Editing Heterosexism (section)

== As discrimination ==

===Explicit or open===

This type of heterosexism includes [[LGBT rights opposition|anti-gay]] laws, policies, and institutional practices, harassment based on sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; [[stereotyping]], discriminatory language and discourse, and other forms of [[discrimination against LGBT persons]] such as:
* [[Hate speech]], [[terms of disparagement]], [[hate mail]], [[death threats]], [[Stop Murder Music|"murder music"]]
* [[Scapegoating]], [[mobbing]], [[Witch-hunt#Political usage|witch-hunts]], [[moral panic]]; using gay men and homosexuality as a [[folk devil]] for the [[AIDS pandemic]].
* Negative portrayals or stereotypes of gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals solely as villains, suicide or murder victims<ref>{{cite book|title= Psychological perspectives on lesbian and gay male experiences|last= Garnets|first= Linda|author2= Kimmel, Douglas C.|year= 1993|publisher= [[Columbia University Press]]|isbn= 0-231-07884-6|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/psychologicalper0000unse}}</ref>
* Using the [[gay panic defense]] in assault or murder cases.
* [[Sodomy law]]s when enforced almost exclusively against consenting, adult, same-sex partners. ''See also: [[Bowers v. Hardwick]] and [[Lawrence v. Texas]]''
* In some countries where [[Homosexuality laws of the world|homosexuality is criminalized]], such as Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, offenders may receive the maximum sentence of [[capital punishment]]. ''See also: [[Paragraph 175]]''
* Discrepancies in [[Age of consent#Homosexual and heterosexual age discrepancies in law|age of consent]] laws in which legal sexual activity between members of the same sex is set at a higher age than that for partners in female–male relationships. Most such laws apply explicitly (or have historically applied) only to male homosexual sexual activity. ''See also: [[Chris Morris (activist)|Morris v. The United Kingdom]]'', ''[[State v. Limon]]''
* Prohibiting youth from bringing a same-sex date to [[Prom|high school prom]].<ref>[[American Civil Liberties Union]]: [http://gbge.aclu.org/schools/free-speech-free-expression-and-prom Free Speech, Free Expression and Prom] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091224142614/http://gbge.aclu.org/schools/free-speech-free-expression-and-prom|date=2009-12-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights_hiv-aids/who-are-you-taking-prom-year |quote=Aaron Fricke decided he wanted to go to his senior prom with Paul Guilbert. His principal wouldn't let him.|title=Who are you taking to the prom this year? |date=31 December 2000 |publisher=[[American Civil Liberties Union]] |access-date=18 September 2013}}</ref> ''See also: [[Fricke v. Lynch]], [[Marc Hall v. Durham Catholic School Board]]''
* Adoption bans against either same-sex couples or gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals. ''See also: [[LGBT adoption]], [[In re: Gill]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2009/02/26/parliamentary-inquiries-same-sex-adoption/|title=GordonMoyes.com » Parliamentary Inquiries – Same Sex Adoption|access-date=4 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007120222/http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2009/02/26/parliamentary-inquiries-same-sex-adoption/|archive-date=7 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Legislation that prevents legal and [[social equality]], i.e., laws that prohibit protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, particularly with regard to health care, housing, and employment.
* The institution of female–male marriage and reserving the right to marry strictly for female–male couples via explicit definitions or through bans on [[same-sex marriage]] such as "[[Marriage Protection Act|marriage protection acts]]" (such as [[Defense of Marriage Act|DOMA]] in the United States);<ref name="JungSmith" /><sup> pp.&nbsp;145–151</sup>
* Also, the above restriction even when same-sex couples have access to [[civil union]]s that are either analogous to or not on a par with marriage;
* Barring gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals from serving in the armed forces or from working in the education field; this can include policies such as the [[Military of the United States|American military]]'s "[[Don't ask, don't tell]]" policy or [[Lech Kaczyński]] and other conservative Polish politicians’ stance to exclude gay men and lesbians from entering the teaching profession. ''See also: [[LGBT rights in Poland]]''
* Organized opposition to [[gay rights]]; [[Labeling theory|labeling]] such rights and privileges as "[[special rights]]" or the "[[Homosexual agenda|Gay Agenda]]";
* Referring to a suspected criminal's homosexuality or bisexuality when in analogous situations there is no mention of a suspect's heterosexuality.

===Implicit or hidden===
This form of heterosexism operates through invisibility, under-representation, and [[wikt:erasure|erasure]]. It includes:
* Lack or under-representation of homosexual or bisexual people in advertising to the general public;
* Censorship of homosexual or bisexual characters, themes, and issues in works of art, [[literature]], entertainment; ''see also [[Postcards from Buster#Controversial episodes|"Sugar Time" episode of Postcards from Buster]]''
* Exclusion of historical and political figures’ and celebrities’ homosexuality or bisexuality; their portrayal as heterosexuals;
* Complete avoidance of mentioning these people and their positive contributions particularly in news media;
* In the context of sex education or professional advice, referring only to female–male relationships when discussing female or male [[sexual attraction]] and activity;
* Silence on issues affecting homosexual and bisexual people at school or work or absence of their discussion in a positive light;
* Implementation and use of [[content-control software]] (censorware) to filter out information and websites that focus on homosexuality or bisexuality;
* [[Postal censorship]] and border control or customs seizure of publications deemed obscene solely on the basis of them containing material related to homosexuality even when they contain no erotic or pornographic material; ''see also [[Little Sister's Book and Art Emporium]]''
* Work environments that tacitly require gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals not to reveal their sexual orientation via discussion of their relationship status while heterosexuals can discuss their relationships and [[marital status]] freely;
* At public libraries or bookstores: rejection, removal or destruction of [[Homosexuality in children's literature|books]] (e.g. ''[[Jenny lives with Eric and Martin]]''), films, and posters with homosexual themes;
* Refusal to include families headed by [[Same-sex parenting|same-sex parents]] at school events or to represent such family diversity in school curricula; ''see also [[anti-bias curriculum]]'';
* Coercive or forced [[sex reassignment surgery]] on gay men, lesbian women, and bisexuals – an issue addressed in [[Tanaz Eshaghian]]'s 2008 documentary, ''[[Be Like Others]]''. ''See also: [[LGBT rights in Iran]]''
* [[Forced disappearance]], ''[[damnatio memoriae]]'', [[ostracism]], [[shunning]], and other forms of [[social rejection]] geared towards making homosexual or bisexual people ''[[Persona non grata|personae non gratae]]''.