American Attitudes towards Homosexuals Research Paper

American Attitudes towards Homosexuals - Research Paper Example In the traditional sense, the discrimination against these individuals has mostly been based on gender bias and the majority perception of the existence of only two genders – that of the male and female sex. Despite this dominant gender perception, homosexuals have been persistent about their rights and about their place in society. The laws have also been firm on the application of the equal protection of rights and the due process of law, as far as these homosexuals are concerned. As a result, these homosexuals have taken on a more public presence and have become more visible to the general population. In a way, they have made their presence known in almost all aspects of American life. However, even as their public visibility has increased dramatically over the past several decades, prejudicial attitudes against them have remained persistent. This paper shall discuss American attitudes against homosexuals, discussing the minor claim that public visibility of homosexuals has increased. In detail, it shall discuss the ways in which homosexual visibility has increased, more particularly through the media and through the â€Å"Don’t ask, Don’t Tell† military policy. ... Most Americans have become embroiled heavily in the contrasting opinions on homosexuality with some of them favoring the rights of homosexuals to self-promotion and perpetuation, and the rest expressing their outrage for homosexuality based on religious and moral grounds. In general, studies evaluating attitudes against homosexuals yielded negative attitudes against these individuals (Besen and Zickling, p. 251). These results have been seen in studies carried out during the 1980s and 1990s, including large scale reviews and surveys during the 1990s (Besen and Zicklin, p. 251). In recent years however, the attitudes towards homosexuals have improved with many Americans considering a more liberal approach towards civil rights (Besen and Zicklin, p. 251). Many of them have been able to gain some form of social acceptance from the general populace; however, to some extent many of them have persistently encountered these social issues on acceptance from moralists. Various factors have be en considered in explaining these attitudes towards homosexuals. Individuals who have negative attitudes towards homosexuals are usually authoritarian and are very traditional in their views of sex roles and of minority groupings (Besen and Zicklin, p. 251). These attitudes have also been spurred on by health concerns, with the percentage of HIV/AIDS sufferers of a higher rate among gay men. Such health concerns have further fueled the homophobic tendencies against homosexuals. Inasmuch as these negative attitudes towards homosexuals have been unfavorable, legal mandates have established provisions in order to protect the practice of civil rights among these homosexuals. Along with the more liberal ideals which many Americans