9781422283813

CONTENTS

Foreword by Kevin Jennings, Founder, GLSEN ............................................ 8

1 What’s So Scary About Difference? ........................................................... 11 A Tragic Symbol of Homophobia ........................................................................ 13 Anti-gay Hate Crimes ............................................................................................ 14 Close-up: The Matthew Shepard Foundation ................................................... 17 Fear of the Other ................................................................................................... 18 Close-up: Prejudiced People Aren’t Picky ......................................................... 19 Prejudice ................................................................................................................ 20 2 Homophobia and Its Victims ........................................................................ 23 How Common Is Homosexuality? ...................................................................... 24 The History of Homophobia ................................................................................. 26 Homophobia in the Modern Era .......................................................................... 28 Close-up: Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals ................................................... 30 3 An Ongoing Struggle for Rights and Respect ......................................... 35 Close-up: The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act ............................................................................ 36 An Era of Change .................................................................................................. 37 The Stonewall Riots .............................................................................................. 39 Gay Liberation and Gay Pride ............................................................................. 40 The AIDS Crisis ...................................................................................................... 42 The New Millennium .............................................................................................. 45