Attitudes toward lesbians

An initial pool of 97 items was generated by the authors based on a review of the literature on homophobia and feedback from several focus groups. Responses to the initial pool of items were factor analyzed. Reactions to gay, lesbian, and heterosexual characters in written vignettes provided initial support for the validity of the MHS. On the MHS-L, men and women did not differ in their overall level of homophobia toward lesbians, but significant gender differences on MHS-L factor scores were present. Compared to men, women were more supportive of gay men on all three factors of the MHS-G. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Associate Professor Benjamin H. Detenber is Head of the Communication Research Division. The remaining authors are graduates who conducted this research as part of their undergraduate degree requirements under the supervision of the first two authors. Benjamin H. Detenber, Mark Cenite, Moses K.

The original scale consisted of 20 different statements, 10 about gay men ATG subscale and 10 about lesbians ATL subscale , to which respondents indicated their level of agreement or disagreement. Shorter versions have subsequently been developed, consisting of ATG and ATL subscales with parallel versions of 3, 4, or 5 items. These shorter versions have been found to be highly correlated with the original, longer subscales e. The ATLG can be self-administered presented on paper or on a computer or administered orally as in a telephone survey.

Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men were assessed in a national representative sample of 2, self-identified heterosexual women and men living in Germany. Replicating previous findings, younger people held more favorable attitudes than older people; women held more favorable attitudes than men; and men held more favorable attitudes toward female than male homosexuality, whereas women did not differentiate. However, women held more favorable attitudes toward homosexuals than toward bisexuals, whereas men did not differentiate.