Homosexuality & Gender Identity
So you’re in college to learn about the world, be prepared for a future career, and learn about yourself. Your sexual health and wellness also involves your self-knowledge. Young people who sense that they are not among the heterosexual majority usually know this well before they are of college age. But being in a minority often carries the baggage of inferiority. Let’s be clear, then – a human being is not inferior in any way because of his or her sexual identity. If you don’t identify yourself within the GLBTQ range (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning) – please read on anyway with an open mind and an understanding heart.
Homophobia is the irrational hatred or fear of homosexual and transgendered people. In the 1980s, AIDS was perceived as a “gay disease.” By the 1990s, it became abundantly clear that this STI affects straight women and men, children, and newborns – anyone who is exposed through sexual transmission, blood transfusions, accidental contamination, or birth. But stigmatization of homosexuals persists for a number of reasons. Homophobes insist that homosexuality is a wrong and unnatural preference that must be corrected or eliminated. Many arguments and studies suggest that preference is not necessarily a factor and that homosexuality has a biological basis.
Homophobia affects GLBTQ students deeply. Students who are victimized suffer not only humiliation, but are less likely to go to classes. This intolerance and ignorance can run deeply, leading to isolation, discrimination, hate crimes, and among its victims, self-hatred. We all have passions and fears, but we can fall prey to misunderstandings about ourselves and others. Even though gender rights issues enjoy greater media coverage, homosexuality is still very much misunderstood.
If you are GLBTQ, consider joining a GLBTQ student organization (or forming one) on campus. These clubs are always open to all students, so if you’re straight, you may find these meetings enlightening. Planned activities can be loads of fun and a great way to meet new friends and expand your world view.