{"id":143,"date":"2017-03-06T22:52:07","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T22:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-hccc-socialproblems\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=143"},"modified":"2017-03-06T22:52:07","modified_gmt":"2017-03-06T22:52:07","slug":"5-2-public-attitudes-about-sexual-orientation","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/chapter\/5-2-public-attitudes-about-sexual-orientation\/","title":{"raw":"5.2 Public Attitudes about Sexual Orientation","rendered":"5.2 Public Attitudes about Sexual Orientation"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_n01\">\n        <h3 class=\"title\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n        <ol class=\"orderedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_l01\"><li>Understand the extent and correlates of heterosexism.<\/li>\n            <li>Understand the nature of public opinion on other issues related to sexual orientation.<\/li>\n            <li>Describe how views about LGBT issues have changed since a few decades ago.<\/li>\n        <\/ol><\/div>\n    <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p01\">As noted earlier, views about gays and lesbians have certainly been very negative over the centuries in the areas of the world, such as Europe and the Americas, that mostly follow the Judeo-Christian tradition. There is no question that the Bible condemns homosexuality, with perhaps the most quoted Biblical passages in this regard found in Leviticus:<\/p>\n    <ul class=\"itemizedlist editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_l02\"><li>\u201cDo not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable\u201d (Leviticus 18:22).<\/li>\n        <li>\u201cIf a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads\u201d (Leviticus 20:13).<\/li>\n    <\/ul><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 478px;\"><div class=\"informalfigure small block\">\n       <a href=\"http:\/\/open.lib.umn.edu\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/02\/5.2.0.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1336\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224008\/5.2.0.jpg\" alt=\"5.2.0\" width=\"278\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1336\"\/><\/a><p class=\"para\">The Bible contains several passages that appear to condemn homosexuality.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"copyright\">\n            <p class=\"para\">Sean MacEntee - <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/smemon\/5994051110\/\">Bible<\/a> - CC BY 2.0.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n    <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p02\">The important question, though, is to what extent these passages should be interpreted literally. Certainly very few people today believe that male homosexuals should be executed, despite what Leviticus 20:13 declares. Still, many people who condemn homosexuality cite passages like Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13 as reasons for their negative views.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p03\">This is not a theology text, but it is appropriate to mention briefly two points that many religious scholars make about what the Bible says about homosexuality (Helminiak, 2000; Via &amp; Gagnon, 2003). First, English translations of the Bible\u2019s antigay passages may distort their original meanings, and various contextual studies of the Bible suggest that these passages did not, in fact, make blanket condemnations about homosexuality.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p04\">Second, and perhaps more important, most people \u201cpick and choose\u201d what they decide to believe from the Bible and what they decide not to believe. Although the Bible is a great source of inspiration for many people, most individuals are inconsistent when it comes to choosing which Biblical beliefs to believe and about which beliefs not to believe. For example, if someone chooses to disapprove of homosexuality because the Bible condemns it, why does this person not also choose to believe that gay men should be executed, which is precisely what Leviticus 20:13 dictates? Further, the Bible calls for many practices and specifies many penalties that even very devout people do not follow or believe. For example, most people except for devout Jews do not keep kosher, even though the Bible says that everyone should do this, and most people certainly do not believe people who commit adultery, engage in premarital sex, or work on the Sabbath should be executed, even though the Bible says that such people should be executed. Citing the inconsistency with which most people follow Biblical commands, many religious scholars say it is inappropriate to base public views about homosexuality on what the Bible says about it.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p05\">We now turn our attention to social science evidence on views about LGBT behavior and individuals. We first look at negative attitudes and then discuss a few other views.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01\">\n        <h2 class=\"title editable block\">The Extent of Heterosexism in the United States<\/h2>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p01\">We saw in earlier chapters that <em class=\"emphasis\">racism<\/em> refers to negative views about, and practices toward, people of color, and that <em class=\"emphasis\">sexism<\/em> refers to negative views about, and practices toward, women. <span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">Heterosexism<\/a><\/span> is the analogous term for negative views about, and discriminatory practices toward, LGBT individuals and their sexual behavior.<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p02\">There are many types of negative views about LGBT and thus many ways to measure heterosexism. The General Social Survey (GSS), given regularly to a national sample of US residents, asks whether respondents think that \u201csexual relations between two adults of the same sex\u201d are always wrong, almost always wrong, sometimes wrong, or not wrong at all. In 2010, almost 46 percent of respondents said same-sex relations are \u201calways wrong,\u201d and 43 percent responded they are \u201cnot wrong at all\u201d (see <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">Figure 5.1 \"Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010\"<\/a>).<\/p>\n        <div style=\"text-align: center;\"><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 497px;\"><div class=\"figure large medium-height editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">\n            <p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.1<\/span> Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010<\/p>\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/f9a250106d2ca133185ad48146a9a863.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224011\/f9a250106d2ca133185ad48146a9a863.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\"\/><\/a><div class=\"copyright\">\n                <p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Survey. (2010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p03\">As another way of measuring heterosexism, the Gallup poll asks whether \u201cgay or lesbian relations\u201d are \u201cmorally acceptable or morally wrong\u201d (Gallup, 2011). In 2011, 56 percent of Gallup respondents answered \u201cmorally acceptable,\u201d while 39 percent replied \u201cmorally wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p04\">Although <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">Figure 5.1 \"Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010\"<\/a> shows that 57.3 percent of Americans (= 45.7 + 3.7 + 7.9) think that same-sex relations are at least sometimes wrong, public views regarding LGBT have notably become more positive over the past few decades. We can see evidence of this trend in <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f02\">Figure 5.2 \"Changes in Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 1973\u20132010\"<\/a>, which shows that the percentage of GSS respondents who say same-sex relations are \u201calways wrong\u201d has dropped considerably since the GSS first asked this question in 1973, while the percentage who respond \u201cnot wrong at all\u201d has risen considerably, with both these changes occurring since the early 1990s.<\/p>\n        <div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f02\">\n            <p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.2<\/span> Changes in Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 1973\u20132010<\/p>\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/2b60a1f60b779b94d7d50509a990c013.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224013\/2b60a1f60b779b94d7d50509a990c013.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\"\/><\/a><div class=\"copyright\">\n                <p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Surveys. (1973\u20132010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p05\">Trends in Gallup data confirm that public views regarding homosexuality have become more positive in recent times. Recall that 56 percent of Gallup respondents in 2011 called same-sex relations \u201cmorally acceptable,\u201d while 39 percent replied \u201cmorally wrong.\u201d Ten years earlier, these percentages were 40 percent and 53 percent, respectively, representing a marked shift in public opinion in just a decade.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02\">\n        <h2 class=\"title editable block\">Correlates of Heterosexism<\/h2>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_p01\">Scholars have investigated the sociodemographic factors that predict heterosexist attitudes. Reflecting the sociological axiom that our social backgrounds influence our attitudes and behavior, several aspects of our social backgrounds influence views about gays and lesbians. Among the most influential of these factors are gender, age, education, region of residence, and religion. We can illustrate each of these influences with the GSS question on whether same-sex relations are wrong, using the response \u201calways wrong\u201d as a measure of heterosexism.<\/p>\n        <ul class=\"itemizedlist editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_l01\"><li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Gender.<\/strong> Men are somewhat more heterosexist than women (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">a<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 \"Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)\"<\/a>).<\/li>\n            <li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Age.<\/strong> Older people are considerably more heterosexist than younger people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">b<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 \"Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)\"<\/a>).<\/li>\n            <li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Education.<\/strong> Less educated people are considerably more heterosexist than more educated people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">c<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 \"Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)\"<\/a>).<\/li>\n            <li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Region of residence.<\/strong> Southerners are more heterosexist than non-Southerners (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">d<\/strong> of<a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 \"Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)\"<\/a>).<\/li>\n            <li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Religion.<\/strong> Religious people are considerably more heterosexist than less religious people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">e<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 \"Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)\"<\/a>).<\/li>\n        <\/ul><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">\n            <p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.3<\/span> Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)<\/p>\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/b232be46ca85aca6828d513c60f2fb87.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224016\/b232be46ca85aca6828d513c60f2fb87.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n        <div style=\"text-align: center;\"><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 497px;\"><div class=\"informalfigure large block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_fx010\">\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/382ffb7380bedcff5a8fdcbdf9369ab9.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224018\/382ffb7380bedcff5a8fdcbdf9369ab9.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\"\/><\/a><div class=\"copyright\">\n                <p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Survey. (2010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n       <div style=\"text-align: center;\"><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 500px;\"> <div class=\"informalfigure small block\">\n            [caption id=\"attachment_1338\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\"]<a href=\"http:\/\/open.lib.umn.edu\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/02\/5.2.1.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1338\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224020\/5.2.1.jpg\" alt=\"Group of Friends Smiling\" width=\"500\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1338\"\/><\/a> Group of Friends Smiling[\/caption]<p class=\"para\">Because young people are especially likely to be accepting of homosexuality, attitudes about LGBT issues should continue to improve as the older population passes away.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"copyright\">\n                <p class=\"para\">hepingting - <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/57570482@N06\/5299266966\/\">CB106492<\/a> - CC BY-SA 2.0.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_p02\">The age difference in heterosexism is perhaps particularly interesting. Many studies find that young people\u2014those younger than 30\u2014are especially accepting of homosexuality and of same-sex marriage. As older people, who have more negative views, pass away, it is likely that public opinion as a whole will become more accepting of homosexuality and issues related to it. Scholars think this trend will further the legalization of same-sex marriage and the establishment of other laws and policies that will reduce the discrimination and inequality that the LGBT community experiences (Gelman, Lax, &amp; Phillips, 2010).<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s03\">\n        <h2 class=\"title editable block\">Opinion on the Origins of Sexual Orientation<\/h2>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s03_p01\">Earlier we discussed scholarly research on the origins of sexual orientation. In this regard, it is interesting to note that the US public is rather split over the issue of whether sexual orientation is in-born or instead the result of environmental factors, and also over the closely related issue of whether it is something people are able to choose. A 2011 Gallup poll asked, \u201cIn your view, is being gay or lesbian something a person is born with, or due to factors such as upbringing and environment?\u201d (Jones, 2011). Forty percent of respondents replied that sexual orientation is in-born, while 42 percent said it stems from upbringing and\/or environment. The 40 percent in-born figure represented a sharp increase from the 13 percent figure that Gallup obtained when it first asked this question in 1977. A 2010 CBS News poll, asked, \u201cDo you think being homosexual is something people choose to be, or do you think it is something they cannot change?\u201d (CBS News, 2010). About 36 percent of respondents replied that homosexuality is a choice, while 51 percent said it is something that cannot be changed, with the remainder saying they did not know or providing no answer. The 51 percent \u201ccannot change\u201d figure represented an increase from the 43 percent figure that CBS News obtained when it first asked this question in 1993.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04\">\n        <h2 class=\"title editable block\">Other Views<\/h2>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p01\">The next section discusses several issues that demonstrate inequality based on sexual orientation. Because these issues are so controversial, public opinion polls have included many questions about them. We examine public views on some of these issues in this section.<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p02\">A first issue is same-sex marriage. The 2010 GSS asked whether respondents agree that \u201chomosexual couples should have the right to marry one another\u201d: 53.3 percent of respondents who expressed an opinion agreed with this statement, and 46.7 percent disagreed, indicating a slight majority in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage (SDA, 2010). In 2011, an ABC News\/Washington Post poll asked about same-sex marriage in a slightly different way: \u201cDo you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?\u201d A majority, 51 percent, of respondents replied \u201clegal,\u201d and 45 percent replied \u201cillegal\u201d (Langer, 2011). Although only bare majorities now favor legalizing same-sex marriage, public views on this issue have become much more positive in recent years. We can see dramatic evidence of this trend in <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_f01\">Figure 5.4 \"Changes in Opinion about Same-Sex Marriage, 1988\u20132010 (Percentage Agreeing That Same-Sex Couples Should Have the Right to Marry; Those Expressing No Opinion Excluded from Analysis)\"<\/a>, which shows that the percentage agreeing with the GSS question on the right of same-sex couples to marry has risen considerably during the past quarter-century.<\/p>\n        <div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_f01\">\n            <p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.4<\/span> Changes in Opinion about Same-Sex Marriage, 1988\u20132010 (Percentage Agreeing That Same-Sex Couples Should Have the Right to Marry; Those Expressing No Opinion Excluded from Analysis)<\/p>\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/bd5496a07bfad40db17c779335cfafb8.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224021\/bd5496a07bfad40db17c779335cfafb8.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\"\/><\/a><div class=\"copyright\">\n                <p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Surveys. (1988\u20132010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p03\">In a related topic, public opinion about same-sex couples as parents has also become more favorable in recent years. In 2007, 50 percent of the public said that the increasing number of same-sex couples raising children was \u201ca bad thing\u201d for society. By 2011, this figure had declined to 35 percent, a remarkable decrease in just four years (Pew Research Center, 2011).<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p04\">A second LGBT issue that has aroused public debate involves the right of gays and lesbians to serve in the military, which we discuss further later in this chapter. A 2010 ABC News\/Washington Post poll asked whether \u201cgays and lesbians who do not publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military\u201d (Mokrzycki, 2010). About 83 percent of respondents replied they \u201cshould be allowed,\u201d up considerably from the 63 percent figure that this poll obtained when it first asked this question in 1993 (Saad, 2008).<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p05\">A third issue involves the right of gays and lesbians to be free from job discrimination based on their sexual orientation, as federal law does <em class=\"emphasis\">not<\/em> prohibit such discrimination. A 2008 Gallup poll asked whether \u201chomosexuals should or should not have equal rights in terms of job opportunities.\u201d About 89 percent of respondents replied that there \u201cshould be\u201d such rights, and only 8 percent said there \u201cshould not be\u201d such rights. The 89 percent figure represented a large increase from the 56 percent figure that Gallup obtained in 1977 when Gallup first asked this question.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05\">\n        <h2 class=\"title editable block\">Two Brief Conclusions on Public Attitudes<\/h2>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_p01\">We have had limited space to discuss public views on LGBT topics, but two brief conclusions are apparent from the discussion. First, although the public remains sharply divided on various LGBT issues and much of the public remains heterosexist, views about LGBT behavior and certain rights of the LGBT community have become markedly more positive in recent decades. This trend matches what we saw in earlier chapters regarding views concerning people of color and women. The United States has without question become less racist, less sexist, and less heterosexist since the 1970s.<\/p>\n        <p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_p02\">Second, certain aspects of people\u2019s sociodemographic backgrounds influence the extent to which they do, or do not, hold heterosexist attitudes. This conclusion is not surprising, as sociology has long since demonstrated that social backgrounds influence many types of attitudes and behaviors, but the influence we saw earlier of sociodemographic factors on heterosexism was striking nonetheless. These factors would no doubt also be relevant for understanding differences in views on other LGBT issues. As you think about your own views, perhaps you can recognize why you might hold these views based on your gender, age, education, and other aspects of your social background.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_n01\">\n            <h3 class=\"title\">Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n            <ul class=\"itemizedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_l01\"><li>Views about LGBT behavior have improved markedly since a generation ago. More than half the US public now supports same-sex marriage.<\/li>\n                <li>Males, older people, the less educated, Southerners, and the more religious exhibit higher levels of heterosexism than their counterparts.<\/li>\n            <\/ul><\/div>\n        <div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_n02\">\n            <h3 class=\"title\">For Your Review<\/h3>\n            <ol class=\"orderedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_l02\"><li>Reread this section and indicate how you would have responded to every survey question discussed in the section. Drawing on the discussion of correlates of heterosexism, explain how knowing about these correlates helps you understand why you hold your own views.<\/li>\n                <li>Why do you think public opinion about LGBT behavior and issues has become more positive during the past few decades?<\/li>\n            <\/ol><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n\nCBS News. (2010, June 9). CBS News poll: Views of gays and lesbians. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/htdocs\/pdf\/poll_gays_lesbians_060910.pdf\">http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/htdocs\/pdf\/poll_gays_lesbians_060910.pdf<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nGallup. (2011). Gay and lesbian rights. <em class=\"emphasis\">Gallup<\/em>. Retrieved September 4, 2011, from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/1651\/gay-lesbian-rights.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/1651\/gay-lesbian-rights.aspx<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nGelman, A., Lax, J., &amp; Phillips, J. (2010, August 22). Over time, a gay marriage groundswell. <em class=\"emphasis\">New York Times<\/em>, p. WK3.\n<br\/><br\/>\nHelminiak, D. A. (2000). <em class=\"emphasis\">What the Bible really says about homosexuality<\/em>. Tajique, NM: Alamo Square Press.\n<br\/><br\/>\nJones, Jeffrey M. (2011). Support for legal gay relations hits new high. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/147785\/Support-Legal-Gay-Relations-Hits-New-High.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/147785\/Support-Legal-Gay-Relations-Hits-New-High.aspx<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nLanger, Gary. (2011). Support for gay marriage reaches a milestone. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/support-gay-marriage-reaches-milestone-half-americans-support\/story?id=13159608#.T66_kp9YtQp\">http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/support-gay-marriage-reaches-milestone-half-americans-support\/story?id=13159608#.T66_kp9YtQp<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nMokrzycki, Mike. (2010). Support for gays in the military crosses ideological, party lines. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/PollingUnit\/poll-support-gays-military-crosses-ideological-party-lines\/story?id=9811516#.T67A659YtQo\">http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/PollingUnit\/poll-support-gays-military-crosses-ideological-party-lines\/story?id=9811516#.T67A659YtQo<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nPew Research Center. (2011). 35%\u2014Disapprove of gay and lesbian couples raising children. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/pewresearch.org\/databank\/dailynumber\/?NumberID=1253\">http:\/\/pewresearch.org\/databank\/dailynumber\/?NumberID=1253<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nSaad, Lydia. (2008). Americans evenly divided on morality of homosexuality. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/108115\/americans-evenly-divided-morality-homosexuality.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/108115\/americans-evenly-divided-morality-homosexuality.aspx<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nSDA. (2010). GSS 1972\u20132010 cumulative datafile. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.\n<br\/><br\/>\nVia, D. O., &amp; Gagnon, R. A. J. (2003). <em class=\"emphasis\">Homosexuality and the Bible: Two views<\/em>. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.","rendered":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_n01\">\n<h3 class=\"title\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"orderedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_l01\">\n<li>Understand the extent and correlates of heterosexism.<\/li>\n<li>Understand the nature of public opinion on other issues related to sexual orientation.<\/li>\n<li>Describe how views about LGBT issues have changed since a few decades ago.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p01\">As noted earlier, views about gays and lesbians have certainly been very negative over the centuries in the areas of the world, such as Europe and the Americas, that mostly follow the Judeo-Christian tradition. There is no question that the Bible condemns homosexuality, with perhaps the most quoted Biblical passages in this regard found in Leviticus:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"itemizedlist editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_l02\">\n<li>\u201cDo not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable\u201d (Leviticus 18:22).<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIf a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads\u201d (Leviticus 20:13).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 478px;\">\n<div class=\"informalfigure small block\">\n       <a href=\"http:\/\/open.lib.umn.edu\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/02\/5.2.0.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1336\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224008\/5.2.0.jpg\" alt=\"5.2.0\" width=\"278\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1336\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"para\">The Bible contains several passages that appear to condemn homosexuality.<\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">Sean MacEntee &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/smemon\/5994051110\/\">Bible<\/a> &#8211; CC BY 2.0.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p02\">The important question, though, is to what extent these passages should be interpreted literally. Certainly very few people today believe that male homosexuals should be executed, despite what Leviticus 20:13 declares. Still, many people who condemn homosexuality cite passages like Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13 as reasons for their negative views.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p03\">This is not a theology text, but it is appropriate to mention briefly two points that many religious scholars make about what the Bible says about homosexuality (Helminiak, 2000; Via &amp; Gagnon, 2003). First, English translations of the Bible\u2019s antigay passages may distort their original meanings, and various contextual studies of the Bible suggest that these passages did not, in fact, make blanket condemnations about homosexuality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p04\">Second, and perhaps more important, most people \u201cpick and choose\u201d what they decide to believe from the Bible and what they decide not to believe. Although the Bible is a great source of inspiration for many people, most individuals are inconsistent when it comes to choosing which Biblical beliefs to believe and about which beliefs not to believe. For example, if someone chooses to disapprove of homosexuality because the Bible condemns it, why does this person not also choose to believe that gay men should be executed, which is precisely what Leviticus 20:13 dictates? Further, the Bible calls for many practices and specifies many penalties that even very devout people do not follow or believe. For example, most people except for devout Jews do not keep kosher, even though the Bible says that everyone should do this, and most people certainly do not believe people who commit adultery, engage in premarital sex, or work on the Sabbath should be executed, even though the Bible says that such people should be executed. Citing the inconsistency with which most people follow Biblical commands, many religious scholars say it is inappropriate to base public views about homosexuality on what the Bible says about it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_p05\">We now turn our attention to social science evidence on views about LGBT behavior and individuals. We first look at negative attitudes and then discuss a few other views.<\/p>\n<div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">The Extent of Heterosexism in the United States<\/h2>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p01\">We saw in earlier chapters that <em class=\"emphasis\">racism<\/em> refers to negative views about, and practices toward, people of color, and that <em class=\"emphasis\">sexism<\/em> refers to negative views about, and practices toward, women. <span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">Heterosexism<\/a><\/span> is the analogous term for negative views about, and discriminatory practices toward, LGBT individuals and their sexual behavior.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p02\">There are many types of negative views about LGBT and thus many ways to measure heterosexism. The General Social Survey (GSS), given regularly to a national sample of US residents, asks whether respondents think that \u201csexual relations between two adults of the same sex\u201d are always wrong, almost always wrong, sometimes wrong, or not wrong at all. In 2010, almost 46 percent of respondents said same-sex relations are \u201calways wrong,\u201d and 43 percent responded they are \u201cnot wrong at all\u201d (see <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">Figure 5.1 &#8220;Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010&#8221;<\/a>).<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 497px;\">\n<div class=\"figure large medium-height editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">\n<p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.1<\/span> Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010<\/p>\n<p>            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/f9a250106d2ca133185ad48146a9a863.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224011\/f9a250106d2ca133185ad48146a9a863.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Survey. (2010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p03\">As another way of measuring heterosexism, the Gallup poll asks whether \u201cgay or lesbian relations\u201d are \u201cmorally acceptable or morally wrong\u201d (Gallup, 2011). In 2011, 56 percent of Gallup respondents answered \u201cmorally acceptable,\u201d while 39 percent replied \u201cmorally wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p04\">Although <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f01\">Figure 5.1 &#8220;Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 2010&#8221;<\/a> shows that 57.3 percent of Americans (= 45.7 + 3.7 + 7.9) think that same-sex relations are at least sometimes wrong, public views regarding LGBT have notably become more positive over the past few decades. We can see evidence of this trend in <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f02\">Figure 5.2 &#8220;Changes in Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 1973\u20132010&#8221;<\/a>, which shows that the percentage of GSS respondents who say same-sex relations are \u201calways wrong\u201d has dropped considerably since the GSS first asked this question in 1973, while the percentage who respond \u201cnot wrong at all\u201d has risen considerably, with both these changes occurring since the early 1990s.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_f02\">\n<p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.2<\/span> Changes in Opinion about \u201cSexual Relations between Two Adults of the Same Sex,\u201d 1973\u20132010<\/p>\n<p>            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/2b60a1f60b779b94d7d50509a990c013.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224013\/2b60a1f60b779b94d7d50509a990c013.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Surveys. (1973\u20132010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s01_p05\">Trends in Gallup data confirm that public views regarding homosexuality have become more positive in recent times. Recall that 56 percent of Gallup respondents in 2011 called same-sex relations \u201cmorally acceptable,\u201d while 39 percent replied \u201cmorally wrong.\u201d Ten years earlier, these percentages were 40 percent and 53 percent, respectively, representing a marked shift in public opinion in just a decade.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Correlates of Heterosexism<\/h2>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_p01\">Scholars have investigated the sociodemographic factors that predict heterosexist attitudes. Reflecting the sociological axiom that our social backgrounds influence our attitudes and behavior, several aspects of our social backgrounds influence views about gays and lesbians. Among the most influential of these factors are gender, age, education, region of residence, and religion. We can illustrate each of these influences with the GSS question on whether same-sex relations are wrong, using the response \u201calways wrong\u201d as a measure of heterosexism.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"itemizedlist editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_l01\">\n<li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Gender.<\/strong> Men are somewhat more heterosexist than women (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">a<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 &#8220;Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)&#8221;<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Age.<\/strong> Older people are considerably more heterosexist than younger people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">b<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 &#8220;Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)&#8221;<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Education.<\/strong> Less educated people are considerably more heterosexist than more educated people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">c<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 &#8220;Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)&#8221;<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Region of residence.<\/strong> Southerners are more heterosexist than non-Southerners (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">d<\/strong> of<a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 &#8220;Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)&#8221;<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong class=\"emphasis bold\">Religion.<\/strong> Religious people are considerably more heterosexist than less religious people (see part <strong class=\"emphasis bold\">e<\/strong> of <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">Figure 5.3 &#8220;Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)&#8221;<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_f01\">\n<p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.3<\/span> Correlates of Heterosexism (Percentage Saying That Same-Sex Relations Are \u201cAlways Wrong\u201d)<\/p>\n<p>            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/b232be46ca85aca6828d513c60f2fb87.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224016\/b232be46ca85aca6828d513c60f2fb87.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 497px;\">\n<div class=\"informalfigure large block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_fx010\">\n            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/382ffb7380bedcff5a8fdcbdf9369ab9.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224018\/382ffb7380bedcff5a8fdcbdf9369ab9.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Survey. (2010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em; max-width: 500px;\">\n<div class=\"informalfigure small block\">\n<div id=\"attachment_1338\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/open.lib.umn.edu\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/02\/5.2.1.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1338\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1338\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224020\/5.2.1.jpg\" alt=\"Group of Friends Smiling\" width=\"500\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1338\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Group of Friends Smiling<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"para\">Because young people are especially likely to be accepting of homosexuality, attitudes about LGBT issues should continue to improve as the older population passes away.<\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">hepingting &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/57570482@N06\/5299266966\/\">CB106492<\/a> &#8211; CC BY-SA 2.0.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s02_p02\">The age difference in heterosexism is perhaps particularly interesting. Many studies find that young people\u2014those younger than 30\u2014are especially accepting of homosexuality and of same-sex marriage. As older people, who have more negative views, pass away, it is likely that public opinion as a whole will become more accepting of homosexuality and issues related to it. Scholars think this trend will further the legalization of same-sex marriage and the establishment of other laws and policies that will reduce the discrimination and inequality that the LGBT community experiences (Gelman, Lax, &amp; Phillips, 2010).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s03\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Opinion on the Origins of Sexual Orientation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s03_p01\">Earlier we discussed scholarly research on the origins of sexual orientation. In this regard, it is interesting to note that the US public is rather split over the issue of whether sexual orientation is in-born or instead the result of environmental factors, and also over the closely related issue of whether it is something people are able to choose. A 2011 Gallup poll asked, \u201cIn your view, is being gay or lesbian something a person is born with, or due to factors such as upbringing and environment?\u201d (Jones, 2011). Forty percent of respondents replied that sexual orientation is in-born, while 42 percent said it stems from upbringing and\/or environment. The 40 percent in-born figure represented a sharp increase from the 13 percent figure that Gallup obtained when it first asked this question in 1977. A 2010 CBS News poll, asked, \u201cDo you think being homosexual is something people choose to be, or do you think it is something they cannot change?\u201d (CBS News, 2010). About 36 percent of respondents replied that homosexuality is a choice, while 51 percent said it is something that cannot be changed, with the remainder saying they did not know or providing no answer. The 51 percent \u201ccannot change\u201d figure represented an increase from the 43 percent figure that CBS News obtained when it first asked this question in 1993.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Other Views<\/h2>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p01\">The next section discusses several issues that demonstrate inequality based on sexual orientation. Because these issues are so controversial, public opinion polls have included many questions about them. We examine public views on some of these issues in this section.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p02\">A first issue is same-sex marriage. The 2010 GSS asked whether respondents agree that \u201chomosexual couples should have the right to marry one another\u201d: 53.3 percent of respondents who expressed an opinion agreed with this statement, and 46.7 percent disagreed, indicating a slight majority in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage (SDA, 2010). In 2011, an ABC News\/Washington Post poll asked about same-sex marriage in a slightly different way: \u201cDo you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?\u201d A majority, 51 percent, of respondents replied \u201clegal,\u201d and 45 percent replied \u201cillegal\u201d (Langer, 2011). Although only bare majorities now favor legalizing same-sex marriage, public views on this issue have become much more positive in recent years. We can see dramatic evidence of this trend in <a class=\"xref\" href=\"#barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_f01\">Figure 5.4 &#8220;Changes in Opinion about Same-Sex Marriage, 1988\u20132010 (Percentage Agreeing That Same-Sex Couples Should Have the Right to Marry; Those Expressing No Opinion Excluded from Analysis)&#8221;<\/a>, which shows that the percentage agreeing with the GSS question on the right of same-sex couples to marry has risen considerably during the past quarter-century.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: .8em;\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_f01\">\n<p class=\"title\"><span class=\"title-prefix\">Figure 5.4<\/span> Changes in Opinion about Same-Sex Marriage, 1988\u20132010 (Percentage Agreeing That Same-Sex Couples Should Have the Right to Marry; Those Expressing No Opinion Excluded from Analysis)<\/p>\n<p>            <a href=\"\/socialproblems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/05\/bd5496a07bfad40db17c779335cfafb8.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1556\/2017\/03\/06224021\/bd5496a07bfad40db17c779335cfafb8.jpg\" alt=\"image\" style=\"max-width: 497px;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"copyright\">\n<p class=\"para\">Source: Data from General Social Surveys. (1988\u20132010). Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p03\">In a related topic, public opinion about same-sex couples as parents has also become more favorable in recent years. In 2007, 50 percent of the public said that the increasing number of same-sex couples raising children was \u201ca bad thing\u201d for society. By 2011, this figure had declined to 35 percent, a remarkable decrease in just four years (Pew Research Center, 2011).<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p04\">A second LGBT issue that has aroused public debate involves the right of gays and lesbians to serve in the military, which we discuss further later in this chapter. A 2010 ABC News\/Washington Post poll asked whether \u201cgays and lesbians who do not publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military\u201d (Mokrzycki, 2010). About 83 percent of respondents replied they \u201cshould be allowed,\u201d up considerably from the 63 percent figure that this poll obtained when it first asked this question in 1993 (Saad, 2008).<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s04_p05\">A third issue involves the right of gays and lesbians to be free from job discrimination based on their sexual orientation, as federal law does <em class=\"emphasis\">not<\/em> prohibit such discrimination. A 2008 Gallup poll asked whether \u201chomosexuals should or should not have equal rights in terms of job opportunities.\u201d About 89 percent of respondents replied that there \u201cshould be\u201d such rights, and only 8 percent said there \u201cshould not be\u201d such rights. The 89 percent figure represented a large increase from the 56 percent figure that Gallup obtained in 1977 when Gallup first asked this question.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"section\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05\">\n<h2 class=\"title editable block\">Two Brief Conclusions on Public Attitudes<\/h2>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_p01\">We have had limited space to discuss public views on LGBT topics, but two brief conclusions are apparent from the discussion. First, although the public remains sharply divided on various LGBT issues and much of the public remains heterosexist, views about LGBT behavior and certain rights of the LGBT community have become markedly more positive in recent decades. This trend matches what we saw in earlier chapters regarding views concerning people of color and women. The United States has without question become less racist, less sexist, and less heterosexist since the 1970s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"para editable block\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_p02\">Second, certain aspects of people\u2019s sociodemographic backgrounds influence the extent to which they do, or do not, hold heterosexist attitudes. This conclusion is not surprising, as sociology has long since demonstrated that social backgrounds influence many types of attitudes and behaviors, but the influence we saw earlier of sociodemographic factors on heterosexism was striking nonetheless. These factors would no doubt also be relevant for understanding differences in views on other LGBT issues. As you think about your own views, perhaps you can recognize why you might hold these views based on your gender, age, education, and other aspects of your social background.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_n01\">\n<h3 class=\"title\">Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"itemizedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_l01\">\n<li>Views about LGBT behavior have improved markedly since a generation ago. More than half the US public now supports same-sex marriage.<\/li>\n<li>Males, older people, the less educated, Southerners, and the more religious exhibit higher levels of heterosexism than their counterparts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_n02\">\n<h3 class=\"title\">For Your Review<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"orderedlist\" id=\"barkansoc_1.0-ch05_s02_s05_l02\">\n<li>Reread this section and indicate how you would have responded to every survey question discussed in the section. Drawing on the discussion of correlates of heterosexism, explain how knowing about these correlates helps you understand why you hold your own views.<\/li>\n<li>Why do you think public opinion about LGBT behavior and issues has become more positive during the past few decades?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<p>CBS News. (2010, June 9). CBS News poll: Views of gays and lesbians. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/htdocs\/pdf\/poll_gays_lesbians_060910.pdf\">http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/htdocs\/pdf\/poll_gays_lesbians_060910.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Gallup. (2011). Gay and lesbian rights. <em class=\"emphasis\">Gallup<\/em>. Retrieved September 4, 2011, from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/1651\/gay-lesbian-rights.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/1651\/gay-lesbian-rights.aspx<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Gelman, A., Lax, J., &amp; Phillips, J. (2010, August 22). Over time, a gay marriage groundswell. <em class=\"emphasis\">New York Times<\/em>, p. WK3.<\/p>\n<p>Helminiak, D. A. (2000). <em class=\"emphasis\">What the Bible really says about homosexuality<\/em>. Tajique, NM: Alamo Square Press.<\/p>\n<p>Jones, Jeffrey M. (2011). Support for legal gay relations hits new high. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/147785\/Support-Legal-Gay-Relations-Hits-New-High.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/147785\/Support-Legal-Gay-Relations-Hits-New-High.aspx<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Langer, Gary. (2011). Support for gay marriage reaches a milestone. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/support-gay-marriage-reaches-milestone-half-americans-support\/story?id=13159608#.T66_kp9YtQp\">http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/support-gay-marriage-reaches-milestone-half-americans-support\/story?id=13159608#.T66_kp9YtQp<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mokrzycki, Mike. (2010). Support for gays in the military crosses ideological, party lines. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/PollingUnit\/poll-support-gays-military-crosses-ideological-party-lines\/story?id=9811516#.T67A659YtQo\">http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/PollingUnit\/poll-support-gays-military-crosses-ideological-party-lines\/story?id=9811516#.T67A659YtQo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Pew Research Center. (2011). 35%\u2014Disapprove of gay and lesbian couples raising children. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/pewresearch.org\/databank\/dailynumber\/?NumberID=1253\">http:\/\/pewresearch.org\/databank\/dailynumber\/?NumberID=1253<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Saad, Lydia. (2008). Americans evenly divided on morality of homosexuality. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/108115\/americans-evenly-divided-morality-homosexuality.aspx\">http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/108115\/americans-evenly-divided-morality-homosexuality.aspx<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>SDA. (2010). GSS 1972\u20132010 cumulative datafile. Retrieved from <a class=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10\">http:\/\/sda.berkeley.edu\/cgi-bin\/hsda?harcsda+gss10<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Via, D. O., &amp; Gagnon, R. A. J. (2003). <em class=\"emphasis\">Homosexuality and the Bible: Two views<\/em>. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-143\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Adaptation of Social Problems: Continuity and Change. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. <strong>Project<\/strong>: eLearning Support Initiative. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Adaptation of Social Problems: Continuity and Change\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"eLearning Support Initiative\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-143","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":124,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":444,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/143\/revisions\/444"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/124"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/143\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=143"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=143"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-socialproblems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}