Refuting anti-LGBT+ arguments

[[File:Protestors at a pride parade in Jerusalem with sign that reads, "Homo sex is immoral (Lev. 18-22)".jpg|thumb|right|165px|These people aren't typically deep thinkers.]]
{{cquote|I actually got a Ugandan Minister to say on camera… I said to him… there's so much more to worry about in your country than the odd gay person going to bed with the other gay person. For example, you have almost an epidemic of [[child sexual abuse|child rape]] in this country, which is just frightening.</br>
And he said, 'Ah, but it is the right kind of child rape.'</br>
I said, 'That was on camera. Do you know that was on camera?'</br>
He said, 'Yes.'</br>
I said, 'Can you just explain what you meant?'</br>
'Well, it is men raping girls. Which is natural.'|||[[Stephen Fry]], recounting his discussion with Reverend Father Simon Lokodo of [[Uganda]].<ref>[https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ugandan-reverend-simon-lokodo-child-rape-better-homosexuality-video-1437976 Ugandan Reverend Simon Lokodo: 'Child Rape Better than Homosexuality']. ''International Business Times.''</ref>}}
{{SJ}}
[[File:Canis anthus - Cécile Bloch 12.png|300px|thumb|Two male wolves]]
[[File:Cant wait for the bull.jpg|300px|thumb|A cow "bulling" during oestrus.]]
Over the years, mostly [[right wing]] and [[religious]] nuts have come up with '''[[Homophobia|arguments against]] the [[LGBTQIA+]]''' community. Some arguments include: "Being LGBTQIA+ is [[sin|sinful]]", "[[Marriage]] is a sacred bond between a man and a woman", "They will turn everyone gay", "The LGBTQIA+ are pedophiles", and "Being [[gay]] or [[transgender]] is a mental illness". [[Bullshit|These arguments]] have no [[scientific]] or [[historical]] basis, and this type of intolerance can lead LGBTQIA+ people to commit [[suicide]] or to major mental health issues. Ignorant prejudice from anti-LGBT+ bigots has even become a '''domestic terrorist threat''' as stated by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Violence against LGBT+ people often culminate as [[mass shooting]]s.<ref>[https://www.losangelesblade.com/2022/11/30/homeland-security-more-attacks-against-lgbtq-people-possible/ Los Angeles Blade], Retrieved on Jan 18, 2023.</ref><ref>http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/facts-about-suicide</ref> This will cover arguments against the LGBT community and refute them in an [[academic]] and scientific, as well as somewhat religious, manner (i.e., [[theological]] arguments against [[transphobia]]). Anti-LGBT+ arguments range from seemingly intelligent to downright [[bullshit]]. Many arguments are derived from twisting around [[neuroscience]]/[[psychology]] (or science in general) and twisting around religious concepts. 
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== Religious arguments ==
Examples in the following notes:<ref name="Bible">[https://web.archive.org/web/20171013215225/https://www.thoughtco.com/the-bible-says-about-homosexuality-712784 What the Bible Says About… Homosexuality] Christian Teens section in About.com</ref>

Note: There were no (distorted) [[biblical]] arguments against transgender people.

Also note that in secular society, if one is arguing for legality related to LGBTQIA+, these arguments are not enough to serve as the basis of new laws, and could also violate constitutional prohibitions on establishing religious beliefs on others.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Religious Argument !! Rational Refutation 
|-
| Being gay is going against [[God]]'s Plan || If homosexuality were against God's plan, presumably God wouldn't have created it or allowed it to exist in the first place.
|-
| "Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion" ({{bible|Romans|1|26|27}}).

"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads" ({{bible|Leviticus|20|13}})
| 
This is a common verse used against gays, but homophobes fail to realize that the original verse was written in [[Hebrew]], then translated from multiple languages such as Greek and Latin to English. That is bound to twist the meaning at least a little. Also, the verse never mentions women. "Lie" is never clearly defined, but it might only be speaking against [[anal sex]], since it was considered dirty in Biblical times. [[Jews]] also tend to be much more pro-gay than other religious groups. There has been an argument that in fact this only applied to men [[Rape|raping]] boys or other men, rather than simply any consensual sex. In any case, the writers of the Bible were products of their time, just as with the [[Sexism in the Qur'an|Qur'an]]. In fact, the Bible condones many actions considered immoral by today's standards (e.g., [[Slavery in the Bible|slavery]]).
|-
| God hates gays || However, [[Jesus]] stated in ({{bible|John|13|34}}), "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." This clearly means that people are supposed to care about each other despite differences. Besides, He [[God Hates Shrimp|also hates shrimp]], but plenty of Christians have dinner at Red Lobster.
|-
| [[Marriage]] is a [[holy]] union || Marriage was around ''long'' before [[Christianity]].<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raina-bowe/if-not-gods-authority-who_b_8090588.html</ref> Tribal people worldwide had marriages and ancient empires such as the Mayan Empire in what is now [[Mexico]] had marriages, and those people formed unions before the Christian religion. Before Christianity took over, in the [[Roman Empire]], marriage was a ''civic'' institution.
|-
| Pride is a [[sin]] || There are multiple definitions of "pride", including: a basic level of self-respect; or conceit and haughtiness ("excessive pride") to the point of seeing yourself as better than others.<ref>[https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/pride "pride / noun"]. ''Cambridge English Dictionary''.</ref><ref>[https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/pride "pride / noun"]. ''The Britannica Dictionary''.</ref><ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pride "pride / noun"]. ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary''.</ref> "Gay pride" will typically refer to the former, and the latter arguably applies to many forms of homophobia.
|}

==Scientific and social arguments==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Anti-LGBTQIA+ Argument !! Rational Refutation
|-
| [[Homosexuality|Lesbian, Gay]], [[Bisexual]], Transgender, [[Queer]], [[Asexual]], (etc.) people are mentally ill || Sorry, but the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association have dropped homosexuality<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160313144749/http://psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/apa-blog/2016/03/homosexuality-as-a-mental-disorder-simply-not-backed-up-by-science</ref> and transsexualism<ref>http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.aspx</ref> as mental illness through up-to-date scientific research and protests. Importantly, these attitudes are the reason these minorities are correlated with mental diseases, so some self-reflection is recommended. This is also not going into the further stigmatization of mental illnesses and leads to [[ableism]].
|-
| LGBTQIA+ people need to be sent to a mental hospital by force. || An extension of the first argument, more or less. First, being LGBT is not considered mental illness anymore (as per the current [[Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders]]). Second, being different does not affect you in any way. Finally, that would be a [[civil rights]] violation considering that the [[United States Constitution]] states, "A person may not be denied life, '''liberty''', or property without due process". Plus, the [[Bill of Rights]] allows for '''freedom''' of expression.<ref name="Law">https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights Link text, additional text.</ref>
|-
| Gays are not [[Appeal to nature|natural]] || This argument also gets mixed in with religious arguments saying, "God made sex for procreation" or some variant of this. As for it being "unnatural", homosexuality has been observed in many other animal species,<ref>http://www.yalescientific.org/2012/03/do-animals-exhibit-homosexuality/</ref> while [[homophobia]] has been observed in only one subspecies (''Homo sapiens sapiens''). Nature isn't a reference for morals, either, since murder is ubiquitous, essential for survival for carnivores, and, thus, perfectly natural. [[Sex]] is certainly not solely for procreation, as rape [[Dolphin#Dolphin facts|in other animal species]] exists, and a few non-human animals, such as bonobo monkeys, have been observed having sex as a means to facilitate social cohesion and/or just for the heck of it.
|-
| You choose your sexuality || Wrong; sexual orientation is ''not'' a conscious choice. Sexuality is deterministic, being influenced by [[gene]]s, {{wpl|epigenetics||,}} and/or from hormonal differences due to [[birth order]].<ref> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/10/homosexuality-may-be-caused-chemical-modifications-dna</ref>
|-
| Transgender people are only confused about their sexuality caused by the liberal/[[mainstream media]] || Wrong again! At first, someone may be confused, but a person learns their [[gender identity]] over time. This varies from person to person because gender identity has a biological basis, while someone is physically male or female; in terms of biochemistry, a transgender person's brain is wired as the opposite gender (so to speak).<ref name="Biology">https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150213112317.htm</ref> There is a long history of transgender individuals across many countries and cultures, far beyond the reach of "liberal media".<ref>{{wpa|Transgender history}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/content/two-spirits_map-html/ A MAP OF GENDER-DIVERSE CULTURES], PBS, August 11, 2015</ref>
|-
| [[Think of the children|Children exposed to LGBT representation in school or children's programming will be confused]] || 
[[Ignorance]] is bliss, right? Not only is there very little evidence for this claim, it's also counterintuitive. Children who are taught about LGBT issues tend to become more accepting adults, are exposed to less homophobic [[bullying]], and knowing what they're into can cause less unhappy "incompatible orientation" relationships later in life. In contrast, actively hiding information about entire groups of people tends to confuse LGBT youth, who won't know why they're interested in members of the same sex and think something's "wrong" with them.<ref group=note>Of course, for a homophobe, confusing LGBT youth may be a ''desired'' result.</ref>
|-
| There are only two genders || This is one of the Internet's favorite mantras, going as far as several [[YouTube]] personalities sporting this phrase at pride parades. This phrase is usually followed along with "I sexually identify as a <nowiki>[insert anything but human here]</nowiki>", where it implies that having no limits to gender identity will be problematic somehow. It's also frequently repeated that [[chromosome]]s determine gender identity, which is also ignorant of [[intersex]] persons. If someone is born with an XXY chromosome, what would they be? They can't be male because they have an extra X, nor female if they have a Y chromosome, based on the traditional definition. Additionally, many cultures across every continent have recognized there being more than two genders in their society for thousands of years.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/content/two-spirits_map-html/ A Map of Gender-Diverse Cultures], ''PBS''</ref> Additionally, people with run of the mill XX or XY chromosomes can have molecular structures that are in line with the opposite gender. <ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6505576/ National Library of Medicine], Retrieved on July 16, 2024.</ref>	
|-
| "DNA will tell the truth"

"You are born male/female"
||
There are differences between [[biological sex]] and [[gender]]. The former, being sexual [[phenotype]]s and genotypes, is what the [[DNA]] determines, while the latter refers to one's presentation and conception about oneself, being influenced mainly by society (the DNA has a ''very'' limited influence). Also, forcing someone to conform to their biological gender is unethical.
|-
| LGBT+ people raising families is [[child abuse]] || This happens to be one of the most brain-dead sociological arguments against LGBT+ people everywhere. The general idea is that LGBT+ parents will imprint their sexuality and or gender identity onto any possible children. What matters is if the children are happy, not suffering physical, mental, or [[Child sexual abuse|sexual abuse]], are well taken care of, and have a roof over their head. Also, the [[irony]] here is that many LGBT+ kids face child abuse from their homophobic/transphobic parents.<ref group=note>Heck, ''any'' child being raised by homophobic/transphobic parents is being abused, considering that they're being raised to have the same repugnant values that will make respectable people want nothing to do with them (except maybe putting a bullet in their brains for being ''a menace to humanity'').</ref>
|-
| Parents of trans people are groomers. || Does limiting a child’s knowledge of their sexuality and bodily autonomy so that it’s easier for figures of authority to manipulate them into compromising abusive situations also count as grooming? Also, is transgender a mental illness, grooming, or indoctrinating? Those are completely different concepts.
|-
|Trans women will [[Transphobia and public restrooms|assault our little girls in the bathroom]] || There are numerous problems with this idea. First, this assumes that only males are child predators. Second, trans women assaulting people in the bathroom is ''extremely rare''. Third, trans women and butch lesbians or women not considered "feminine enough" are the most common victims in bathroom-related sexual assault. Fourth, [[Double standard|nobody complains if trans men use men's bathrooms]]. That relies on the first point that women cannot sexually assault males.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8022685/ NIH], National Institutes of Health.</ref> It's not as if there's anything stopping people with bad intentions from entering the women's restroom right now, so allowing trans women to use their preferred restroom won't result in predators being more easily able to enter the women's restroom. Depending on the country one is in, it can take months to years to formally transition; would a person considering rape really go through all that just so that when they do rape, at least they're "in the right restroom"?
|-
|LGBT+ people should all be killed || Yes, there are people out there who want to murder all LGBT+ people for various (cruel) reasons. Endorsing the systematic detention and murder of an entire people is '''[[genocide]]'''. This is basically endorsed by Uganda and the [[Russian]] Republic of [[Chechnya]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428175342/http://www.eurasiareview.com/23042017-chechnyas-gay-purge-anti-lgbtq-violence-and-state-sanctioned-genocide-of-homosexuals-analysis/ Eurasia Review], Retrieved on April 25, 2022.</ref> If you want to murder all LGBT+ people, that makes you no better than [[Adolf Hitler]] or [[Joseph Stalin]]. By the way, if you tried to incite the genocide of LGBTQ people in the United States, you could face prison time and a $500,000 fine. Actively trying to commit genocide can result in life in prison/death penalty and a $1,000,000 fine. Do remember that if you consider genocidal actions.<ref>[https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1091 Cornell University Law School], Retrieved on June 29, 2023.</ref> Now trying to commit genocide on your own would likely result in you being labeled as a terrorist by law enforcement.
|-
|LGBT+ rights are a "Western" concept || There are numerous non-Western civilizations throughout history wherein LGBT+ identities were accepted and even celebrated as a cultural aspect. As a matter of fact, many historical societies have recognized a {{wpl|third gender}}. While it is true that Western countries, for the most part, demonstrate significantly higher percentages of their populations identifying as LGBT+ in global statistics, this is largely due to the lack of acceptance or awareness of these identities among the public, meaning that oftentimes respondents who are LGBT+ in these countries and regions do not know or consciously reject that they are LGBT+. 
|-
|}

'''Narrow/uncommon arguments'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Anti-LGBTQIA+ Argument !! Rational Refutation
|-
|Equal marriage rights for gay people gives in to "the establishment". || The legalization of gay marriage is such an important symbolic gesture of the integration of gay people into wider society, that it is actually linked to a reduction of suicide rates among young gay people.<ref>Kennedy, Andrew; Genç, Murat; Owen, P. Dorian [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33812751/ "The Association Between Same-Sex Marriage Legalization and Youth Deaths by Suicide: A Multimethod Counterfactual Analysis"]. The Journal of Adolescent Health, (June 2021) 68 (6): 1176–1182. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.01.033. ISSN 1879-1972. PMID 33812751.</ref><ref>Segal, Corinne (February 20, 2017). [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/same-sex-marriage-fewer-youth-suicide "Same-sex marriage laws linked to fewer youth suicide attempts, new study says"]. ''PBS NewsHour''.</ref><ref>Jon Henley (November 14, 2019). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/14/suicide-rates-fall-after-gay-marriage-laws-in-sweden-and-denmark "Suicide rates fall after gay marriage legalised in Sweden and Denmark"]. ''The Guardian''.</ref> Beyond that, in many places gay marriage is conducive to "next of kin" rights, hospital visitation rights, and other key benefits to couples. Why deny them these opportunities out of personal animosity to marriage as an institution?
|-
|Heterosexual men's physical stress/disgust response to seeing two men kiss is similar to their physical stress/disgust response in reaction to seeing maggots or rotting flesh. || The study which concluded this heavily oversampled weekly church attendees (50.8% of sample), particularly [[Mormons]] (62.5%) living in [[Utah]] (65%). This suggests socialization in a homophobic religious environment could have heavily influenced this outcome — in fact, the study itself acknowledges this limitation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=O’Handley |first=Breanna Maureen |last2=Blair |first2=Karen L. |last3=Hoskin |first3=Rhea Ashley |date=2017-07-03 |title=What do two men kissing and a bucket of maggots have in common? Heterosexual men’s indistinguishable salivary α-amylase responses to photos of two men kissing and disgusting images |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2017.1328459 |journal=Psychology & Sexuality |language=en |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=173–188 |doi=10.1080/19419899.2017.1328459 |issn=1941-9899}}</ref> Other research suggests that while both liberals and conservatives do feel disgust, they tend to feel it towards differing stimuli.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Elad-Strenger |first=Julia |last2=Proch |first2=Jutta |last3=Kessler |first3=Thomas |date= |title=Is Disgust a “Conservative” Emotion? |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167219880191 |journal=Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin |language=en |volume=46 |issue=6 |pages=896–912 |doi=10.1177/0146167219880191 |issn=0146-1672}}</ref>
|-
|Gay men have 500-1000 [or whatever absurdly high number of] sexual partners. || See [[Debunked: gay men have 500-1000 partners|this article]] debunking the claim.
|}

==See also==
{{collist|2|
*''[[77 Non-religious Reasons to Support Man/Woman Marriage]]''
*[[Biphobia]]
*[[Conversion therapy]]
*[[Family values]]
*[[Gender ideology]]
*[[Good old days]]
*[[Homophobia]]
*[[Homosexual agenda]]
*[[Lesbian gang epidemic]]
*[[Lesbianism#Lesbiphobia|Lesbianism § Lesbiphobia]]
*''[[My Genes Made Me Do It]]''
*[[Nazism and homosexuality]]
*[[Nutpicking]]
*[[Pink-baiting]]
*[[Religious freedom#As a political code-word|Religious freedom § As a political code-word]]
*[[Sex and gender in sport]]
*[[Traditional values]]
*[[Transphobia]]
}}

==External links==
*[https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights Bill of Rights]
*[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150213112317.htm Transgender: Evidence on the biological nature of gender identity]
*''[https://elcvienna.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Booklet-about-Homosexuality-and-the-Bible-Sept.-2016.pdf The Bible Doesn't Say That Homosexuality is a Sin: An Analysis of the Seven Scriptures Sometimes Claimed to Refer to Homosexuality]'', by Janet Edmonds (September 2016; via the Emmanuel [[Lutheran]] Church)

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Law]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Refutations]]
[[Category:Side-by-side articles]]
[[Category:Transphobia]]

Categories: Bible, Biology, Homophobia, Law, Psychology, Refutations, Side-by-side articles, Transphobia