Homosexuality and Homophobic Discrimination

Homophobia is one of the toughest things to deal with in this world, being hated and bullied because of the very person you are. Not because of anything you may have done to a person, or even your personality, but because you prefer the same sex for your partner. It never seems to enter into the persons mind that it could be them being bullied for the same reason.

Being homosexual has been suggested as a genetic factor rather than a social one, by the researcher Hamer, with the thesis of the Gay gene. This was a marker on the X chromosome in the region of xq28, but other studies have given different findings. The conclusion which Hamer reached was that while genetics may play a part in sexuality, it is also the environment in which the subject grows up. Therefore the psychological idea of Nature Vs Nurture is partly shown in this situation. Because psychologists believe that it is both Nature and Nurture that makes our personalities what they are, and if linked with homosexuality it makes sense for there to be some form of genetic reason, but not that it is wholly genetic. And on the other hand, it being wholly a product of the socialisation of the person also seems to be ludicrous. Because being true this would mean that homosexuality is a choice by the people around you as you grow up, and that there may be a ‘cure’ possible. In the latter scenario homosexuality may well be a choice, but as both Nature and Nurture play a part, as they do in heterosexuality a choice is very unlikely to say the least.

The problem with society today is that most people let their personal beliefs out onto others, rather than keeping their opinions to themselves. And while we have some people trying to make people aware of the facts of homosexuality, the fact is that it is mostly falling on deaf ears. Let’s think about it, people are taught by their parents that it is normal to be heterosexual, grow up and have children. Someone comes along and starts telling them that it is just as natural to be with the same sex, and they are going to think that person is crazy. The reality is that homosexuality is not taught in school sex education classes as a natural and acceptable thing, it is rushed over with a ‘some people are’ attached to it. Take a class of 30 pupils, 15 male and 15 female, in theory 1 in every 10 of them will either know they are, or think they might be homosexual, males and females. So potentially 3 pupils in a class are being taught that what they feel is okay but not as acceptable as being with the opposite sex. School is where the values are gained, and so it should be taught that it is okay to be what or who you are, it is certainly taught that it is wrong to mock the disabled, elderly or otherwise. Why should it not be taught with the seriousness that those other things are?

The fact is that no matter what institution of society, the teachings about homosexuality are skewed by personal opinions and beliefs, be it school, church, the media etc. If homophobia is a problem in places such as schools, the teaching staff shouldn’t complain about it, but do something about it. Only then can future generations live their lives as who they are, rather than something that someone else wants them to be.