Myths about gays – what everyone should know

Unfortunately, there is homophobia in our country, and sometimes it reaches epidemic proportions. Show business stars, politicians, public figures, influencers continue to use outdated terms, relying on popular prejudices. We talked about why it is important to be tolerant of the LGBT community. Today we have collected the main myths about homosexuals that still live in Ukrainian society.

Myth 1: Homosexuality is a disease and a deviation

In the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, the belief was widespread in society that homosexuality is a mental illness. In Soviet psychiatry there was a term “homosexual”which indicated that the love of a person for a person of the same sex is a disease.

It is worth knowing that in the second half of the 20th century, international associations of psychiatrists crossed out homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses.

In 2019, scientists from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published a study that concluded that the gene responsible for homosexuality simply does not exist.

The researchers found that a person’s attraction to people of the same sex is associated with 5 combinations of genes, one of which, for example, is associated with smell, and the other with sex hormones. Interestingly, together they determined less than 1% of homosexuality.

Myth 2: HIV is a gay disease

One of the main reasons for this thought is the elementary lack of information. Experts note that now EVERYONE is at risk, regardless of gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Let’s turn to statistics. According to the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine as of 01.12.2021 61.3% infections per year in our country were obtained as a result heterosexual sexual relationsa 2.92% homosexual.

If you don’t protect yourself, you increase your chances of getting sick!

Myth 3: Gays raise gays

In many countries around the world, homosexual couples are prohibited from adopting a child. The main argument of the opponent is that in such families the child will definitely grow up and become a homosexual, since the children will copy the sexual orientation of their parents. Here statistics, research and history come to the rescue again.

In the United States, the first wave of the baby boom in same-sex families began in 1980. Legally, couples started adopting children in the 1990s. During all this time, a very extensive material of data on family relationships has been collected in America. According to them, “children of gay fathers tend to grow up to be heterosexual“, and in lesbian families, “neither the style of motherhood, nor its results, in principle, differ from what happens in ordinary heterosexual or single-parent families.”

Myth 4: About propaganda for children and adolescents

Many parents do not tell their children about homosexuals or present information about the LGBT community in a negative way. Thus they hope that their children will grow up “right”. In fact, this is an erroneous opinion. If you want your child to grow up to be an adequate member of society, your task is to explain to children that there are homosexuals, this is normal and they are people too. Not some other or not the same, but equal! They can also hold hands in public, post joint photos on social networks, get married and adopt children. Hiding your love and your essence as something shameful should not just exist in developed countries in the 21st century.

Remember, teenagers listening to “homosexual propaganda” will not become gay. It’s impossible!

Myth 5: Gays can be reformed

Throughout the 20th century homosexuals tried to “cure”. Electroshock, psychiatry, medicines, even prison and execution. The result of these tortures over the years was only suicide, depression, broken psyche and people’s lives.. All this forced people to hide their orientation. We see many cases of older people coming out just now.

Myth 6: Gays are pedophiles

It seems incredible, but the mass consciousness sees in every homosexual a potential pedophile or pervert. The fact is that there are about the same number of pedophiles among homosexuals as among heterosexuals. And if we take into account the fact that there are much more heterosexuals in general, then There are many more heterosexual pedophiles.

If you are afraid that gay teachers may “glance” at their male students, then you should also be wary of male teachers who can encroach on girls.

How to talk about gays without offending anyone

Elena Zelenskaya and her team have released a very good project – “Handbook of accessibility”. This is such an online guide to correct communication. So, experts have described that it is correct to say “homosexual” or “gay”. Using the word “homosexual” is wrong from a moral point of view.

The word “blue” is also offensive. LGBT people do not associate themselves with this color. In addition, the LGBT rainbow flag actually has 6 colors and there is no blue in it.

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