Attitudes Toward The Media's Portrayals of Gays and Lesbians
Peter B. Anderson
Akram Fakhfakh
Mary Alice Kondylis
University of New Orleans, Department of Human Performance and Health
Promotion, New Orleans, Louisiana
Corresponding Author:
Peter B. Anderson, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Human Performance and Health Promotion
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LA 70148
(504) 280-7061 FAX 280-6018 e-mail PBAHP@ucc.uno.edu
Abstract
The present study examined perceptions
of the media's presentation of homosexuality, the impact of the media's
presentations, and their personal attitudes and relationships with gays
and lesbians. It was hypothesized that gender, age, and level of
religiosity would predict differences in each of the dependant variables
Gender was not related to any
of the outcome variables, younger respondents were less likely to support
the statements that too much sex on TV causes perversion or that gays are
responsible for the AIDS epidemic. Very religious respondents were
more likely to support the statements that the media presents too positive
a view of and glorifies homosexuality, and gays are responsible for the
AIDS epidemic.
The results of this study support
the notion that individual beliefs and values, specifically their level
of religious beliefs, are the determining factor in their rating of the
media's portrayal of homosexuality.