Homophobia is a fear or dislike of gay people. It is a form of prejudice which often leads to discrimination and bullying.

The difference between being gay and being straight is that gay people are attracted physically and emotionally towards their own gender rather than the opposite gender. Some people are bisexual, which means they are attracted equally to men and women. It is estimated that the number of gay men and women in the British Isles exceeds the entire population of Wales.

No one knows for sure what makes a person gay; some people believe it is a choice like preference in food, but others say our sexuality is inborn and determined before birth. Having gay friends doesn't 'turn you gay' if you're not.

Stereotyping is always wrong but it is a major cause of the prejudice which gay people suffer from. For instance, a gay person can be monogamous, promiscuous or celibate. There is no such thing as a 'gay lifestyle' because everyone is an individual - 'gay' is a sexual orientation and nothing more or less. It does not necessarily mean a person is weak or strong, tall or short, bright or dull, brave or cowardly, black or white, atheist or religious, fat or slim, or anything else at all.

It is true that some men seem camp, and some women seem butch, but that behaviour doesn't necessarily mean that they are gay. In fact the vast majority of gay men and women look and sound exactly the same as everyone else.

Some religious people say that their holy books condemn homosexuality and claim that there is good reason to discriminate. Others from the same religions say that the texts were written by humans and put over the views that were common in early times, when the books were written. Religious people who do not believe in discriminating against gay people often point to other lessons of their religions, for instance ideas about justice and tolerance for all.

All school and workplace bullying is wrong, but gay kids suffer a Catch-22 situation because they don't want to confirm suspicions about their sexuality. Of course the main reason they want to keep it secret is because they're aware of the homophobia in society. Homophobia has prevented a number of footballers and other sports personalities from being honest about their sexuality.

The word 'gay' is sometimes used to describe something disapprovingly. The word black is sometimes used in a similar way - eg black market, black day etc. There is nothing wrong with being black and neither is there anything wrong with being gay, so people should avoid using these words in a negative way.

It sometimes takes courage, but standing up against prejudice and discrimination is the real measure of our humanity.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." (United Nations - Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

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