BIAS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS: A SOCIAL PROBLEM

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SW 3710 History and Assessment of a Social Welfare Issue

Competencies:

Describe the current problem and provide evidence of the impact and demographics of
the population it effects.

How has the topic been treated historically and when was it identified? Was it identified
the same way it is today? How do the current and historical definitions differ?

Are there any services/policies in place to alleviate the problem? How has this changed
over time?

Who receives the services? How does this compare to whom is most affected by the
problem?

How do social stigma, discrimination, and/or social prejudices affect the definition and
policy solutions?

Discuss personal beliefs and what you think the causes of the problem are.

How does the treatment of this issue relate to social work values and ethics?

BIAS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS: A SOCIAL PROBLEM

Bias Against Homosexuals: A Social Problem

Stephanie Jones
Wayne State University

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BIAS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS: A SOCIAL PROBLEM

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Abstract
This paper will address the issue regarding bias against homosexuals in the United States. I go
into detail about the history of homosexuality and when it first came about. I also discuss the
differences between todays opinion of homosexuals as well as the past. I have also incorporated
several statistics regarding bias against gays in America. There are a number of policies and
services that have been created to try and alleviate this social issue. There are a number of people
and groups in which these services have targeted. One such example regards those who have
contracted HIV/AIDS. Along with these policies are some pros and cons to the addressed
services and ways in which those who oppose homosexuals act in response. Also included are
how societal prejudices affect these bias. In conclusion, I state my personal belief regarding this
issue as well as how it relates to social work.

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There is no such thing as a perfect society. This serves as an explanation as to why there
are so many problems within such a society. One social problem that needs to be eradicated
comes from peoples bias against homosexuals. TheFreeDictionary.com defines bias as a
preference or inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment. To get a more detailed
view of bias against homosexuals, one needs to understand how it came about, services that have
been created, how discrimination affects those services, and the impact of this bias today.
Homosexuals have been discriminated against for centuries. The first historical record of
gays traces back to ancient Greece. Though there was no word for homosexuality in those
days, there has been a massive amount of evidence that same sex encounters did exist. It was not
until the Victorian era that homosexuality began to be looked down upon. In the past, there had
been several occasions where one would question a homosexuals motives. Almost forty years
ago, homosexuality was seen as a disease. Psychologists concluded malfunctions in the Oedipus
complex or withdrawn fathers/possessive mothers caused homosexuality (McCuen, 1994, p.
12). During World War II, it was noted as a mental illness and psychiatrists would often try to
treat the soldiers. If they could not be treated, they were discharged (McCuen, 1994, p. 72). No
one ever knew how to directly define homosexuality, mostly because it was seen as a taboo or
ones religion frowned upon it. Society had been brought up to think that homosexuality is a sin.
Throughout the years, people have tried everything imaginable to try and fix
homosexuals. One such way was through a conversion therapy. Though the typical success rate
is only 30%, therapists still try to change their sexual orientation (Ojeda, 2004, p. 50). According
to Douglas C. Haldeman, the author of the article Attempts To Change Homosexuals Have
Been Unsuccessful, conversion theory [is a] prime pathway for devaluing lesbian, gay, and
bisexual people and reinforcing stigma (Ojeda, 2004, p. 51). It is no wonder there is so much

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violence in the world today towards homosexuals.

Bias against homosexuals is something that has been going on for years. There are a large
amount of people who have done and made negative comments regarding gays and their rights.
One such instance comes from a newspaper editorial, Post, and senator Trent Lott categorizes
homosexuals with alcoholics, sex addicts, and kleptomaniacs (Corthran, 2003, p. 75). Lott is
basically stating his disgust and lack of respect for homosexuals, though they are no different
from anyone else. Another way in which gays are discriminated against is through some schools.
According to Helen Corthran, Leo and Jackie Pike (from Fairhaven, Mass.) hung signs on their
porch when they discovered that two of their neighbors. . . were gay (p. 81). Not only is it
illegal to disclose such private information, but it is also derogatory.
Hate crimes are also a growing trend in the United States today. Hate crimes based on
sexual preference makes up the third highest category; 16.1% as of 2000 (Conthran, 2003, p. 89).
Only 27 states have crime laws that include sexual orientation. 45 have crime laws, but never
once mention against homosexuals (Corthran, 2003, p. 90). Contrary to popular belief, there is
no evidence of a gay gene, says James Dobson who discussed the topic of Homosexuality Is
A Psychological Disorder (Ojeda, 2004, p. 67). This knowledge does not prevent criminals
from acting out. In June of 2000, The Hate Crime Prevention Act was passed to acknowledge the
hate crimes being committed against gays. However, those in the House who are anti-gay have
been dishing out misinformation (Ojeda, 2004, p. 120). These opposers insist that the
government already has ways to deal with such crimes, though by reading the statistics of hate
crimes, it barely shows. As stated in the Human Rights Campaigns article, Hate Crime Laws
Are Necessary to Protect Gays and Lesbians, only one-third of victims of anti-gay hate crimes
report the incident compared to 57% of victims of other crimes. It is a shame to see such

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negative statistics. Hate crimes are eliminating their sense of safety and the little bit of freedom
they possess.
Horrifyingly enough, there is a religious group out there who call themselves
STRAIGHT Society to Remove All Immoral Gross Homosexual Trash. STRAIGHTs main
objective is to have a fag free America (Cothran, 2003, p. 72). It is these types of groups that
thank God for all of the hate crimes and murders taking place in the homosexual community. It is
alarming to think that these types of people actually exist in America, and that one group would
go so far to want to extinguish gays. This way of thinking almost directly relates to Adolph
Hitler. Hitler already put the world through the Jewish Holocaust. We most certainly do not need
a Homosexual one.
There have been several services that have been more accepting of homosexuality and
promote equality for all. One such service comes from an Episcopal church, who look kindly on
homosexuals, informally sponsor gay religious groups . . . and perform ceremonies of union
(Cothran, 2003, p. 70). Though the amount of religious groups is not large in numbers in terms
of being accepting of homosexuals, they do make quite an impact on society and the way we
view gays and lesbians. However, the more conservative Catholics and Protestants do not believe
in homosexuality. The only ways to save oneself is through treatment for transformation
ministries. Transformation ministries seek to change ones sexual orientation through prayer
and reparative therapy (Cothran, 2003, p. 71). The amount of states allowing gay marriages, or
civil unions, is growing slowly but surely. Unfortunately, in 1996, the Defense Marriage Act was
passed, forcing heterosexuality into the law (Corthran, 2003, p. 74). It was a way to try and ban
same sex marriages. Though Americans are becoming more accepting of gays, it still has not
stopped laws against sodomy. Those who are convicted are considered sex crime offenders and

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must register as one (Sember, 2003, p. 1). This is a red flag that bias against gays still exists to
this day, and there are at least 12 states that find sodomy to be a crime (Sember, 2003, p. 2).
An all too familiar trend amongst homosexuals is the rising number of people infected
with HIV/AIDS. Fortunately, the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against those
with the disease. One cannot be denied a rental (Sember, 2003, p. 8). Gays can also not be
refused entry into the United States based on their sexual orientation, though they have placed a
ban on those infected with HIV. Waivers are not easily acquired and it is recommended to be on
some type of medication (Sember, 2003, p. 59).
In 2000, Vermont became the first state to grant gay couples a civil union. This law gives
same-sex partners certain benefits and protections similar to a married heterosexual couple. The
next step for a gay couple to make could potentially be starting a family. There are two states
that deny homosexuals the right to adoption: Mississippi and Florida (Sember, 2003, p. 102).
There are many different ways that a gay couple can proceed with starting a family, whether it be
through adoption, foster care, surrogacy, etc. but Florida makes their bias known by denying
them their rights. In some custody cases, there have been instances where some states see
homosexuality as a negative factor (Sember, 2003, p. 132). There should be no negative
factor in this case, other than the fact that a judge is being discriminative.
As of today, Americans have shifted their gaze towards homosexuals to a slightly more
accepting one. Attitudes have become more liberal. There are now nine states that prohibit
discrimination based on sexual orientation and four states that prohibit discrimination against
gender identity (Sember, 2003, p. 14). In Gary Gates article Gay The New Straight, he
discusses a 2007 survey taken to find where people stand in terms of consenting adults having
homosexual relations. He found that 59% of the population was okay with it. In a previous study

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in 1998, only 33% were for it. These growing numbers give the gay community hope and all the
more reason to put up a good fight. Up until recently, gays were also discriminated against in the
military in the policy dont ask, dont tell. Thanks to President Obama and plenty of pro-gay
supporters, the act has been repealed, giving gays the equality they deserve. Still, the gay
community is asking for more than just special rights, and can one blame them? They are still
fighting strong for their equality. They want to be on the same plane as their heterosexual
friends.
It seems as if after I had gathered all of this information, my personal belief had only
grown stronger. I am 100% pro-gay rights, and it pains me to see such hate in the world today. I
think one of the main reasons stems from people who have never been in contact with a
homosexual. When I say that, I mean they do not understand what they do not know. Something
that is so foreign to a community or culture can be extremely confusing and maybe even seen as
a threat. One may not know how to act or what to think of someone who is seen as different or
even abnormal. Regardless, the amount of hate crimes and bullying has gone above and
beyond what I expected to learn. This is an issue that needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.
In relation to social work, I see this problem directly involving our social work Code of
Ethics. One major value is social justice, something that all who have been discriminated against
need. We need to be their voice when no one else wants to hear them. A second value is service,
which is how we social workers aim to please. We give service and assistance to those who seek
it. One last value is dignity and worth of a person. If a homosexual steps into an office after
receiving tons of hate mail and threats, the last thing they want is for their social worker to jump
on that bandwagon. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Regardless of our own
personal beliefs, we need to set those aside and look at the issue ahead of us.

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After reading a report in the 1993 issue of Newsweek in which homosexuality was
discussed positively, an angry reader replied, homosexuality is abnormal behavior. In no way,
shape, or form is it a moral equivalent of heterosexuality. If this makes me a homophone, I wear
the label with pride (Fone, 2000, p. 411). Though frightening to hear, bias against homosexuals
is still a widely known trend. Though it has been proven that society is becoming more
accepting, it still has not stopped the amount of hate crimes and discriminated being committed
against them. As social workers, it is necessary to seek social justice where there is none.

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References
Bias - Definition of Bias By the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. (n.d.). The
Free Dictionary. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bias
Cothran, H. (2003). Homosexuality. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Fone, B. R. (2000). Homophobia: A History. New York: Metropolitan Books.
Gates, G. (2007, November 5). Gay - The New Straight. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October
17, 2011, from www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oerodriguez5nov05,0,6748365.column0,67
McCuen, G. E. (1994). Homosexuality and Gay Rights. Hudson, Wisconsin: Gary E. McCuen
Publications, Inc.
Ojeda, A. (2004). Homosexuality : Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven
Press.
Sember, B. M. (2003). Gay & Lesbian rights: A Guide For GLBT Singles, Couples, and
Families. Naperville, Illinois: Sphinx Pub.

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I feel that I met the competencies needed for my paper on a social welfare issue. I
presented the current social problem, bias against homosexuals, and discussed the impact it has
had on the population from ancient Greece to current day. I stated ways in which bias against
homosexuals has changed over time, and included statistics of hate crimes as well as the
changing numbers in people becoming less bias and more open-minded. There were several
organizations that I discussed in my paper that either wanted to promote or eliminate gay rights. I
also included ways in which these organizations affected the gay community. I discussed the
social stigmas and discrimination the homosexual community faces when trying to get married,
adopt, etc. It is also illegal to discriminate against those who have HIV/AIDs, which is an evergrowing problem in the homosexual community. I included my personal beliefs and the reason I
believe that this bias exists. I think it comes from lack of knowledge in our society. We fear what
we do not know nor understand. I closed the end of my paper with ways in which treatment of
this issue relates to social work values and ethics.
I chose bias against homosexuals because I am very passionate about equal rights for
gays. Growing up, one of my best male friends was gay, and it always hurt me to see how badly
he was suffering and how difficult it was for him to come out to his friends and family. Hiding
such a huge part of oneself must have been an incredibly heavy burden to bear.