Historical and Contemporary Attitudes Toward Homosexuality

Abstract

Over the past several decades, the shifting social climate has led to a steady increase in legal rights, social acceptance, and visibility for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. However, there are still marked individual differences in levels of sexual prejudice as well as varying levels of comfort and exposure to the LGBT community. Moreover, the rapid shift in attitudes may lead students to conclude incorrectly that sexual prejudice is a thing of the past. The focus of this article is threefold. First, we emphasize the benefits of teaching about the history of the gay rights movement; when students learn about the past, they gain important insights into the lived experiences of LGBT individuals. Second, we illustrate the ways in which discrimination against LGBTs is still quite evident, including bullying, transgender rights, and employment disparities based on sexual prejudice. Third, we underscore the need to acknowledge heterosexual privilege and to explain why students should consider this privilege as part of their daily experience. Throughout the article, we discuss strategies and activities that instructors can use to effectively incorporate LGBT issues into psychology courses.

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