Content area
Full Text
Attitudes toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities have become an important societal issue. Numerous events and movements support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community, but homonegativity remains prominent in the Philippines. This study describes the attitudes of heterosexual Filipinos toward lesbians and gay men in terms of sexual prejudice and its intensity. Eight hundred seventy-eight participants from Metro Manila (405 heterosexual males and 473 heterosexual females) completed the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale and the Modern Homonegativity Scale. Homonegativity was compared across gender, age, civil status, and religious group. Attitudes toward gay men versus lesbians were then compared within each group. In general, Filipinos who identify as heterosexuals still view homosexuality negatively. Heterosexual males, adults, Born-Again Christians, and Muslims were less accepting of lesbians and gay men.
Keywords: Filipinos, gays, lesbians, heterosexism, homonegativity, sexual minorities.
Varying levels of acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals across the globe, according to a 2019 survey, are still evident. Although 16 of the 34 countries surveyed expressed that LGBTQ individuals should be accepted by society, a global divide exists. Western Europe and North America showed the highest acceptance of LGBTQ individuals, but Central and Eastern Europe are more divided. A median of 46% of respondents view homosexuality as acceptable; however, 44% say otherwise. On the other hand, consensus regarding the acceptance of the LGBTQ community shows little consensus among respondents of the survey in the AsiaPacific region. Survey results showed that 73% of Filipinos surveyed view homosexuality as acceptable, as do 81% of Australians, but only about 9% of Indonesians agree on the matter of acceptance (Pew Research Center, 2020).
The American Psychological Association (APA) in 2008 stated that despite recent advances, the LGBTQ community still experiences stigma, prejudice, and discrimination that adversely affects their well-being. Stigma may be defined as unfavorable regard for persons seen by society as inferior or defective because they possess specific characteristics or membership in a particular social group (Herek, 2009). Sexual stigma, in particular, is "stigma attached to any non-heterosexual behavior, identity, relationship, or community" (Herek, 2009, p. 67). On the other hand, prejudice is concerned with the attitudes derived from stereotyping, while discrimination is the negative behavior manifested towards a...