Attitudes towards sexual orientation vary throughout the United States. Social and cultural
mores of sexuality have a large sociological impact on individual behavior, especially in the
family unit. Many ethnic minority families in the United States do not feel comfortable discussing sexuality and disclosure of one's sexual orientation or identity often presents challenges. Many feel their coming-out may force them to be loyal to one community rather than another. In the United States, 44% of LGBT students persons of color have reported experiencing bullying based on their sexual orientation and/or race; 13% reported physical harassment and 7% reported physical assault for the same reasons.
Black community The percentage of Black Americans who believe that homosexuality should be accepted lags behind other ethnic groups. In 2017, 63% of Black respondents polled said it should be accepted, versus the national average of 70%. Researchers have identified a range of potential explanations for this trend, including the association of the African American community with the church in the United States, gender norms within the Black community, and the idea that homosexuality is antithetical to being black. Despite a majority share of support for the LGBTQ community, 60% of respondents in one study felt that LGBTQ advances had come at the expense of Black civil rights. However, the notion that homophobia is more prevalent in the African American community has been exaggerated in public perception. Data from the
Pew Research Center has suggested that black people were only ever marginally more likely to be homophobic than white people, and black support for LGBTQ rights has increased between each consecutive Pew Research poll, including among religious Black Protestants. Lauron Kehrer points out that exit polls that exaggerated black opposition to
gay marriage in California were later proven to be inaccurate. Research indicates that gay black people perceive the Black and White populations as equally homophobic. Black Americans are about as likely as other ethnic groups to identify as LGBTQ. This contradicts stereotypes that African-Americans and other minorities are less likely to identify as LGBT. In recent years, African American celebrities such as
Jason Collins,
Michael Sam, and
Robin Roberts have come out. Research suggests that African-Americans have complex views on gay civil rights. While African-Americans are more likely than white people to support laws that protect LGBT people from employment discrimination, they are less likely to support gay adoption rights. While as a group, African-Americans are less likely to support gay marriage than white Americans, this trend is reversed when age and religious identification are controlled for. Research suggests that the higher Black affiliation with certain Protestant and Catholic denominations plays a role in black views on gay marriage. Age also appears to play a significant role in African American views on gay rights, as there is a large
generation gap between the views of older black Americans and black youth. All of these data challenge the idea that blacks are uniquely homophobic. African American LGBT people tend to identify more with their racial/ethnic category rather than their sexual orientation as a main identity reference group. Black LGBT people are often hesitant about revealing their sexuality to their friends and families because of homosexuality's incompatibility with cultural gender roles. Black people are likelier to express homophobic attitudes, but there is a link between education, religion, and homophobic attitudes. Education has an impact on homophobic attitudes and views of sexuality within the black community. This follows a nationwide trend; more educated people are likely to be more accepting of non-heterosexual sexuality. Better education typically means less affiliation to conservative religions or denominations, which limits the influence of socially conservative ideas.
Barack Obama acknowledged homophobia within the African American community and said; "If we are honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to
Martin Luther King's vision of a beloved community ... We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them". The perceived bias against homosexuality in the African American community has led to the sub-cultural phenomenon "on the
down-low", in which black men who identify as heterosexual secretly have sex with men. The term is also used to refer to a sexual identity. LGBT African Americans often face homophobia from heterosexual African Americans and conflict with LGBT Whites due to racism within LGBT culture. According to
Margaret L. Anderson and
Patricia Hill Collins, "The linkage between race, class, and gender is revealed within studies of sexuality, just as sexuality is a dimension of each. For example, constructing images about Black sexuality is central to maintaining
institutional racism." Celebrations of U.S. African-American LGBT identity include
black gay pride celebrations in black-majority urban areas. Other endeavors support African-American representation in LGBT media, such as the short-lived television series ''
Noah's Arc''.
Homophobia and the Black Church The
Black Church is a central part of mainstream African American culture. Rather than a specific denomination, the Black Church refers to a combination of
Protestant Christian denominations, including the
African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the
National Baptist Convention, and the
Church of God in Christ. This link between the church and black culture was formed during slavery; the church provided spiritual support for slaves. Religiosity helped keep slaves' morale high. When they began to plan their escape from the plantations, codes conveying secret messages about their plans were embedded into worship songs. This history of the Black Church and slaves has created an indelible bond between African Americans and the church. The values preached in the Black Church tend to be
socially conservative, with the exclusion of ways the church addresses homelessness. In the home, so-called “traditional”
family values prevail. Maintaining a nuclear family with a man as the main provider and a woman as the staple of the house are the dominant values within the Black Church. Heterosexuality is seen as the only acceptable standard while homosexuality is seen as condemnable by God.
Hip-hop Hip hop has long been one of the least
LGBTQ-friendly genres of music, with a significant body of the genre containing
homophobic views and
anti-gay lyrics. Attitudes towards homosexuality in
hip hop culture have historically been negative.
Gay slurs and language denoting discomfort with homosexuality, such as "sus", "
no homo", and "pause" can be heard in hip hop lyrics from the industry's biggest stars.
Homophobia and Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are another hotbed of Black culture. HBCUs were built during the
Jim Crow era to serve African Americans in
segregated areas at a time when Black students were not allowed to attend white institutions. On the campus of HBCUs, many Black students find a sense of support and belonging among faculty, staff, and students who may come from similar backgrounds. However, some LGBTQ students come against a barrier and feel supported in their racial but not their sexual identity, or feel a pressure to be "Black first, gay second." As of 2017, fewer than 25% of HBCUs had any LGBTQ student organizations, compared with 62% of colleges nationwide. Some campuses have begun to make a conscious effort create a more supportive environment, but progress has been slow, and some LGBTQ students report that there is much greater acceptance for lesbian and bisexual women than for gay and bisexual men. Despite the push for a more inclusive environment, there is reluctance to update the image of scholarly Black men and women on their campuses. In 2009, on the campus of the famed all-male
Morehouse College, a new dress code policy was enacted that explicitly barred students from wearing women's clothing to any sponsored University events. This was a direct response to feminine-presenting students at the college. The stated purpose of the dress code policy was to promote the vision of a “Morehouse Man” which is a “leader on campus and within the community.” In more recent years, the college has made changes to support its LGBTQ+ students, including establishing a task force, founding an LGBTQ student organization, and accepting transgender men as students. The first LGBTQ student organization at an HBCU, Lambda Student Alliance at
Howard University, was established in 1979.
Bowie State University founded the first LGBTQ student center in 2012. Morgan State University is the first of few HBCUs to implement gender-neutral bathrooms and plans to implement a living-learning community in the future dedicated to creating gender-neutral spaces. Morehouse has become a leader in expanding the idea of what a Black man looks like. This view is an obstacle to treatment for some; individuals who perceive that they are not at risk for HIV may be less likely to test or use protection, allowing the disease to spread without detection. There is a direct link between homophobia and high-risk behavior that can lead to HIV/AIDS. Studies of Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have found that experiencing homophobic events or encountering stigma were linked with higher-risk sexual behavior, including unprotected anal intercourse, as well as reluctance to obtain HIV testing or care, lower adherence to treatment medication, and reduced disclosure of a HIV-positive status to sexual partners. Many Black MSM report facing homophobia or
serophobia in spaces where they are supported against racism, and racism or serophobia in gay spaces. Some MSM also report that desire to use a condom was perceived to imply HIV-positive status, and that therefore men avoid using or discussing condom use due to stigma.
Latino community The
Latino community in the
United States is largely accepting of LGBT people, with a large majority supporting gay marriage according to some polls. There is evidence that Latinos in America are significantly more likely to identify as LGBT than the general population. Latinos adults are twice as likely as white or black Americans to identify as LGBT, and nearly 22% of Latino youth identify as LGBT, making them by far the most likely group in America to claim an LGBT identity. As both ethnic and sexual minorities, queer Latinos may navigate contradictory identities, which
Gloria Anzaldúa calls "mestiza consciousness". "Borderland" spaces composed strictly of queer Latinos, allow them to express their sexuality without consequences. One such space was magazine
Esto no tiene nombres community for Latina lesbians. Family gender roles in Hispanic/Latino culture are sometimes considered to be defined by clear brightlines. Oftentimes, Fathers and husbands hold power over the women in their lives; same-sex relationships disrupt the traditional role. Community attitudes treat male homosexuality as "dirty, shameful and abnormal",
Cherríe Moraga said
Chicana lesbians are perceived as
Malinche figures who are corrupted by foreign influences that contribute to the "genocide" of their people, even if they have children. These stigmas are historically ingrained into Latino cultures; Latina lesbians who have spoken to their families about their sexuality still feel they are silenced. Covert homophobia in the use of terms such as ''that's so gay
and no homo are also common. Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escabar was banned from playing after writing the phrase tu eres maricón'' on his eye tape (Spanish for "you are a faggot"). Hector Conteras, a DJ, "prompted listeners via Twitter to denounce what they considered 'gay behavior' from their peers at work, school, their neighborhood or within their own family". In the U.S., Latino/a children who identify as LGBTQ face scrutiny from their community at home and in schools, especially within a high school or college preparation experience. While facing scrutiny from family and community to maintain gender normality to prosper in the U.S., they also face scrutiny from their peers, mentors and educational administrators. This scrutiny includes a lack of acceptance and recognition as a separate educational entity within sexual education programs provided by many high school education districts. Latinas are viewed as needing to have less interest in sexual education while Latinos are told to maintain focus and to take the education seriously. When teachers are prompted to explain sexual education for lesbians or gays, the teachers or educators assume the student body to be uniformly heterosexual and refuse or consider the questions immature and outside the scope of their teaching. LGBT discrimination has a negative impact on the mental health of Latino/as; LGBT Latinas, however, experience less homophobia than their male contemporaries. This can be attributed to socialization that condemns same-sex male relationships more harshly than same-sex female relationships. Men experience more internalized homophobia than Latina women, which impacts their well-being. For Latino/as, creating environments that enable LGBT individuals to be themselves without fear of judgement is necessary for overall health. Implementing programs that empower LGBT Latinos is an effective measure in the prevention of HIV. Strong self-identification with marginalized groups can contribute to internalized homophobia. One study found approximately 90% of Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) who self-identified as LGBT thought homophobia or transphobia is an issue in the API community. Homosexuality is sometimes considered a mental disorder in many Asian countries of origin; shock therapy, public shaming, or other denigrating methods are sometimes used in an attempt to rid someone of homosexuality. According to
Amy Sueyoshi, "Voices from the queer left, though opposed to homophobia in
cultural nationalism, have picked up the protest against the feminization of Asian American men in the gay community". While having different perspectives, both groups support a
phallocentric standard of Asian American male sexuality."
Cultural expectations Homophobia in the Asian American/Pacific Islander community can be prevalent due to cultural expectations that some members of the community hold. These cultural expectations are not universal or uniform, but may help explain why some LGBT Asian Americans feel homophobic pressure from their ethnic communities. Some Asian Americans and first-generation Asian immigrants consider homosexuality to be Western in nature, especially since the concept of "gay identity" is a term coined in the Western world. A large percentage of Asian languages do not have a specific word describing homosexuality, gay, lesbian, etc., but rather several stand-in terms that roughly reference one's sexuality. Due to lacking specific terminology for certain concepts, there often is little to no frame of reference for understanding the dynamic of same-sex sexual relationships. The attempted explanation of gay identity to one's community creates a language barrier between the community and the LGBT member where the LGBT person has difficulty explaining their sexual orientation to their family and community members, exacerbating the lack of understanding and cultural rift between supposedly Western conceptions of homosexuality and heterosexism. Homosexuality is considered to not be associated with Asian cultures, especially in Japanese culture which operate with limited gender roles. However, it was romanticized in Chinese culture, embraced by the people so long, until the establishment of the PRC which demolished such bondage. Thus, when LGBT Asian American children try to explain their gay identity to their parents, it often can be unsuccessful since there is no equivalent concept in Asian culture. Even in Western understandings, Asian American LGBT people find little to no representation. Coming out and continual assertion of gay identity is viewed as a rejection of fundamental Asian cultural values; due to the belief that homosexuality is a Western concept, LGBT children become sources of familial shame for Asian American and Asian immigrant mothers. Verbal openness and communication in Asian American families is often considered to be restrained in comparison to white families. Non-verbal cues and indirect high-context communication are valued by Asian American families. As a part of acculturating to Western society, second-generation Asian Americans start to use more English and speak less of their parents' language, which makes deeper discussion of issues between generations more difficult. This can lead to pushing back discussions about sex and relationships, which gives Asian American children a late start in comparison to their peers. The overall lower amount of open communication compounds difficulties in expressing identity to their community. Oftentimes, sexual shame accompanies any discussion of sexual orientation. Actively and openly pursuing sexual desires are often discouraged regardless of sexual orientation; however, this effect is exacerbated for LGBT Asian American children and makes it incredibly difficult to come out to family members. Those who belong to Asian cultures may feel that sex is a taboo topic that should not be discussed in detail, and view discussions about sexuality and sexual orientation to be shameful. Asian immigrant parents often feel that nobody else in the community would understand their child's sexuality, and thus prefer to avoid the topic of sexual orientation altogether. The family will oftentimes refuse to acknowledge their sexual orientation even if they have previously discussed it with their family members. Filial piety is also considered another potential reason for why Asian Americans experience homophobia within their ethnic community. Asian immigrant parents may carry cultural values from their country of origin, including Confucian ideals of filial piety for the eldest son to carry on the family name, care for the parents as they grow old, and respect their ancestors. Unique challenges arise from the Asian American LGBT experience when being gay is considered a form of social deviance that brings shame to the family name for the cultural reasons listed above, making it more difficult to come out to Asian Americans than to other Americans. Sexual orientation disclosure is not an openly celebrated event, and once Asian American children do come out, their parents often believe that their homosexuality is a result of their particular parenting choices, and may shame themselves for not "correcting" their children in an early age.
Internalized homophobia The expectations placed on Asian American LGBT people can oftentimes lead to internalization of homophobic attitudes or reluctance to embrace their sexual orientation. If an Asian American LGBT person felt more culturally adherent to Asian country of origin values, they are more likely to experience internalized heterosexism and were less likely to disclose sexual identity to others in comparison to those who did not adhere as much to traditional values. Family-oriented and socially-oriented identity interact with internalized heteronormativity; these three factors influence one's choice to come out or enter a straight marriage. Managing internalized homophobia in order to keep feelings of inadequacy away includes tactics that respond to external oppression from the Asian American community and from LGBT communities. Some respond to stigma by attempting to pass for straight or continually cover their orientation to avoid discrimination; if family members have been told about sexual orientation, they may simply choose to not discuss the issue and act as if the person is not homosexual. In the cases of some gay Asian men, they respond to stigmatized status by re-appropriating and destigmatizing assumptions of excessive femininity compared to other gay men. Some may also redefine homophobia within the Asian American community as being a Western ideal; if homophobia is framed as not truly being a part of Asian beliefs, gay Asian Americans can reclaim their Asian authenticity. However, some studies have found that there are no significant differences for the amount of internalized homophobia Asian American LGBT people experience.
Acceptance Similarly to other ethnic minorities in the US, the dual minority identity may make a family support network more important to maintain than disowning a child. Yet in Asian American cultures, there is often a lesser degree of overt expression of love, which can affect the parent-and-child relationship after disclosing a non-straight sexual identity. If an Asian American family feels their familial ties are strong, coming out does not represent a permanent split but rather a shift towards a new form of embracing the homosexual family member. This form of acceptance can help LGBT people feel more comfortable in their own identity. ==United Kingdom==