sole motive for the crime was his sexual orientation. Similarly, thirty-nine-year-old Billy Jack Gaither was bludgeoned to death with an axe because he was openly gay. Such hate crimes defy rational explanation; however, the motives behind them parallel those behind the lynching of African Americans — hatred and fear. In these cases, being gay was treated as an affront against "Christian morals." Any objective person would recognize that there is nothing Christian about killing another human being, regardless of their sexual orientation. The foundation of these anti-gay beliefs is heterosexism: because heterosexuality has been established as the only permissible sexual orientation, heterosexist individuals feel justified in targeting those who deviate from it.