Can a heterosexual answer honestly the question, why are gays generally not accepted in society?
400719
Age old problem.\nBigotry ,hatred and fear of the unknown
395288
Society, I guess has a role to play.  Being gay has been taboo for quite a few centuries, in almost all cultures. Therefore, everyone was expected to marry and have heterosexual partners and have children.\n\nThen there have always been bisexual people too. Who is to say a person who exhibits heterosexual behaviour has not homosexual tendencies. It is possible those tendencies never manifest themselves for a huge proportion of Human population, unless they are extremely strong. Extremely strong homosexual tendencies die but mild ones don't and are passed on. Besides gene variation is always a possibility.
161220
I am a homosexual. My partner died of AIDS in August. Even though we had been together for 12+ years I walked away with nothing. I was not allowed to be by his bedside as he lay in a hospital, I wasn't allowed to handle any of his funeral wishes, and I was evicted from my home that we had shared for many many years. So I think civil unions that grant everyone, regardless of sexuality, equality are a necessity. Look into the past regarding marriages and you will find that certain races weren't allowed to marry at one time. Now that would be unheard of. But homosexuals are still stigmatized as the unnatural people, and once that is cured then perhaps we shall all be free.
2365
There's no one correct picture of homosexual men, because everyone experiences it differently.  And of course television shows are trying to entertain you rather than being strictly accurate, so that changes things.\n\nI have known many gay men (and my next door neighbors are lesbians) and in urban areas, gays are generally accepted without it being a big deal to anyone.  They rightly point out that sexuality is only a small part of someone's entire life and personality, so it's poor manners to make too big a deal of it.\n\nThat said, homosexuals still have to deal with harassment, which becomes more of an issue in rural areas.  Also many families are not comfortable with their sons and daughters being gay which can also cause strain.
902524
I love when people speaks of equal rights...(this is discrimination against a sector of the population) (I do not believe people choose to be gay, hated, beaten and have to hide themselves)\n\n(we just ask for the rights of marriage, they can call it the forsaken union for all I care)\n\nIn our politically correct society maybe I should not be referred to as gay (I am not always happy)....hetrohandicapped... (they could give us a special sticker and a good parking place)
1034
Main problem in gathering statistics on gays is that many people who are homosexual do not want to admit, even to an anonymous interviewer.  This is particularly true of people in heterosexual marriages.  Probably Kinsey's 10% figure was skewed higher by some sampling problems.  The low-end figures are likely wrong due to people not being honest when surveyed.  An article in the gay press today said the British government estimated about 6% of its population was gay.
227936
Yes I think people are born gay. Why would someone choose to leave a hard and often rediculed life? And the discrimination they get is just wrong. Also have you seen some of the gay/lesbians? Some of the dudes have more female mannerisms then me.There is no way you learn that it is just how you are.
672591
Not for me.\n\nCan't people stop questioning why people are gay and just accept that people are gay?
5908
Because people see them as different and a lot of people can't accept people for who they are.. People were raised to think that they were better than others. and that dating someone of the same sex is not acceptable.
438593
Some people are threatened by other people unlike themselves.  I used to be a lot more intolerant toward homosexuality than I am today.  While I still don't condone it, I am much more tolerant of it because I have met a number of people who are gay, and they are as human as I am.  Today, I believe that a person's orientation is his or her own business, and as long as they're not bothering me, or flaunting themselves indiscriminately, I say live and let live.  Incidentally, I would say the same thing about heterosexuals too.\n     Frankly, I'm not sure why these posts are being taken down.  I haven't noticed.  But I have noticed a lot of other questions on here that are very sexually derogetory, so I hope they're being consistent and removing those too.
1186826
You've made a valid point to a logical end with just one simple question.\n\nTry telling that to the Breeder's, those who are hate-filled, that is.  They won't (can't?) accept it.  It seems that logic in some doesn't appear to be even a minor predisposition.  Go figure.\n\nEDIT:  For zain15in (see below) --\n\nEvery point you made can be equally applied to heterosexual's, and most likely SHOULD be, since the vast majority of child sexual abuse cases are perpetrated by people such as yourself (assuming you are a heterosexual and not asexual).\nIndeed, you posit good arguments against YOUR culture but not ours.\n\nAdditionally, most of your ilk argue that homosexuality is found nowhere else in the natural world.  I'm quite certain the respondent who mentioned that homosexual pairings (not same-sex sex) in the animal kingdom (sans homosapiens) is merely a refute to that tired and baseless argument.\n\nRegarding your comment that homosexuality is a deviation:  I'm certain it is...for those of your ilk.  My view about heterosexuality is that IT is a deviation.  But, such as yours, it is only MY view and holds no great merit.  We are two individuals.  No more and no less.  Well .... except that we, the GLBT community as a whole, have the upper hand in this argument and YOUR war against US is on the wane.  Delude yourself no more.  Accept reality, my good friend.  Accept reality.  As you've stated, we've been here for a very long time.\n\nWe're not leaving any time soon.
337599
A lot of people are afaid of homosexuals because they are diffent. A lot of people are afraid of anyone who acts out of the "norm" and think that there is something bad about them. Many of the sever homophobes are actualy masking a fear that they may be gay themselfs. And of course religion plays into it a lot (i know you said no religious answers but i feel this needs to be adressed) a large portion of North American people are christion, a religion witch forbays homosexualy in many sects. These traidtions create a cultureal norm and make hatred more accepted.
115115
Of course not. Religions have been trying for thousands of years without any success. \n\nWe need to respect people with different preferences the same way we want to be respected. Most gay people simple ARE that way, and simply don't want a heterosexual relationship.
235132
because it is unnatural , and you can't say it has been around as long as heterosexuality, if you read the history you will find that it came around when the sexual cantact between men and women was restricted by religion. If people like you don't encurage it and it was punishable by law, there would be no more gay people around.
821212
I think part of it may be to keep others from questioning their sexuality--in other words, it's their own insecurity about how others perceive them. To me it seems that heterosexual men are very concerned that they not be seen as gay, even by accident. Because two women together is often more accepted by heterosexual society (a popular heterosexual male fantasy), I think you won't hear women say this as often. Also, I think women are generally more gay tolerant. Perhaps that's another reason they don't feel the need to separate themselves verbally by the "I'm not" tag.
847987
Well, after reading some of the answers here, I have to add my two cents worth.\n\nFirst off, your sexual orientation is NOT a choice.  Given the choice, I don't think most people are going to willingly put themselves at the added risks of being homosexual (bashings, job issues).  I wouldn't.\n\nSecond, Homosexuality and Bisexuality are found in all parts of the animal kingdom.  this is documented, and found both in zoos, and in the wild.  \n\nI can only hope that acceptance of others differences, sexuality and cultural, will someday happen.
1064338
I agree it may be easier in the sense of dominate and passive issues that men and women face. In as much; it can be equally challenging if not more worse because of cultural limitations. Gays generally don't show openly affection to each others as their counterparts. Gays, are not allowed to marry; which in itself can cause all sorts of family problems if the other becomes sick. Gays are not allowed as much as straights in regards to health benefits and insurance. Gays aren't afforded the same courtesy that heterosexual get on a daily bases. These facts commingled with the challenge people have in general relationships can make being in a gay relationship very hard.