Antigay prejudice, however, is often highly functional for the heterosexuals who manifest it. Heterosexism More recently, heterosexism has increasingly been used as an alternative to homophobia. Using the term heterosexism highlights the parallels between antigay sentiment and other forms of prejudice, such as racism, anti-Semitism, and sexism. Heterosexism is manifested both at the cultural and individual levels. Cultural heterosexism, like institutional racism and sexism, pervades societal customs and institutions.
Psychological heterosexism is the individual expression of cultural heterosexism.
It is manifested in heterosexuals' hostility, feelings of personal disgust, and condemnation of homosexuality and of lesbians and gay men. Public opinion data indicate that psychological heterosexism is widespread. Psychological heterosexism also is expressed behaviorally, through verbal abuse, discrimination, and physical assault of people because of their presumed sexual orientation. Since the birth of the modern gay liberation movement in the 60's a large body of data on anti-gay violence and other victimization has developed. Dr. Howard Ehrlich in 1992, stated that when a group becomes more visible levels of conflict increase.