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Natalia Paternina

Professor Bedell

CAS 137H

October 27, 2015

Shift in Perception on Gay People in America: Paradigm Shift Analysis

Throughout the years, the publics perception on gay people in America has changed

drastically due to varying factors that influenced these changes in point of view. Some of

the causes of this shift in attitude included the decrease in religiosity of Americans,

influences from the media, acceptance from politicians and other public figures, as well as

the acceptance from younger people. All of these impacted the changes in laws from state

to state, as well as Supreme Court decisions, which ultimately led to the ruling of

Obergefell v. Hodges this past June 25, 2015. This change in political and social ideology is

considered by many to have had one of the most dramatic shifts, and it is very likely that it

will continue changing in the years to come.

Despite the mostly progressive nature of American peoples perception regarding

sexual orientation, the perception of gay people in America in the past century and earlier

this century was extremely negative. A senate report published in December 15, 1950 titled

Employment of Homosexuals and Other Sex Perverts in Government explored the

security risks brought by homosexuals to the nations, since it was considered a mental

illness at the time. Also, more than 4,380 gay men and women had been discharged from

the military, and around 500 fired from the government, due to their instability. Two

years later, The American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality as a sociopathic

personality disturbance. However, in 1958 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay people

for the first time in the case of One, Inc v. Olsen. The U.S. Postal Service and FBI had
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declared an LGBT magazine obscene, but the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional

since it infringed on their First Amendment rights (Infoplease).

The gay community, however, did experience some positive outcomes in the 1960s.

In 1962, for example, Illinois was the first state to decriminalize homosexuality, by

repealing their sodomy laws. There also continued to be several positive shifts for the gay

community in the coming years, such as the first gay pride and the first gay American

elected to public office. In 1980, the Democrats became the first political party to endorse

the gay rights platform, and two years later Wisconsin became the first U.S. state to outlaw

discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The positivity was short-lived, however,

with the outbreak of AIDS and its association with the gay community, which led to

discrimination against HIV-positive people and gay people. Fortunately, the situation

improved once the outbreak was better controlled with the raised awareness around the

issue (Infoplease).

The 1990s brought new developments in the LGBT community, such as the

employment of the Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy in the military in 1993, and the signing

of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, which defined marriage as a union between a man

and a woman, and state is requires to recognize a same-sex marriage from a different state.

Vermont became the first state in the U.S. to legalize civil unions between same-sex

couples in the year 2000, and sodomy laws were ruled unconstitutional in the Lawrence v.

Texas case in 2003, citing the privacy ruling from the Griswold v. Connecticut case.

Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2004, since they found the

prohibition of gay marriage unconstitutional because it denies equality to all individuals.

New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa, and Washington D.C. all followed suit in the

next six years. The U.S. Senate voted to repeal Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy in 2010, and
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other states such as New York, California, Washington, and Maryland legalized gay

marriage in the upcoming years. By November 2014, 35 states had legalized gay marriage,

and just a few months later, in June 26, 2015; the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the states ban

on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, making it legal throughout the country (Infoplease).

This radical change of opinion was aided and influenced by several factors. One of

the factors that affected this change the most was the decrease in religiosity in America.

Throughout the years, people are becoming less and less religious, especially in religious

such as Christianity. Its on the decline not just among the younger people, but also across

gender, race, education, and geographic barriers. The percentage of adults who identified as

Christians dropped nearly 8% in just seven years and 34% of the older generation of

millennials did not identify with a religion, according to a survey conducted by the Pew

Research Center. The study also revealed that there are more religiously unaffiliated

Americans (23%) than Protestant (15%) or Catholic Americans (21%). For example, 13%

of Americans in this study were raised Catholic, but no longer associate themselves with

Catholicism (Bailey). This apparent decrease in religiosity could definitely be taken into

account as though why the perception of gay people has become more positive.

Historically, homosexuality hasnt been accepted by various religious groups, so the

decrease in religiosity in the population might be one of the causes of increased acceptance

in America.

One of the most influential factors, however, has been the impact of the media and

pop culture in regards to how people view the LGBTQ community. Representation of the

LGBTQ individuals in TV shows, books, and movies, has been an integral part of accepting

these people. Representation in TV has been especially helpful in gaining acceptance for

gay people, since viewers have been able to relate themselves to these characters, and start
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viewing them as actual people not characterized by their sexuality. Like every marginalized

group, the gay community has suffered from incorrect stereotypes, and this representation

has helped to get rid of those stereotypes. According to annual reports by GLAAD (Gay &

Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), the quantity and quality of LGBTQ characters on

TV usually improves every year (Ziv). GLAAD sees TV as an important way to create a

more inclusive society to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, to show people as

complex human beings rather than just one-dimensional characters. Some of the TV shows

that have achieved successful representation have been Foxs Glee, ABCs Greys Anatomy,

Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder, Netflixs Orange is the New Black, ABC

Familys The Fosters and Pretty Little Liars, MTVs Faking It, and many others. In popular

culture, gay celebrities have also affected the publics perception of the gay community. Its

a well-known fact that America has a deep love for the entertainment industry, and it is

considered an important part of American culture (DeSantis). We are exposed to actors,

artists, athletes, musicians, and other famous people every day through social media,

advertisements, TV, and magazines (Gomillion, Giuliano). With so many people following

every move of these celebrities, its easy to see how their actions might influence the

general American public. With openly gay celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick

Harris, and Jane Lynch, the publics perception on gay people has improved according to a

survey conducted by Quinnipiac University. According to the survey, support for same-sex

marriage increased from 36% to 53% in just four years, partly due to celebrity influences.

Ellen DeGeneres influence could be cited as one of the most influential celebrity examples.

Ellen DeGeneres coming out story serves as a perfect example of how the situation has

changed so drastically in America. In 1997, Ellen became the first lead in sitcom history to

be openly acknowledged as gay. The Emmy-winning coming out episode received a lot of
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support from gay activists, but was also regarded as deeply controversial (Bio.com). An

ABC affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama refused to air the episode, and the show was

cancelled a year later in 1998 due to the controversy. In 2003, Ellen became a big hit with

the debut of her talk show, which is still running today. She is now one of the most

influential celebrities and arguably one of the most famous talk-show hosts out there, as

well as a staunch supporter for gay rights. Ellens story and the publics reaction to her

coming out might seem too extreme nowadays, since most people are in support of gay

rights. However, it serves as a reminder of the harsh realities gay people faced in the past in

a country where they were treated as second-class citizens. Ellens coming out has been

credited by many as an influential way of helping people to come out of the closet and in

changing other peoples perceptions on gay marriage. She serves as an example for people

struggling with their sexuality, as well as showing others that someones personality doesnt

change just because they are attracted to someone of their same gender.

Other than celebrity endorsement and representation, politics have also played a key

role in changing peoples perception of gays. Since gay marriage has been an important and

controversial political issue for the past years, people have been exposed and more aware of

it, prompting them to form their own opinions on the topic. Same-sex marriage was also a

politically divisive issue in the 2012 presidential election. President Obama, who came out

in support of same-sex marriage back then, received a lot of support from the younger

voters, who are typically more liberal, compared to the strategy he employed in the 2008

election. Both Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2008 election (including

President Obama) were opposed to same-sex marriage since they thought it would be too

risky and controversial to support it. Many political scientists call this shift from the recent

years the most remarkable shift in public opinion on any social issue in modern political
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history (Basu). We can also see this with shifts in opinion from politicians or public figures,

such as Hillary Clinton. Back in 2004, Clinton proclaimed, I believe marriage is not just a

bond but a sacred bond between a man and a woman. She also supported her husbands

signing of the Defense of Marriage Act in the 1990s. However, in 2013 she reversed her

stance as a prospective 2016 presidential candidate. Nowadays, it is perfectly normal to go

on Twitter and read Hillary Clintons tweets supporting gay rights, like when she tweeted in

June 26, 2015 her pride in the victory for marriage equality (Biddle). Clintons change in

viewpoint could be viewed as a political strategy. With the increased number of Americans

supporting marriage equality nowadays, supporting gay marriage and equality could mean

an increase in votes, especially with the younger voters, as seen in the 2012 presidential

election with President Obama. However, it could also be perceived as a change in ideals

influenced by the previously mentioned factors. Either way, Hillary Clintons change in

ideals could definitely be considered a reflection of the majority of the American publics

change.

This shift in perception has also been aided by the changes in laws from state to

state or the Supreme Court decisions. As previously mentioned, before the Supreme Court

ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges, only 13 states remained without legalizing same-sex

marriage. Since most states had legalized gay marriage, its very likely that this affected the

publics perception (PBS). If it was legal in most states, then its easier for people to accept

it and become more comfortable with it. According to a survey conducted by the Pew

Research Center, 73% of millennials (adults born after 1980) were in favor of same-sex

marriage in 2015, while 45% said they strongly supported it. The majority of the older

adults also supported gay marriage before its legalization in all states, with 59% saying they

were in favor. Even though the percentage is still below 50% for both baby boomers and
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people born from 1928 to 1945, there still was an increase in percentage in the last 10 years

(Cloutier). This increase in favorability among the American public grew due to the

increase in states that supported gay marriage. The implementation of anti-bias laws against

discrimination due to sexual orientation has also affected the publics perception in several

ways. These laws have been implemented in the federal, state, and local level, such as laws

barring job discrimination due to sexual orientation and to protect against violence towards

people due to their sexual orientation. These laws havent been extended to every single

state however, so it is still possible for a person to get fired in some states due to his or her

sexual orientation (CivilRights.org). This issue is has been steadily gaining more attention

in America, and it has gained exposure through social media networks, where people claim

that there is still not true equality for gay people despite the Supreme Court ruling of June

2015. This exposure has also been influential in gaining more support for equal rights in the

gay community, and could be another example of laws influencing this shift in America.

To reiterate, the increased support of gay people and their rights in America

occurred due to a number of factors. Some of these factors included the decrease in

religiosity of Americans, influences from the media, acceptance and endorsements from

politicians and celebrities, and representation in TV and pop culture. Acceptance from the

younger people and some older citizens also managed to positively affect this shift in

political and social ideology. The legalization of gay marriage in various states, and later on

in the entire country with the Supreme Court ruling, as well as the effect of other laws

protecting gay people from discrimination, also changed the publics attitude. Nowadays,

its becoming increasingly normal to be gay, and most younger people in America readily

accept it.

Works Cited
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Biddle, Sam. "Remember When Hillary Clinton Was Against Gay Marriage?" Gawker.
N.p., 26 June 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

Bailey, Sarah Pulliam. "Christianity Faces Sharp Decline as Americans Are Becoming Even
Less Affiliated with Religion." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 12 May
2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

Basu, Tanya. "Why More Americans Accept Gay Marriage Than Ever." The Atlantic.
Atlantic Media Company, 03 Mar. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

Cloutier, Catherine. "Almost 3 in 4 Millennials Support Same-sex Marriage - The Boston

Globe." BostonGlobe.com. N.p., 26 June 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

"Gays and Lesbians." The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
CivilRights.org, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

Ellen DeGeneres Biography Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 02 Nov.
2015.

Gomillion, Sarah C., and Traci A. Giuliano. The Influence of Media Role Models on Gay,
Lesbian, and Bisexual Identity. Journal of Homosexuality 58.3 (2011): 330-54.
Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

DeSantis, Gabe. Public Figures For Gay Marriage: The Effect of Celebrities in Favor of
Samesex Marriage. Point of View. N.p., 19 Apr. 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

Ziv, Stav. TVs LGBT Characters Add Representation, Depth, GLAAD Report Says.
Newsweek. N.p., 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 02 Nov. 2015.

The American Gay Rights Movement: A Timeline. Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 02
Nov. 2015.

American Experience: TVs Most-watched History Series. PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 02 Nov.
2015.