Being Gay

Throughout history homosexuality has been considered vulgar, perverse and immoral. What is truly immoral is homophobia and that it still prevails today. Firstly, homophobia derived from prejudice and escalated to panic. Secondly, homophobic attitudes are endorsed and practiced by many places of worship, which are hypocritical to God’s concept of the Golden Rule. Thirdly, the severity of homophobia has reached a point of no return, where the lives of many innocent have been viciously taken away. Lastly, many individuals choose to practice homophobia, whether it is a personal choice or not. Homophobia is the result of fear, ignorance and intolerance. History of Homophobia Homophobia is the fear of homosexuality and those who practice it (Fone, 5). Much of the negativity towards homosexuals had evolved in the nineteenth century and progressed greatly once the twentieth century and World Wars had arrived (Dadisman). Homosexuals had begun to be seen as a different category of human, separate from the rest of society, a category that disrupts society ethically, legally and morally (Fone, 5). World War I had allowed many homosexuals to join together, when they were sent overseas. Once the Second World War was over homosexual men and women began to move into their own separate communities, segregating themselves from the heterosexuals (Dadisman). Consequently, homosexuals were labeled as anti-social and psychotic people who were destructive due their sexual preferences (Janoff, 38). Between the 1950s and 1960s homosexuals had been frequently harassed and ridiculed by many people, including the police (Ojeda, 12). Homosexuals began to fight back after the civil rights and anti-war movements by asking those who were still “in the closet” to come out publicly. The closeted homosexuals came out knowing they had several other individuals to give them the support they needed, increasing the number of homosexual organizations from fifty to eight-hundred (Ojeda, 12). The 80s was a