Many people believe that there is a positive correlation between sexual orientation and sex roles, that lesbians are masculine and gay men are feminine. There is absolutely no basis for this belief, but it persists. Consequently, many people spend a lot of energy and time trying to fit prevailing cultural images of what it means to be female or male as a way of avoiding being perceived as lesbian and gay. Interpersonal Homophobia is the fear, dislike or hatred of people believed to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Lesbians, gay, and bisexual people are regularly attacked for no other reason than their assailants' homophobia.
Most people act out their fear of lesbians and gay men in non-violent, more commonplace ways.
These organizations and institutions set policies, allocate resources, and maintain unwritten standards for the behavior of their members in ways which discriminate. Often, heterosexuals don't realize that these standards exists, while lesbian, gay and bisexual people are acutely aware of the standards. The feeling which results is one of being an outsider in the society.