Nongays' Perceptions of Gays

Abstract

Using labelling theory it was predicted that nongays would perceive gays not only as deviant with respect to sexual preference but in ways totally unrelated to sex. A total of 107 respondents (72 nongays and 35 gays) completed a questionnaire about various behaviors, attitudes and values. Results provided support for the hypothesis. The majority of gays were viewed as needing counseling and as being at least occasional users of drugs. Almost half were perceived as having no religious identification and almost three in ten as having no political identification. Additionally, gays were believed to have both less satisfaction with, and less control over, their lives than an actual sample of gays indicated. Finally, using Rokeach's Terminal Values Survey, nongays considered themselves to be different from gays in terms of the values which they found important in life.