Psychological Heterosexism in the United States

Heterosexism, an ideological system that refuses, derogates, and labels any non-heterosexual form of identity, behavior, relationship, or community, is one of the emerging issues associated with lesbianism, homosexuality, and heterosexuality whether at individual or cultural levels. This chapter intends to describe and explicate psychological heterosexism in the United States using empirical research and social science theory. Belief and attitudinal mechanisms of psychological heterosexism are explained in the first part of the chapter with particular attention given to motivational and cognitive activities. The second part tackles behavioral characteristics of psychological heterosexism which exhibits predominant manifestations of violence against lesbians and gay men while the third part discusses the outcomes of psychological heterosexism. The chapter ends with the implications of empirical research on the concept of heterosexism.