Comparison of attitudes toward transsexuality and homosexuality

Abstract

Attitudes toward transsexuality and homosexuality were compared in a sample of 318 university students. More people felt that homosexuality was “wrong” than felt that transsexuality was “wrong.” This difference in favor of transsexuality was more pronounced in female than in male respondents. In addition, more people rejected the notion that biological factors were responsible for homosexuality than was the case for transsexuality. General attitudes about the morality of transsexuality and homosexuality, however, were not mirrored in response to questions pertaining to job discrimination. To the contrary, male respondents, especially, were more inclined toward equal opportunity for homosexuals than for transsexuals. One hypothesis supported by this study was that homosexual denial and “homophobia” in some transsexuals may, in part, be a reflection of society's greater moral condemnation of homosexuality relative to transsexuality.