Kinsey, Empiricism, and Homo/Transphobia

Abstract

The struggle of the LGBTIQ community is well documented. In the not so distant past, spurred by prejudice and misinformation, LGBTIQ people were labelled mentally ill and faced criminal prosecution for their identities. Despite the gradual progression of understanding and empathy of the past century, members of the community still face daily hostility and discrimination rising from the remnants of that bygone era. In the spirit of great scientists such as Alfred Kinsey, who promoted understanding through evidence based conclusions, this article seeks to identify several basic reasons behind the hostility and apathy towards the LGBTIQ community in Australia and overseas.