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As recently of August 2017, pamphlets in Australia used the word “homosexual” to emphasize the supposed deviance of same-sex marriage ahead of a referendum on marriage equality. Public opinion on gay and lesbian rights has changed a dramatically over time, but the divided use of the terms “homosexual” and “gay and lesbian” remains. “Homosexual” is a strong marker of outgroup identity, or belonging to a group that is other from us and who live outside of our society. “Gay and lesbian” is more likely to be used to describe friends, relatives, or neighbors. The terms we use for sexuality matter because they signal group identity. The more clinical term “homosexual,” on the other hand, has been used to pathologize and stigmatize same-sex desire. In a historical review of words used to describe gay men and lesbians, we find that the term “gay” has been used by advocacy groups to signal pride and acceptance of sexual identity.
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Our research shows that important differences between the terms “homosexual” and “gay and lesbian” shape public opinion on civil rights policies. For example, more Republicans disapprove of Obamacare than the Affordable Care Act – even though these are two names for the same policy. The words that the media, voters, and policymakers use can drastically change public opinion. They find that compared to “gay and lesbian,” “homosexual” cues certain people to increase their opposition to civil rights policies that benefit gay men and lesbians. Smith and colleagues examines how these words can shape how people feel about civil rights policies. For example, the term “homosexual” is more likely to be used to identify a group who some feel are outside of society, while “gay and lesbian” are much more inclusive terms. Words matter different terms and phrases can be a huge influence on how the public things about important issues.