Gay and bisexual men may be allowed to donate blood in the near future if a Health and Human Services Department pilot program to establish “alternative donor deferral criteria” for gay men comes to fruition. The department is seeking comments on how it should design the program. Because of new technology, donors can be tested more accurately for infections, which potentially eliminates the need to “continue an indefinite deferral” for a donor group, according to HHS. Since 1977, men who have sex with other men have been banned from donating blood.

Source: Think Progress

Many details of what Iraqi newspapers have called the “emo killings” are murky, but the uproar comes at an awkward moment for Iraq. The country has been preparing to showcase itself to the world as host of a high-profile meeting of Arab leaders in late March, the first major diplomatic event here since American forces withdrew in December.

But the news that young men in tight T-shirts and skinny jeans are being beaten to death with cement blocks and dumped in the streets has threatened to overshadow the new palm trees and fresh paint. The violence offers a reminder that the government has been unable to stop threats and attacks against small religious sects, ethnic groups and social pariahs like gay men.

An Interior Ministry security officer said that in the past two weeks, officials had found the bodies of six young men whose skulls had been crushed. Reuters reported the toll to be 14 or more, citing hospital and security officials, while rights groups say that more than 40 young men have been killed, but have provided no evidence for this figure.

Human rights advocates say the threats and violence are aimed at gay men and at teenagers who style themselves in a uniquely Iraqi collage of hipster, punk, emo and Goth fashions. The look, shorthanded here as “emo,” has flourished on Baghdad’s streets as an emblem of greater social freedom as society has begun to bloom after years of warfare. But it has drawn scorn and outrage from some religious conservatives, and is often conflated with being gay.

Verifying the reports of the killings has proved nearly impossible. In most cases, no family members or friends have come forward, and Iraqi officials deny that there is any campaign targeting gay men or emo teenagers. They call the stories a media fabrication designed to drum up hysteria and embarrass Iraq.

But it was the Iraqi government that first labeled emo youths a public menace.

On Feb. 13, the Interior Ministry released a statement that condemned the “phenomenon of emo” as Satanic. The rebellious teenage fashions of dark clothes, skull-print T-shirts and nose rings, the statement said, are emblems of the devil.

The ministry said its Social Police would be sent to investigate “the emo,” including in schools.

“They have official approval to eliminate them as soon as possible, because the dimensions of the community began to take another course, and is now threatening danger,” the statement said.

Emo is short for “emotional hardcore” and its aesthetic sprang from the American punk music scene in the 1980s and has been remixed in Baghdad over the last few years.

Ibrahim al-Abadi, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said the statement had been misinterpreted. He said emo youths were free to dress as they pleased, and said the government would protect them.

But over the past month, threatening letters began appearing in Shiite neighborhoods across Baghdad, residents said.

One of the fliers, scanned and posted online, addresses dozens of gay men by name and nickname. It warns people identified as Japanese Haider, Allawi the Bra, Mohammed the Flower and others: Reform your behavior, stop being gay, or face deadly consequences.

“Your fate will be death if you don’t quit doing this,” one leaflet warns. “Punishment will be tougher and tougher, you gays. Don’t be like the people of Lot.”

Another flier circulating around the Zayouna neighborhood appears addressed to emo youths. It tells them to cut their hair, not to wear the clothing of devil worshipers, and not to listen to metal, emo or rap music. And if they refuse, “God’s punishment will be come down upon you and to be carried out by the mujahedeen,” the letter says. “Forewarned is forearmed.”

The authenticity of the fliers could not be verified.

It is unclear who is behind the intimidation or violence. Advocates have blamed Shiite militias such as the Mahdi Army of the radical cleric Moktada al-Sadr for past anti-gay killings and assaults. On Saturday, Mr. Sadr denied any responsibility for the recent threats or violence, but called the emo teens unnatural and said they should be dealt with through legal means, according to Al Sumaria, an Iraqi news channel.

For at least six years, gays have been bullied and harassed by security forces and beaten and killed by reactionary Islamist militias in Shiite areas of Baghdad.

Ali Hili, a gay Iraqi activist who lives in London, said as many as 750 gay Iraqis have been killed in the past six years, and thousands have emigrated or are living deep in the closet.

“It’s a clear war on sexual minorities on Iraq,” he said. “They are refusing to admit it. It’s just a disgrace. They come on TV and say they are against the killing. But they are not doing anything to stop the killing on the ground.”

Fear has rippled across socially liberal niches of Baghdad, from the basement-level clothing shops where teenage boys buy skull pendants and skater gear, to upscale hair salons and theaters. Advocates say some emo youths and gay men have left for northern Iraq, while others  have shorn off hairdos or muted outfits that were once badges of identity.

Four gay friends in Baghdad, sitting together for an interview, said the barrage of daily harassment and threats has taken on an especially menacing edge in the last few weeks. Neighbors have told them, “Your turn will come soon.” Young men have driven by and shouted “Block! Block! Block!” referring to the current weapon of choice for attacks.

Mustafa, 25, said he was fired last week from a clothing shop because his boss thought his clothing too effete. Hussein, 26, said he left home two weeks ago after his brothers threatened to kill him. Hasan, 32, wears a burgundy ski cap to hide his long hair.

“What do you see about me that is so wrong?” asked Mustafa, who said he was too afraid to allow his full name to be published. “I’m a normal guy. I wish I could die rather than live like this.” With little to go on but denials from the government, gay Iraqis and secular teenagers have been trying to understand what is happening. They have circulated copies of the threatening letters, and passed along pictures that seem to give face to at least one killing that matches the pattern.

In one photo, a handsome young man in a white jacket, dark aviator sunglasses and coifed black hair stands as if he were a fashion model. In another, the vacant, bloody face of a man with similar features stares up at the sky. His body lies in the bed of a police truck.

Friends have identified him as Saif Raad Asmar Abboudi, a 20-year-old from one of the poorest areas of the vast Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City. An Iraqi police report obtained by Mr. Hili’s advocacy group, Iraqi LGBT, says he was beaten to death with a brick on Feb. 17.

The police have not identified a suspect, the report concludes.

One of Mr. Abboudi’s friends, Noor, also 20, described him as a gentle and quiet young man who “was not even very emo.” Being emo in Iraq, she said, was simply about style and self-expression. She said she and her family had fled north after Mr. Abboudi’s death. She did not know when she would feel safe enough to return.

“Is this what we get,” she asked, “because we dress in black?”

Source: New York Times

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has today received reports from Iraq of a wave of targeted killings of individuals who are perceived to be gay or lesbian. According to Iraqi human rights activists, in early February 2012, an unidentified group posted death threats against "the adulterous individuals" in the predominantly Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad and Basra. The threats gave the individuals, whose names and ages were listed, four days to stop their behavior or else face the wrath of God, and were to be carried out by the Mujahedin. According to sources inside Iraq, as the result of this new surge of anti-gay violence close to 40 people have been kidnapped, brutally tortured and murdered. The Iraqi authorities have neither responded to this targeted violence nor have they publicly denounced it. It is widely believed that these atrocities are being committed by a group of the Shiite militia.

Statement from Cary Alan Johnson

Executive Director, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

Today the Government of Iraq represents a fully sovereign and democratic country. As such, it must protect all of its citizens including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from hate-filled violence and death at the hands of armed militias. Vigilantes who perpetuate the targeted killing of those perceived to be gay or lesbian must not be tolerated in a new Iraq. We have seen these atrocities before. In 2009 vigilantes murdered hundreds of Iraqi individuals for their perceived sexual orientation. There are no excuses for such heinous human rights violations. We demand that the Iraqi Government put a stop to the wanton persecution and killing of gay people, and that the perpetrators punished.

Statement from Hossein Alizadeh

Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

The Iraqi government is responsible for the protection of all Iraqi citizens, including the members of the gay and lesbian community. We call on the Iraqi authorities to immediately intervene to protect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and to bring to justice those who are responsible for these atrocities. We particularly demand the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights denounce the anti-gay violence in Iraq and launch an official investigation into these heinous crimes.

For background regarding incidents in 2009 go to: 
http://www.iglhrc.org/cgi-bin/iowa/article/takeaction/partners/889.html
http://www.iglhrc.org/cgi-bin/iowa/article/pressroom/multimediaarchives/961.html

Source: IGLHRC

Political science professor Don Haider-Markel has researched gay and lesbian political movements in the United States. He also wrote "Out and Running: Gay and Lesbian Candidates, Elections and Policy Representation."

Haider-Markel says that without states pushing to ban same-sex marriage in the 1990s, people might not have been exposed to stories about the difficulties gay couples experience without marriage. Haider-Markel called that opinion-changing coverage "an ironic outcome."

Today, six states and the District of Columbia have made same-sex marriage legal, and 12 more recognize civil unions or have domestic partner laws. Recently, three more state legislatures voted to permit gay marriage, although the New Jersey legislation was vetoed.

Source: msnbc

Hundreds of supporters cheered as the Democratic governor signed the bill. It passed the Maryland Senate 25-22 and the House of Delegates 72-67.

Those opposed to equality have launched an effort to put a referendum on the November ballot, despite recent polling showing that a majority of Marylanders support marriage for straight as well as gay and lesbian couples.

The law will go into effect in January, allowing the referendum process to be completed, so Maryland potentially does not end up with a situation like in California, where about 18,000 gay and lesbian couples married during the window of time when marriage equality was legalized before Proposition 8 took away that right.

Unless undone by referendum, Maryland will join Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and the District of Columbia in legally recognizing marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Washington state lawmakers also approved marriage equality, and Gov. Christine Gregoire signed the bill that will allow gay and lesbian couples to wed in about three months. However, efforts are underway to call a referendum in November on the matter.

California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island provide same-sex couples civil unions or domestic partnerships.

New Jersey's legislature recently approved a law granting marriage equality, but Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who harbors national political ambitions, vetoed the bill. New Jersey lawmakers have about a year to overturn that veto.

In California, a federal judge and an appeals court have ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, but the supporters of discrimination continue to appeal the rulings. It could be another year before the case moves forward.

The reaction

Equality supporters saluted Gov. O'Malley for bringing the marriage issue to the state legislature.

Human Rights Council President Joe Solmonese:

“The Governor’s signature today puts Maryland on the road to fairness for all families. This victory was possible thanks to the hard work of so many on the ground in Maryland. Our congratulations go to Governor O’Malley and our legislative allies who were incredible leaders in this effort.

“There remains a lot of work to do between now and an expected November referendum to make marriage equality a reality in Maryland,” Solmonese said. “Along with coalition partners, we look forward to educating and engaging voters about what this bill does: It strengthens all Maryland families and protects religious liberty.”

Lambda Legal Executive Director Kevin Cathcart:

"It's a great day for equality in Maryland. The state is indeed stronger today with marriage equality for same-sex couples and their families.

"This past month has been a momentous one for the LGBT community. From coast to coast -- in Washington, New Jersey and Maryland -- many elected officials are standing up for equality, and old-fashioned American values of fairness and common sense again have carried the day. People all across the country understand that marriage protects families, and that separate and unequal are not the American way.

"We congratulate our colleagues at Marylanders for Marriage Equality, who have worked tirelessly for this day. We also want to thank Governor O'Malley for his great leadership, and we are proud of the state legislators who voted for equality.

"Lambda Legal has been working towards marriage equality in Maryland for a long time. For years, we have defended out-of-state marriages of same-sex Maryland couples by winning recognition and benefits for police officers, school employees and other Marylanders."

Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD:

"Step by step, we continue to draw closer to full equality for every American. Today's historic bill signing reflects the opinion of a growing majority of Americans who -- regardless of race, political affiliation and religion -- believe that every committed couple should be able to marry the person they love. Though opponents have already taken measures to deprive gay and lesbian Marylanders of the vital protections that only marriage can afford, we remain confident that, if asked, voters will echo Governor O'Malley's support for full equality."

National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell:

“There is no doubt that 2012 is off to a firecracker start when it comes to tipping the scales in favor of full equality for our relationships and a future where the promise of justice for all is realized. Governor Martin O'Malley, like Washington Governor Chris Gregoire last month, has distinguished himself as a political leader who takes seriously his oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. We know we have farther to go before every LGBT person can live fully and freely, but today in Maryland our brothers and sisters can rest easier, knowing that their families are recognized and secure under the law."

Source: SDGLN

“The laws of the land are very clear on this issue,” Fackson Shamenda told a press briefing. He added that the government did not view gay rights as enshrined in international law.

During a visit to the country last month, Ban said: “Sexual orientation should not be a reason to discriminate any person.” He added that “the rights of these (gay) people have been trampled upon”.

Following a meeting with President Michael Sata, Ban was asked by a reporter about liberties for gays, particularly in Africa, where more than 33 countries have laws against homosexuality.

“There is need to respect the rights of everybody not only in Zambia but everywhere else in the world. I know that President Michael Sata supports the call for the respect of everybody's rights regardless of sexual orientation,” said Ban.

The comment sparked criticism from the country's conservative Christian community.

“It is inconceivable that the UN Secretary General can come here and tell us about the need to respect gay rights. That will not be accepted. Zambia is a Christian nation and it will continue to be so,” said outspoken Bishop Joshua Banda of the Assemblies of God Church in Zambia.

Zambia's laws, a leftover from British rule during the colonial era, ban all homosexual activity for both genders. - Sapa-dpa

Source: iol News

The law, which follows similar legislation passed elsewhere recently, appears to be a reaction to increasingly vocal efforts by gay rights groups, particularly in St. Petersburg and Moscow, to attract attention to the issue.

Vitaly V. Milonov, the law’s principal drafter and an outspoken proponent of Russia’s Orthodox Church, who has referred to gay people as “perverts,” has accused gay rights activists of waging an aggressive campaign of conversion among Russia’s children with the backing of Western governments.

“This is a declaration of Russia’s moral sovereignty,” Mr. Milonov said in televised remarks shortly after Wednesday’s legislative session.

Under the new law, which passed 29 to 5, “public actions directed at the propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism among minors” will be punishable with fines of up to $17,000. The law defines propaganda of homosexuality as “the targeted and uncontrolled dissemination of generally accessible information capable of harming the health and moral and spiritual development of minors,” particularly that which could create “a distorted impression” of “marital relations.”

Igor Kochetkov, the head of the Russian L.G.B.T. Network, a rights group based in St. Petersburg, called the premise of the law “absurd.”

“You can also adopt a law against turning off the light of the sun, but no one has the ability to do this,” Mr. Kochetkov said. “Even if someone wanted to, no amount of propaganda is going to turn a heterosexual gay.”

He said he feared that the law could be used to prevent outreach efforts by gay rights activists, who have only recently become outspoken enough to attract attention.

“This is a law that can be used, and will be used, to conduct searches of organizations and prevent public actions,” he said. “Most importantly, it will be used for official propaganda. Officially homosexuality will be considered illegal, something incorrect and something that cannot be discussed with children. It will create a negative atmosphere in society around gays and lesbians as well as our organizations.”

Open discussion of homosexuality was almost unheard of in Russia until just a few years ago. A Soviet-era law that punished same-sex relations between men with prison time was repealed in 1993, but the subject has long remained taboo outside a smattering of bars and clubs in major Russian cities.

Attempts in recent years to hold gay rights rallies have been met with contempt and outright hostility from officials and religious groups, and have occasionally turned bloody.

But the issue has gradually begun to attract the attention of the Russian news media, including government-controlled television, which has occasionally given a platform to advocates of equal rights for gay people.

As often happens, passage of the new law has helped raise to the level of national discussion the topic it was meant to suppress. The legislation set off a media frenzy when introduced late last year, and has been the subject of boisterous debates on television.

In one debate on a popular political talk show, the law’s opponents shouted down Mr. Milonov after he accused gay rights groups of “attacking” children and “trying to do them sexual harm.” At one point, the host donned a rainbow flag like a cape, taunting another legislator from St. Petersburg who suggested banning such flags because of their association with gay rights.

International human rights groups and Western governments had urged legislators not to pass the law, and a few opposition groups in Russia have condemned it.

“I consider this law a provocation intended to divide society over a question that could have been used to teach people understanding,” Aleksandr Korbinsky, an opposition member of St. Petersburg’s Parliament who voted against the measure, said on Ekho Moskvy radio. “We need to help them become full-fledged members of society, not make them feel like second-class citizens.”

Supporters of the new measure insist there is broad support in Russian society for laws meant to protect what they say are Russia’s traditional values. In a July 2010 survey by the Levada Center, a polling agency based in Moscow, 84 percent of the 1,600 adults surveyed said they opposed granting same-sex couples the right to marry. The poll showed that 45 percent said gay men and lesbians should enjoy the same rights as all other Russians, 41 percent said they should not, and 15 percent were undecided. Eighteen percent said homosexuals should be isolated from society. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. 

The new law is expected to face no opposition from St. Petersburg’s governor, who must sign it before it can take effect.

Legislatures in Arkhangelsk and Ryazan have passed similar laws, and others have said they would follow suit. Valentina I. Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russia’s upper house of Parliament and a former governor of St. Petersburg, has suggested that the measure could be enacted on a federal level.

Source: New York Times

A top diplomat has sent an unprecedented open letter to Rashid Ghannouchi, founder and spiritual leader of the Islamist Ennahda party that now rules post-revolutionary Tunisia, about the direction the country is going.  

Farhat Othaman is a researcher and author. He was a senior diplomat who was unfairly dismissed by the administration of the former regime. In his letter he asks Ghannouchi to clarify the direction of Tunisia with respect to freedom of belief, speech, human and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

Otham praises Ghannouchi’s book, From the Experience of the Islamic Movement in Tunisia, largely seen as the ideological inspiration of the now-dominant Ennahda party, calling it visionary, democratic and transparent. 

'We have continuously defended the right of women and men to choose their own lifestyle, and we are against the imposition of the headscarf in the name of Islam,' Rashid Ghannouchi famously said in an interview to Al Jazeera.

Yet nevertheless Othaman insists that certain 'embarrassing yet inevitable questions' must be addressed and clarified.

In his letter he asks if Ennahada backs the right to religious freedom, including agnosticism/atheism without being penalized for blasphemy in the new Tunisia. And he wants to know if there will be freedom of faith and equality of all religions before the law.

He also asks if Ghannouchi and Ennahda accept sexual freedom as a basic personal liberty without the state or religion interfering with it? Lastly he asks in his letter if Ennahda will remove legislation condemning homosexuality that was maintained by the previous regime?

The questions come shortly after the first gay magazine (GayDayMag) in Tunisia was officially condemned on a popular TV program by Tunisia's human rights minister and official government spokesperson, Samir Dilou.

The minister stated that 'freedom of speech has limits' and that homosexuality is an illness not a human right. It was also criticized by Amnesty International.

Dilou's statement directly contradicted previous assurances given by Ennahda officials that they would respect LGBT rights, although these were met with scepticim by some of Tunisia’s gay community. 

Insiders say life for Tunisian LGBT people has not changed since the revolution. The anti-gay French colonial law (Article 230), adopted and maintained by the previous regime, is still in effect and penalizes same-sex acts with up to three years imprisonment. So far it has not yet been repealed by the new government who have been embroiled in controversy over a gay sex video allegedly figuring its interior minister. 

Fadi, the 23-year-old editor of GayDayMag whose magazine is celebrating its one year anniversary tomorrow (1 March), told Gay Star News: 'The letter and its timing is most welcomed as it asks the unresponsive government to take a stand regarding human rights and freedom of expression.'

Fadi is worried that 'Ennahda seems so far more concerned with polishing its image for the west saying it supports the rights of sexual minorities, while in reality party officials oppose it'.

He said: 'This was most clear when the human rights minister and spokesperson for the government, Samir Dilou recently declared he opposes the freedom of expression of the magazine and that homosexuality is not a human right but an illness that need medical treatment.

'Now Othaman has urged Tunisia’s ruling party to clarify its position once and for all – does Ennahda support the universality of human rights and freedom of expression or oppose it?’

Source: Gay Middle East

“People of color face unique obstacles in the fight for LGBT equality,” HRC President Joe Solmonese said. “HRC is committed to working with LGBT leaders in the African-American community during Black History month and throughout the year in our fight for LGBT equality and social justice.”

“Now more than ever before, black LGBT people are taking the lead in the movement for LGBT equality,” said Donna Payne, HRC Associate Director of Diversity. “The struggle may be different for people of color, but we are all in the fight together. That is why HRC’s work in the African-American community is vitally important.”

HRC’s work in the African-American community includes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program which launched in 2000 after a rash of anti-LGBT violence on two HBCU campuses. HRC holds an annual HBCU Leadership and Development Summit focusing on giving students the skills to be authentic leaders on campus and offers career development for entering the work force. The organization also partners with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) as part of its support for HBCU campuses. HRC’s partnership with UNCF is an ongoing initiative to address and recommend supportive policy and strategy changes posed by the presence of LGBT students, faculty and staff on HBCU campuses.

In Maryland, staff from the HRC Religion and Faith program helped develop the African American Clergy and People of Faith Coalition, a diverse group of clergy and lay leaders working in congregations and communities to gain support for marriage equality.

As a part of HRC’s ‘coming out’ campaign, a guide to coming out for the African-American community has been published for seven years. The guide includes sections on coming out in the workplace, in your Sorority or Fraternity, and in church. A copy of the guide is available HERE.

“As both the Black and LGBT communities make progress in the fight for social justice, it is important that we embrace each other. HRC will continue to support the African American community, and embrace our black LGBT sisters and brothers,” Payne said.

More information on the policy briefing is available at HERE.

To learn more about HRC’s HBCU program, click HERE.

Source: SDGLN

Teenage boys sitting on each other’s laps, exchanging back rubs and dolling out hugs: This was the sight that researcher Mark McCormack found when he went to a British high school to research masculinity.

It was a shocking departure from the aggressive homophobia that he himself observed as “a shy, geeky, closeted teenager” in the late ’90s and early 2000s. For his new book, “The Declining Significance of Homophobia: How Teenage Boys Are Redefining Masculinity and Heterosexuality,” McCormack spent the year observing social interactions and collecting data from three high schools in the U.K. Over and over again, he saw the same surprising scene: young straight men being physically affectionate and emotionally expressive with one another. What’s more, he found that homophobic behavior is a rarity and that when someone does express anti-gay beliefs, they “are reprimanded by other students.”

His message — which builds on that of his Ph.D. advisor, Eric Anderson, author of “Inclusive Masculinity: The Changing Nature of Masculinities” — flies in the face of a spate of horrifying stories stateside of bullied gay teens committing suicide, but McCormack says the U.S. is a decade behind the U.K. on this particular front. That said, he also believes that recent attention paid to gay teen suicides doesn’t accurately reflect the reality of homophobia in America today, or how much progress has been made: “We need to look beyond the worst-case examples to see what is happening in the majority of schools,” McCormack writes. ” We do no-one any favors if we only fight prejudice that is, for some, yesterday’s battle.”

Salon spoke to McCormack by phone from his office at Brunel University in West London about the disappearance of the insult “that’s so gay” — across the pond, at least — and why the U.S. still lags behind.

How has homophobia changed over the past couple decades in the U.K.?

In the past, homophobia has been hugely significant. Being gay was criminalized up until 1967, so it’s only in the past 45 years where it’s been possible to be openly gay. In the ’80s and ’90s, when I was growing up, there was Section 28, which prevented teachers from talking about homosexuality; they didn’t feel able to combat homophobia in schools.

It used to be in the ’80s that there was “homohysteria,” which is the fear of being socially perceived as gay. What boys needed to do was to make sure they weren’t seen as gay. It was kind of this game of tag where boys would deploy homophobia competitively because the person perceived as gay would be the person who was bullied and marginalized. What better way to prove that you’re not gay than by being homophobic yourself?

But you’ve found that that’s changed dramatically.

Only in one of the three schools I studied did I hear of any form of homophobic language, and that was heard twice by two different kids. Apart from that, homophobic language wasn’t used.

Why this dramatic change over a short period of time?

The gay rights movement has been very successful, even just in terms of gay visibility. When people see famous gay people, people whom they like who turn out to be gay, that has a huge impact. People are bigoted about people they don’t know; when you get to know gay people, the homophobia drops off.

Another key area of change is the Internet. The Internet has meant that closeted kids have the ability to make friends, to be more confident, to come out earlier. Social networking sites like Facebook ask you your sexual orientation, you click whether you’re male or female, and then you click whether you’re interested in men or women. When I was at school, that question wasn’t even asked — you were straight, or if you weren’t, you were pitied.

Part of the reason it’s spiraled so quickly is that as homophobia decreased, boys could kind of hug each other a little bit or say to their best mate that they loved them, and then they could kind of cough and talk about girls. Then they realized that actually it wasn’t disgusting or repulsive, and so that undid some of their homophobia a little bit more. It’s a virtuous circle.

What about those other letters in LGBT? How are things for lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the U.K.?

I did focus on heterosexual people, really; the book is primarily about masculinity. So, it’s hard to say, but there’s been research out there saying that gay kids are the ones who have the best experience dealing with these issues.

In the U.S., we’ve had a terrible spate of stories about gay teens committing suicides. Is the situation that different in the U.K.?

There are two different issues here. The first is that the spate of suicides has become the media narrative; maybe it was guilt from not covering it 20 years ago. While [these stories are] terrible, and they show that homophobia is still out there, they aren’t evidence of increased homophobia.

The other thing I would say is that America is a country of polarities. The U.S. is further behind but things are changing; homophobia isn’t socially acceptable in the way that it used to be.

Why do you think the U.S. is so behind on this front?

It’s an interesting question. I think what the U.S. had in a much bigger way than the U.K. was the evangelical Christian movement, which really did politicize it. They used it as a wedge issue to get money to exert influence. AIDS also had a bigger impact in the United States; I don’t mean in terms of numbers of deaths but in terms of the stigma that AIDS is a gay disease.

One of the interesting things about the U.S. is that you now have over 5,000 gay-straight alliances, and we really don’t have them in the same way in the U.K. At some schools in the U.S., you’ve got active, powerful gay-straight alliances with out and proud gay kids, and then you’ve got other schools where that doesn’t happen and there’s quite a bit of homophobia. So there’s that issue again of there being polarities.

When would you say that homophobia peaked, culturally speaking?

It was pretty much 1987, 1988. It was the time of the AIDS epidemic. Before then, gays were considered the perverts, the people we didn’t know, and AIDS brought the recognition that it was the man you worked with that died of AIDS, it was Mark Hudson, it could be anyone. That’s when homo-hysteria really kicked in.

You argue in the book that in some cases, we’re fighting “yesterday’s battles.” Can you give an example?

Like the issue of [the phrase] “that’s so gay,” actually not all kids hear that as homophobic, while most adults do. There’s this big push saying that we’ve got to combat [such language] — well, I fully agree that it’s heteronormative, it promotes straightness in some ways, but it’s not the battle we should be fighting. We’re at the stage where most progressive people, particularly in the U.K., need to push much more for talking about different families in schools, recognizing gay history, that kind of thing. The battle we should be fighting is about sex education, looking at some of these issues more openly, more broadly.

Source: Salon