Does everyone secretly despise LGBTs although many openly claim to accept and love it, including LGBT members and allies? Are there really people who see LGBT as of equal worth as heterosexuals?

Many people still despise LGBT's because for them it's unnatural and they can't understand it. But in most countries where it's not seen as a taboo, more and more people actually accept it and treat LGBT the same as heterosexuals. It also helps that on the internet LGBT's can find a lot of support. This makes other internet users more willing to accept. The internet generation will see it as normal, the previous ones will always have difficulties with it because they were told since they were small that it's a sin. Because more people are open about it, it'll become more and more normal until eventually it's like heterosexuality for (almost) everyone. There are always going to be LGBT-phobic people, but they'll become a minority. Where I'm from most people accept it and see LGBT's as equals. I hope this answers your question. Kind regards, Mark H.

It seems that way sometimes, doesn't it?. There are people who push for equality every day, advocating and being activities. There are geat resources here dealing specifically with this very topic.

We are all created equal and should be treated as such. I don't see why anyone would despise lgbt members who are just existing and being true to themselves. This world can be so negative at times, but we can remove ourselves from those who ignite it and accept each other instead. I hope we get to a point where there is no stigma, taboo or discrimination and we can engage respectfully with one another. At the end of the day it doesn't affect anyone personally how lgbt choose to live. Those who still oppose to it need to practice more tolerance.

I don't think this is true. I cannot speak for other people, but I know my own thoughts on this. For reference, I'm a straight male. I think acceptance of LGBT people (and really, this applies to acceptance of anyone) is about respect - respecting that other people do not need to be the same as me for me to accept who that person is. I'll apply this notion to another, far more trivial, part of my life. I cannot understand why people like lobster, and more, why people pay huge money for it. However, I don't NEED to know or understand this - I simply respect that other people do like it, and that they are willing to pay for it, and at the end of the day, their choices have zero impact on my life, so why should I worry if they like lobster or not? We don't all need to be the same, and we don't need to be repulsed by differences.

No! LGBT people are human and who they love does not impact their worth. There are a lot of people who view LGBT people as equal to heterosexual people. Perhaps you have not met them yet, but I live in a progressive city, and LGBT people are very much accepted here. I think that the LGBT community is not accepted in all parts of the world quite yet, but eventually, hopefully we as a human race can better accept people's choices. Love is love. Never forget that you were put on this earth to love whoever you want to love!

Yes. You need exposure to people who have viewed the LGBT community as equals for a very long time. There has been a lot of progress I think in recent years for your community. A lot of views have changed when it comes to the rights of LGBT community. Unfortunately this means that there are many people out there that have had a RECENT change of heart. It will take a little while for them to completely change their behavior. It'll take exposure and experience. For those who ARE part of the community or have had friends in the community and have believed in true equality for a long time, you'll be able to tell. You'll find comfort with those people. Seek them out and find them. They exist. I'm sorry you are having trouble finding them. One day, there will be way more acceptance and it'll be easier. You're at the forefront of change. Consider yourself a warrior, and hang in there. You are loved by many....TRULY loved....even if you haven't had a lot of exposure to us.

Absolutely do I believe there are people who see LGBT as of equal worth as heterosexuals. As someone who works at a performing arts center, I encounter dozens of heterosexual people daily who enjoy and appreciate members of the LGBTQ community for not only their bravery, but for their open ended ways of expressing their thoughts and bringing their experiences to the table. I’ve met more people who are compassionate and caring towards LGBTQ members than people who are not. Now, yes, there are people out there who probably secretly despise LGBTQ members, just like there are people who eat dairy even though their allergic to it. It’s a method of fitting in; of not looking weird to people who disagree. And members in the LGBTQ community tend to be proud and accepting of other members, I think it’s rare to find a person who is against being in the LGBTQ community, because in the end we’re a family.

Yes, I do. I don't really care if someone is gay, lesbian, etc. I think everyone is the same. I accept everyone. And everyone is a human being. The only thing is changed, is who they love, and there is nothing wrong with it!

I'm ace (technically LGBT+), and my boyfriend doesn't despise me. Lots of people don't despise LGBTs. I don't. My transgender friend is cool; I don't see him any differently now than before he came out. He's of equal worth. My lesbian friends are great people, even if they don't always think that they are. They're of equal worth. My ace and aro buddies are incredible, wonderful people who are of equal worth. My bisexual friend is of equal worth. I know a lot of LGBT+ people, all of whom are of equal worth as heterosexuals. People should not be considered lesser because of not being cisgender and heterosexual.

Yes! There are a lot of people out there who are truly supportive. It's just a matter of surrounding yourself with the right people. It's easy to get stuck around people who aren't supportive, making it hard to believe that people can be, but a lot of people really want to help. There are a lot of queer and straight people out there who are really amazing people. Not everybody can see that everybody is equal, but quite a few can. Many people actively support the community and are making a huge difference.

There definitely are people who have no doubt about the worth of lgbtqia+ people. Many lgbtqia+ people have doubts about their own worth, but as do we all. Nothing is an 'all or nothing' situation when it comes to emotions, and while one person may be doubtful about their own feelings, it doesn't make them any less valid. As a trans person myself, I often have doubts, but I've never been able to see other trans people as anything less than what they are: a human being living the best life they can. There are always people that will believe and us, and there always have been. There's always hope.

I dont know if this counts as I myself am bi, but when I thought I was straight I saw nothing wrong with it. Love is love and the people who say they are allies are allies. Bad people are out there but Don’t let them overshadow the people out there who realise that there is nothing wrong with you no matter who you love! It can feel like things are hateful sometimes but no, everyone does not despise the LGBTQ, infact it is as it should be, loved by many. I hope that helps! And I hope you are able to meet some nice allies that I know are out there!

There are people who secretly despise LGBTs although they claim to love and support LGBTs. And yes, including members and allies. Trust me, I know. Thankfully, there are many people who believe homosexuals are equal to heterosexuals. Are you dealing with anxiety? There are plenty of LGBTs who are only LGBT for attention, or for any other reason. There are also plenty who are LGBT because it's who they are. I've met plenty of fake homos, trans-trenders, etc., and they aren't my favorite people. But many LGBTs are real and really feel affection to the same gender or really aren't comfortable being their biological gender.

No everyone does not secretly despise LGBT and there are many more people that see LGBT as of equal worth as heterosexuals as there are people that don’t! I have been an active ally and supportive of LGBTQ rights for a very long time and this has been really important for me to show the world that as a married heterosexual, can see the worth and value of every human, not just the ones that conform to how I live my life. Support for the LGBTQ community grows all the time thanks to amazing work by organisations such as Stonewall. The huge increase in attendance at Pride parades is one way to measure this!

I wouldn't say "everyone". Don't get me wrong-- homophobia is very real. My own parents are the most homophobic people I know(hence why I will never come out to them). But acceptance grows every day. Ex: GSA clubs and other events, such as ENS. I personally am involved in my school's GSA club and find that the majority of my school, including teachers, are very accepting. As for ENS, I would extremely advise going. It's an amazing opportunity to connect with other people in the LGBT community, members and allies alike. However, as acceptance seems to become more popular, I do see how being pro-LGBT can be used as a social tool. In response to the second question... If I were a computer-generated robot or Mahatma Gandhi, I would say that there will always be people who don't see LGBT members as equal as heterosexuals. But I'm not Gandhi, so my opinion is yes, but I would recommend focusing on all of the positive feedback our LGBT community receives.

No, no way. There are many people out there who nurture hate in their heart for things they don't understand, or the things that they've been taught. The GLBT community has had to deal with overwhelming situations that are often created in fear-based and misunderstood situations. Religion also plays a factor, but when looking at the situation in blank honesty - what two people who in the privacy of their homes or relationship is no concern of anyone else - as long as it is a healthy, consenting and lawfully abiding relationship. (By that, I mean both members are of age).

I cannot be sure of what your personal experience with the LGBT community is, but I’m truly sorry if you believe that all people experience some sort of bias towards the LGBT community. From what I’ve personally found that is not at all true. There are many people who have embraced either who they are or have embraced their friends and family. Though not all people have an easy time overcoming their prejudices towards LGBT people it is possible. Many people have had a poor education in relation to gender and sexual identity but it can be learned. What it comes down to is does who a person loves or the gender of a person impact their worth or make them less of a human being? No.

No, not all people despise LGBT+, many of my good friends are LGBT, and I think of them the same way I think of heterosexual and/or cisgender people. A person's sexuality really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, a person's character does. As long as you can be as kind and caring as possible, you can be sure there are people who treat you as equals. Just because you're into someone of the same gender as you or you're transgender doesn't make you any less human than people who aren't. All humans are equal at birth, it's how you act and what you think of others that makes you better or worse.

Not everyone despise LGBTs, in reality, many people don't even think about then as another class of people, just as another human that deserves the same love and care as any other. I can understand why some LGBTs, being one myself (B), think that most of the people out there look at them as different and less worthy but most of the time it is just a reflection of how we see ourselves because of our past experience. Trusting people and being understanding may be the first step toward a new perception about how we and other people look at the LGBT community.

Many, many people definitely see LGBT people as being of equal worth to heterosexuals! I say this as an LGBT person and as someone who has mostly heterosexual friends! In all honesty, I would not change who I am even if it were possible. I love being LGBT! Of course, there are also some bigoted people out there who are homophobic and transphobic, but I like to think that there are less and less of them as time goes by, and in many places, they are a minority. So no, it's not true that everyone secretly despises LGBT people :)

Absolutely there are! There is nothing wrong or lesser than aobut LGBTQ+ people and relationships. Many people, believe in complete equality. There are so many amazing straight cisgender allies out there. There's nothing wrong with being gay at all. Not all of society has caught up yet, but a lot of it has. More progress is being made daily. Don't be afraid to be yourself because some people are still behind. We are we on our way to equality. Don't let anyone tell you there is something wrong with you when there isn't.

Yes, of course. My sexuality is questioning at the moment but right now I do identify as straight. And yes, I am living, breathing proof that there is straight allies who don’t despise LGBTQ+ members. I love them. I think that it doesn’t matter who you decide to love and that it should be normal by now. And I don’t think there are that many people who secretly despise LGBTQ+ members. At least none that I know of. If you have any questions about anything, please contact me or any other listener on 7 Cups. I’d love to clear things up.

Hey guys, it's your friendly neighborhood lesbian here coming to you to say that yes, the gays are of equal worth as the straights. I've met a lot of people throughout my life, but the nicest, most caring people I've ever met have been a part of the LGBT+ community. I'm not saying that I've not met nice heteros, because I have, I'm just saying that people in the community are good people. But when it comes down to it, that's all they are- people- they're the same as anyone else. They are worth as much as anyone else. They are just as important as anyone else. The only difference is who they love or how they identify themselves.

I can’t answer for everyone else in this matter, but I can answer for myself. As an LGBTQ+ person myself, I love my community and my LGBTQ+ brothers, sisters, and siblings. In my mind everyone has inherent worth and value and that is not taken away by having a sexuality, romantic attraction, or gender that varies from a cisgender and heterosexual normative. I don’t despise anyone for who they are. It can be tough to come to terms with ones own identity. However, that is different from viewing an entire body of people as lesser for something out of their control.

I love my friends of the LGBTQ+ community! I've completed SafeZone trainings and I recognized that I'm a member of the community, not only as an Ally, but also as a pansexual individual. Sometimes you may live in a space where your family or surrounding community is less accepting, but there are people who will love and accept you for you!

Not everyone secretly despises members of the LGBT+ community. Most people who consider themselves part of the community, or are an ally, truly do love and accept it. People do see members of the community as equal worth as heterosexuals. We're all humans, we all have things that make us who we are. Are sexuality is just one piece of the puzzle that makes up a person. Even if people have different pieces, the puzzle still ends up making a person when complete. Whether heterosexual and/or cisgender, or a member of the LGBT+ community, everyone is of equal worth. Sexuality and gender are no judgement of worth.

I am a part of the LGBTQ+ community and I see hate everyday on us, however, you cannot fight hate with hate. We conquer it with acceptance and love, no matter what sexual orientation they are :)

It's hard to know what people truly think about things. But it is easier, I think, to look at their actions. Sure they claim to accept and love it, but do they act supportive? And in that sense I think the answer is yes, there are people who genuinely act in a way that supports LGBT people— regardless of what they might secretly "believe".

Yes, there are people who consider everyone as equals. Sometimes they are just very difficult to find. Sadly what people say and what people believe is two different things. Don't give up hope. If you are struggling and would like additional support feel free to access our MOGII/LGBT chatrooms and there are many useful places to talk about this with others online.

There are some who'll say they accept LGBTQA+ but secretly hate them or see them as inferior. But there is an overwhelming amount of persons who fully support the LGBTQA+ community. Well, you ask, how can one tell if they're sincere? My response? They put their lives at risk. Why would someone put their life at risk to defend something they don't even believe in? There are good people in this world. Don't let the negativity erase the positive. Australia has made same sex marriage legal. California is making fantastic moves to put an end to conversion therapy. They've already made it illegal for minors. Transgender and those who are gender variant are being recognized. Bathroom access is moving forward in great strides. There is still a long way to go till we reach full equality. But don't lose sight of the hardworking LGBTQA+ community advocates. And the allies that defend us. ~Ellianna