Understanding Homophobia

Outline: 1. What is oppression? 2. What is privilege? 3. What is homophobia? 4. Where does it come from? 5. What are its effects? 6. Developing a positive identity

What is Oppression? Victimisation Power imbalance Bullying Lack of Rights Discrimination Less eligibility Disempowerment Low self worth Lack of respect Alienation Being kept down Feeling of isolation Internalised oppression Being made to feel worthless and inferior Social control disguised as being 'for the good of society' Restrictions/barriers to freedom of behaviour, speech Can be overt and covert attitudes and behaviour that stops others from being themselves Brow-beaten into another's way of living Abuse/misuse of power Not being allowed to own views Effect of socialisation

What is Privilege? PRIVILEGE: The rights, advantages and immunities enjoyed by a small usually powerful group or class, especially to the disadvantage of others.

Unearned Privilege Privileges or advantages one gets just because one belongs to a valued group in society, not because of individual efforts which ‘earned’ them, but simply because of involuntary membership in a privileged group ‘Being born with a silver spoon in your mouth’

Heterosexual Privilege: this is an exercise to get heterosexuals to understand the privileges they have as heterosexuals  What do you think caused your heterosexuality?  When and how did you first decide you were heterosexual?  Is it possible heterosexuality is a phase you will grow out of?  Is it possible you are heterosexual because you fear the same sex?  If you have never slept with someone of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn’t prefer that? Is it possible you merely need a good gay experience?  To whom have you disclosed your heterosexuality? How did they react?

Who is Oppressed? Privileged? Lower Class Women BME Groups Disabled Groups Old People Young People Some religious groups LGBTs Poor Learning Difficulties Size Travellers Mental Health Drug users HIV + People Unemployed

External Effects of Oppression PRIVILEGED GROUP Better Education Higher & Wider Horizons Better Employment Opportunities More Job Satisfaction Better Pay Less Unemployment More Independent from Family Less Homelessness & Better Housing Less Harassment Less Likely be victim of hate incident More Status More Power More Influence More Social Outlets Less Trouble with Law Better Legal Aid Less Likely Custodial Sentence Less Likely to be Victim OPPRESSED GROUP Worse Education Lower & Narrower Horizons Worse Employment Opportunities Less Job Satisfaction Worse Pay More Unemployment Less Independent from Family More Homelessness Worse Housing More Harassment More Likely be victim of hate incident Less Status Less Power Less Influence Fewer Social Outlets More Trouble with Law Worse Legal Aid More Likely Custodial Sentence More Likely to be Victim

Exercise: best done in pairs Identify which oppressed and privileged groups belong to Share an example of oppression and an example of privilege you have experience

What is homophobia?

Putting it another way… Similar definitions for racism, sexism, disablism, ageism, classism…. Two sides to coin: oppression/privilege Works in similar way against all oppressed groups (although there are some important differences)

How many of these words/phrases do you recognise? How many more can you add?

Creation & Perpetuation of Homophobia If I were to ask you to identify words/phrases used for women, black people, disabled people, you would probably identify a similar list of negative things. We are not born with these ideas Apart from language, what are the six main institutions that create and perpetuate homophobia (sexism, racism, disablism, etc)

RELIGION: It’s a Sin Anglicanism: ‘homosexual genital acts fall short of the ideal’ (gay priests) Catholicism: ‘homosexuality is an aberrant deviation’ (pope) Judaism: Late Lord Jakobovits – abortion of foetus if homosexual Islam: Late Dr Siddique: elimination of gays – gays assassinated in some countries

Medicine: It’s a Sickness Homosexuality classed as sickness in Britain until 1992 – put into mental institutions Causes: arrested development, a phase, immature, parent’s fault: father too distant, mother too close We can help you change – electro shock; lobotomy; Christian conversion therapy Recent research: being gay is a combination of genetic & environmental with a genetic predisposition; in other words, we do not choose to be gay!

LAW: Significant Changes Until recently Age of Consent: illegal for gay men under 18/21 (lesbians invisible) until 2001 Section 28: no ‘promotion’ of homosexuality repealed 2003 Employment (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 Civil partnership 2005 Goods & Services 2007 Criminal Justice & Immigration 2008 (incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation) Single Equality Bill: make public services challenge homophobia but still allows religious homophobia; become law in 2010

MEDIA: It’s Entertainment Used to be invisible or negative images – perverts, pansies, predatory – still stereotypes Sensationalise – lipstick lesbians (or pornography), camp gay men Allow homophobes to spread hatred & ignorance ‘in the interest of balance’ Powerful editors who control what is published

EDUCATION: It’s Invisible No/few visible role models Homophobic bullying goes unchallenged Few books, little information Limited content in curricula Creating homophobes Powerful head teachers

FAMILY: It’s Heterosexual Brought up to be heterosexual Brought up with parents (often negative) views Parents usually ignorant of effects of homophobia on child Some disown or don’t want to know Initially often preoccupied with their own responses to be able to support child

What are the effects on heterosexuals?

PSYCHOLOGICAL Do not internalise stigmatised (inferior/bad) sexual identity – internalise superior/good sexual identity resulting in higher self esteem (but classism, racism, disableism, sexism) Not dealing with demons of homophobia during adolescence, not question ‘who am I?’ in relation to sexual orientation –get on with‘being straight’ - developing social skills, relationship skills, communication skills, get on with education/exams Affects attitudes and behaviour

ATTITUDES 1983: 50% of adults surveyed believed sexual relationships between people of same- sex always wrong 1985: 59% (AIDS) 1989: 58% 1992: 41% between two men 37% between two women 23% between stable gay/lesbian couple

Mori Poll (2001) 1,693 adults % acknowledged existence of prejudice against minority groups 36% said they held no prejudice against any minority 64% prejudiced against at least one group Of these, 16% hard core – antipathy towards 3 or more minority group Strong correlation between holding homophobic and racist views

BELIEFS = BEHAVIOUR = One extreme: Less Powerful People HHC is prevalent all over the UK (remember, so is hate crime based on race, gender, disability…) Approximate levels experienced: All HHC35-75%55% Verbal30-70%45% Harassment10-35%17% Vandalism10-30%19% Physical5-25%12%

BELIEFS = BEHAVIOUR = A second extreme Powerful People: Stopping Support 2004: Tory councillor tries to stop grant to GALYIC. Dec 1987: L.A. Tory leader, after watching film on safer sex said: “The film said how to avoid AIDS, but it did not say specifically stop being queer. It’s disgusting and diabolical. As a cure I would put 90% of them in the ruddy gas chamber. Are we going to keep letting these queers trade their filth up and down the country?” 2004: Tory councillor tries to stop grant to GALYIC. 1994: Dr Colin Newman, executive secretary of British Psychological Society said “By accepting a Section devoted to the study of lesbianism, the Society will be giving a public signal that it endorses behaviour which, by the biblical standards they personally seek to follow, is incompatible with their own standards of morality.” Took another 4 years to set up LGB section.

What are the effects on LGBT Youth? Isolation from family, friends, society, peers Pressure to conform, family rejection, homelessness School: Isolation, bullying, truancy, drop-out, poor exam results Verbal, physical, mental harassment

Internalising Stigmatised Identity Like all minority groups, LGBT young people internalise negative messages Some minority groups have the support and understanding of their families and friends to challenge internalised messages Rarely do LGBT young people have support and understanding from their families and friends to challenge internalised messages Other groups who sometimes don’t have understanding and support from families include disabled young people and multi racial adopted young people (black and minority ethnic young people adopted by white people).

Developing a Positive Identity

STAGE ONE We are unaware that we are different but have internalised negative messages

STAGE TWO We become aware that we are different from the majority and try to conform to the ‘norm’ by developing various coping strategies: Denial Identifying with aggressor Tolerance of discrimination

STAGE THREE Can challenge internalised negative messages and replace them with positive ones through access to: Positive role models Accurate information Support

STAGE FOUR This then makes us more able to deal with and challenge external oppression

SOME REASONS THAT PREVENT DEVELOPMENT OF POSITIVE IDENTITY Use of alcohol or drugs Remaining isolated without access to accurate information, peer and adult support, positive role models Multi-oppression Belonging to a fundamentalist religion LGBT: Remaining closeted (terrified of discovery, inappropriate support)