Ten Ways Homophobia Affects Straight People

1. Homophobia forces us to act "macho" if we are a man or "feminine" if we are a woman. This limits our individuality and self-expression.
2. Puts pressure on straight people to act aggressively/angrily towards LGBTQ people.
3. Homophobia makes it hard to be close friends with someone of the same sex.
4. Homophobia often strains family and community relationships.
5. Homophobia causes youth to become sexually active before they are ready in order to prove they are "normal." This can lead to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
6. Homophobia prevents vital information on sex and sexuality to be taught in schools. Without this information, youth are putting themselves at a greater risk for HIV and other STDs.
7. Homophobia can be used to hurt a straight person if they "appear to be gay."
8. Homophobia makes it hard for straight people and LGBTQ people to be friends.
9. Homophobia along with racism, sexism, classism, etc. makes it hard to put an end to AIDS.
10. Homophobia makes it hard to appreciate true diversity and the unique traits that are not mainstream or "normal."

See Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price, edited by W. J. Blumenfeld, Boston: Beacon Press: 1992.

Ways to Fight Homophobia as a Straight Advocate

1. Organize discussion groups to talk about the "Ten Ways Homophobia Affects Straight People."
2. Always use neutral labels like "partner" or "significant other" instead of "boyfriend," "girlfriend," etc. when writing papers or talking to others.
3. Bring up LGBTQ issues in conversations with friends or discussions in class.
4. Interrupt anti-LGBTQ jokes, comments or other behaviors that make homophobia appear OK.
5. Put LGBTQ-positive posters in your office, wear shirts, buttons, etc. that promote tolerance.
6. Don’t make assumptions about peoples’ sexual orientations or gender identities. Assume there are LGBTQ people in all classes, sports, meetings, daily life, etc.
7. Don’t assume that "feminine-acting men" and "masculine-acting women" are not heterosexual.
8. Don’t assume that "macho males" or "feminine females" are heterosexual.

How to be a Straight Advocate

You don’t need to be an activist, have a gay friend, vote a certain way, or even describe yourself as a straight advocate to work toward the fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer/questioning people. All you need is the willingness to “come out” as a straight person who is no longer willing to remain silent about homophobia.   

There are literally hundreds of ways that you can show support as a straight advocate — from the way that you respond in conversations to what companies you support to which legislators you elect.

Here are 10 simple ways to contribute to the equal treatment of the GLBTQ community:

1. Become informed about the realities, challenges and issues affecting GLBTQ people’s lives through websites, books, documentaries, and educational materials.
2. Be open about having gay friends, family or acquaintances that you value, respect, and are grateful to have in your life. When you talk about them, don’t omit the fact that they are GLBT.
3. Speak up when you hear derogatory slurs or jokes and don’t use them yourself. 
4. Ask if you are unsure how a GLBT friend, family member or acquaintance would like their significant other to be referred to or introduced, rather than avoiding acknowledgment of the relationship.
5. Help your kids learn about and appreciate all different kinds of families. Be mindful of the day-to-day messages that they are receiving about gay and transgender people and issues in school, from friends, and on TV and talk about what they encounter with them.
6. Quit or don’t join organizations that overtly discriminate. Let them know why you are leaving or not joining in the first place.
7. Support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender-owned and friendly businesses.
8. Encourage and support company policies and programs that promote a positive work environment for gay employees at your workplace. If your company has a GLBT network group, join and encourage them to include straight allies so more people can be openly supportive of their work.
9. Write letters to the editor of your newspaper to comment as a straight ally on why you support respectful and equal treatment for GLBT people.
10. Call, write, e-mail, or visit public policy makers and let them know that as a straight person who votes, you support laws that extend equal rights and protections to all people.

Adapted from http://www.straightforequality.org/

GSA Network:

Statewide Office: 1550 Bryant St, Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94103, ph: 415.552.4229, fax: 415.552.4729

Central Valley Regional Office: 928 N. Van Ness Ave., Fresno, CA 93728, ph: 559.268.2780, f: 559.268.2786

Southern California Regional Office: 1145 Wilshire Blvd #100, Los Angeles, CA 90017, ph: 213.482.4021, f: 213.482.4027

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