Attitudes towards homosexuality

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Different societies -- and different groups and individuals within those societies -- have different attitudes towards homosexuality. The variety of attitudes are often reflected in legal codes, from liberal approaches in countries such as the Netherlands[1] and Canada[2], where same-sex marriage is legal, to ultra-repressive attitudes in countries like Saudi Arabia[3] or Iran[4] where homosexuality is a capital offense.

Contents

[edit] Religious attitudes towards homosexuality

[edit] Christianity

Christian attitudes towards homosexuality are varied. Some branches of the Christian faith will allow gay marriages and the ordainment of gay ministers. However, many Christian conservatives, those detached from reality, and unclassifiable wingnuts use the Bible as a justification of intolerance/hatred/violence towards gays. One biblical quote that is used to justify the repression of homosexuality is:

Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 18:22

The death penalty for homosexuality, which was recently introduced in Uganda in 2009 and linked to US evangelicalism,[5] could be biblically justified the following quote:

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Leviticus 20:13

However, it should noted that despite Biblical prohibitions of sodomy, the Bible is relatively vague when it comes to homosexuality. The above quotes could be read to address adultery instead of homosexuality; this helps explain the variety of Christian attitudes to the subject, and how many Christians who self-identify as homosexual are able to reconcile their sexual orientation with their religious beliefs.[6]

[edit] Islam

Like Christians, Muslims also hold a variety of views about homosexuality. In many countries under Sharia law, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, and Sudan, homosexuality is punishable by death, and public violence against gays is very common. However, not all Muslim countries are hostile towards gays. Indonesia and Turkey, both Muslim majority countries (but secular republics, not Islamic states) have no laws against homosexuality.

[edit] By country

[edit] United States

The United States, like many Western industrialized nations, is home to a variety of social attitudes on homosexuality. Several states have recently passed gay marriage laws, many others have allowed civil unions for a number of years, and homosexuals are prominent in the public eye. However, many so-called "family values" advocates oppose the civil rights advances that homosexuals have made in recent years, and, as in many countries, violence against homosexuals is still a problem.

Homosexuals have become more prominent in the media in recent years.

The United States lags behind some other Western industrialized countries in terms of the rights enjoyed by homosexuals. However, public opinion on the question of homosexuality is mixed. A Gallup poll in 2008 showed that about 57% of Americans believe homosexuality should be acceptable while 40% believe it should not.

There are many states in the U.S. that are considered "gay utopias", where states grant equal rights to homosexuals and even allow same-sex marriage. These states include Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maine, and (formerly) California. California was briefly a "gay utopia" in 2008 when same-sex marriage was legalized, until right-wing nutheads came into play and passed California Proposition 8. Ironically, California is home to the "gay Mecca" of the world, San Francisco.

Some extremists feel that gay rights in United States would lead to gay totalitarianism and destroy democracy, although this kind of hysteria is stirred up by fringe elements.[7]

Attitudes towards homosexuality varies among different ethnic groups. An exit poll conducted showed that 70% percent of African Americans and 53% of Hispanic Americans voted for Proposition 8 while 51% of Asian Americans voted against it. [8]

There have been many highly-publicized acts of homophobia in United States, including:

  • The brutal murder of Matthew Shephard
  • Jerry Falwell's comments after the 9/11 terrorist attacks [9]
  • Boy Scouts banning membership for homosexuals
  • The shooting of 15 year old Lawrence King. [10]
  • Bullying towards gays and lesbians in schools is relatively common

[edit] Japan

Much of Japanese pop culture, from video games to anime and manga, has homosexuality as a common theme. Japanese society tends not condemn homosexuality on moral or religious grounds, and country has no laws against homosexuality; Japan is thought by some to be more tolerant to gays and lesbians than many Western countries. [11] .

[edit] New Zealand

Gay marriage in New Zealand has been legalised, in the form of civil unions. New Zealand also has a transvestite Member of Parliament.

[edit] Netherlands

The Netherlands is considered to be one of the friendliest countries in the world towards homosexuals and was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. Public acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex marriage is relatively high in the Netherlands (as well as being the highest supporters of same-sex marriage[12]), but the country is also home to a significant Muslim minority, some of whom are less tolerant of homosexuality. [13]

[edit] Sweden

In May 2009, Sweden legalized same-sex marriage. [14] Gays and lesbian are also protected from all forms of discrimination in Sweden. [15]

[edit] South Africa

While many Sub-Saharan African countries have laws against homosexuality, South Africa is a unique case. The country legalized same-sex marriage in 2006 [16], although, as is the case virtually everywhere where gay marriage has been legalized, opposition on the grounds of "family values" still persist among parts of the population.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. http://www.minvws.nl/en/reports/dmo/2006/acceptance-of-homosexuality-in-the-netherlands.asp
  2. http://www.samesexmarriage.ca/
  3. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200705/gay-saudi-arabia
  4. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/21/iran-two-more-executions-homosexual-conduct
  5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/uganda-death-sentence-gay-sex
  6. Gay Christian website
  7. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97460
  8. See:[1] It should be noted that these groups represent a small minority in California that had little impact on the turnout of the vote
  9. The laughs
  10. Really sad
  11. http://www.geocities.com/BjcJapan/roots.html
  12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080129053504/http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/121806euPoll.htm
  13. http://www.minvws.nl/en/reports/dmo/2006/acceptance-of-homosexuality-in-the-netherlands.asp
  14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7978495.stm
  15. http://www.homo.se/upload/homo/pdf_homo/Discrimination_act.pdf
  16. http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/2006/SouthAfrica-GayMarriages.html
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