What is it about people who hate gay people? Where is all that hatred coming from?

Researchers from the University of California at Davis (http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/index.html) describe these attitudes as “sexual prejudice,” and state that sexual prejudice has three features: “(1) it is an attitude (i.e., an evaluation or judgment), (2) it is directed at a social group and its members, and (3) it is negative, involving hostility or dislike.”

Gallup polls of Americans have shown that 52 percent consider homosexuality an acceptable lifestyle, but 44 percent do not (some expressed no opinion). These percentages have changed over the years to reflect a greater acceptance of homosexuality, but there is still considerable judgment against gay people.

Research shows that those with very negative opinions about homosexuality are more likely to be men, to be older, to be less well-educated and to reside in “geographic areas where negative attitudes represent the norm (for example, rural areas or the Midwestern or Southern United States).”

People who are negative about homosexuality also tend to have more traditional views of sex roles and tend to believe that gay people choose their sexual orientation.

They have had less contact with gay and lesbian friends and family members than people who have a more positive approach.

While some individuals have negative perceptions of homosexuality because of religious beliefs that it is immoral, according to the National Research Opinion Center of the University of Chicago, the percentage of Americans who believe that homosexuality is always wrong has declined dramatically over the last two decades.

According to PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - (www.pflag.org), “many mainstream American religions have now taken official stands in support of gay rights.”

Even those religious denominations that denounce homosexual acts generally encourage love and tolerance for all people regardless of sexual orientation, and certainly no mainstream religion endorses victimizing others because they are gay.

Research shows that as people have more contact with openly gay individuals, their attitudes tend to become more favorable. Although self-disclosure, or “coming out,” is seen as dangerous and difficult by most gay people, when people discover that friends or family members that they like and respect are gay, it can change their perception of homosexuality.

The most dangerous aspect of being open about homosexuality is the possibility of hate crimes. Hate crimes are assaults inspired by sexual, religious, or racial prejudice. They can range from verbal assaults (calling people hate-inspired names) to murder. Gay men and lesbian women report being threatened, harassed and hurt on a regular basis.

We condemn terrorists who hurt others in the name of religion. It is not too much of a stretch to consider those who endanger others because of their beliefs about sexual orientation to be terrorists of a sort.

Among college students, some of this behavior may be unthinking. Using words like “queer” and “faggot” as general insults is commonplace. Ridiculing others for their appearance and for failure to conform to a standard image is often accepted.

But whether someone is condemned for a racial difference, for a physical image difference such as being overweight or for sexual orientation, the hatred hurts everyone. Young, gay people are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than straight people, largely because they live with the contempt of society.

Hatred is corrosive to the person who hates as well as to the target of that hatred. If you are straight, what does this have to do with you? In today’s society, you are expected to function in the workplace with a diverse group of individuals.

You may in the future find out that a friend or a family member (maybe even your own son or daughter) is gay or bisexual, however unlikely that possibility seems to you.

You are part of a community in a public institution that is pledged to serve all students. People who are secure in their own sexuality and sexual identity have nothing to fear from those who have a different sexual orientation. The danger is that hatred will distort your life.

Dr. Jennifer Y. Levy works at the UTM Counseling and Career Services.