Homophobia has been a problem for a very long time, all over the world. For example, during the Holocaust, during which homosexuals were forced to wear the “Pink Triangle,” an upside-down pink triangle, on their coats to identify themselves. Of course, the pattern of homophobia manifests itself not only throughout world history, but also in American history. For example, sodomy laws, which make certain sexual acts crimes, were passed as early as 1963. The penalties imposed by these laws varied from state to state. Some of the penalties include: imprisonment of two to ten years or fines of two thousand dollars. The cruelty of these homophobic acts must no longer be accepted. It encourages harassment, deprives human beings of their civil rights, and continues to foster a mentality of indifference and intolerance toward our fellow human beings. According to a study by the National Youth Association in 2010, 9 out of 10 students from the LGBT community have experienced harassment. at school, and more than a third of LGBT youth have attempted suicide. More recently, statistics from the Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) claim that 4 in 10 young LGBT people say their community is not accepting of LGBT people. In 1998, the Westboro Baptist Church was thrust into the United States spotlight when it picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a young man from the LGBT community who had been beaten to death due to of his sexuality. Since then, the cruelty of WBC has continued to leave many people in sickening shock. Bullying, over time, has evolved. It's no longer just little Timmy who gets beaten up for his lunch money. Now parents are involved. Many religious homes raise their children to believe that bullying is okay if Little Timmy is gay. Parents are... middle of paper ...... due to harassment within the LGBT community. This prevents same-sex couples from sharing the benefits of marriage and causes a mentality of indifference and intolerance towards our fellow human beings. Works Cited “Crimes against homosexuals monitored by the government, 1988-April 1990”. Discovering American history. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context. Internet. December 17, 2013. “GAY/LESBIAN/BISEXUALITY/TRANSGENDER ISSUES.” » African-American Almanac. Ed. Brigham Narins. 10th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2009. Student Resources in Context. Internet. Dec 17 2013. Grossman, Andrew. “Gay Studies.” New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Flight. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 866-870. Student resources in context. Internet. December 17, 2013.ProCon.org. “16 states with legal same-sex marriage and 33 states with same-sex marriage bans.” ProCon.org. December 13, 2013. Web. December 18. 2013.