<p>Well, I think one would have to make their own personal observation of this and do some research.</p>

<p>From what I've seen, being gay as opposed to lesbian, malexmale femalexfemale respectively, it's more acceptable to be gay. I believe this is because of how common "gay jokes" are, and how popular you see two men together in the media. In my hometown, when someone is introduced as gay, or "comes out of the closet" as they say, it's sort of funny and cute and nobody really cares. However, if it's a woman who announces her sexuality, then people are disgusted, shocked, confused, and she's more often than not labeled a "butch"</p>

<p>I come from a very religious place, but also a place where there's no public hate. There is general tolerance and some are liberal and very supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, but for the most part it is just a general cold tolerance. </p>

<p>I think this is in part due to how women have been viewed since the beginning of mankind. And also how women are represented in the media today. Usually it takes several years before a residue will be left of a certain message. Seeing two gay men has been so common that it's sort of settled into less open communities, and they will shrug at a man being gay. But because women haven't been portrayed as being lesbian for as long, and when they are they are perceived as "butch" (tomboy, tough, etc in other words) people are less accepting of them. </p>

<p>Women in my community are also seen as more "sacred" or "feminine" and the idea of tainting the typical girl who dresses appropriately, doesn't swear, upholds all religious doctrine 100%, and would never do anything wrong in her entire life is just absurd. It is normal for girls in my community who are not seen in this holy light to be labeled as "freaks."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-22T22:38:55.063Z
2017-09-22T22:38:55.063Z
W.Richardson
<p>If we ignore religion, do gays and lesbians have different social statuses?</p>
<p>(Please add what biases you have in the question to support the answer, e.g. the grass is greener on the other side).</p>
<p>I did find this research report on mental health for LGB people but it does group everyone together (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853758/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853758/</a>).</p>
<p>The report did say that social relation is an important part for mental health.</p>
<p>One of the other things that I found was that LGB or LGBT one group except one that was in favour for lesbian but based on a general study made in the USA that was on tolerance of LGB as a group so it's most a blur of gray.
(<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/25/how-lgbt-adults-see-society-and-how-the-public-sees-them/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/25/how-lgbt-adults-see-society-and-how-the-public-sees-them/</a>)</p>
<p>I don't have a source for this: Even if it is more accepted to be lesbian, wouldn't I say that they do have a higher social status and I do feel like it is in general a very big difference on how accepted LGBs are and that really messes with it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-22T16:22:36.013Z
I will say that in my social network it's better to be lesbian so I have a bios toward that
Alfons Marklén
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-25T12:49:40.140Z
Even after your edits this question remains very confusing. What is the relevance of mental health in light of your question (in the title)? Why do you want to 'ignore religion'? Please rephrase/grammar/spelling check the 'pewresearch' paragraph; this reference does seem related to your question, but I can't make sense of what you wrote. Lastly, what is the purpose of the last paragraph? This reads as a subjective answer to your own question (again, hard to read) and I do not see how it contributes to making your question clear. If it is a follow-up question (assuming an answer), drop it.
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-02T07:15:51.940Z
@StevenJeuris - Ignoring religion aside, there have been a lot of cases in the past with regard to LGBT mental health affecting social responses towards those in **and** out of the LGBT community. Derogatory names are banded about a lot both ways. Add to that, the violence in such cases as Matthew Shepard and Brandon Teena, and you have a big soup of mental health problems exacerbated by these actions. Trying to pick out social attitudes may help sort it out. I do however agree on your query regarding religion as it plays a part in all this. Attitudes can be different in bible-belt areas.
Chris Rogers
<social-psychology><sexuality><sex-differences>
Is there any difference in social status for gays and lesbians?
Alfons Marklén
# Is there any difference in social status for gays and lesbians?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-22)

If we ignore religion, do gays and lesbians have different social statuses?

(Please add what biases you have in the question to support the answer, e.g. the grass is greener on the other side).

I did find this research report on mental health for LGB people but it does group everyone together (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853758/>).

The report did say that social relation is an important part for mental health.

One of the other things that I found was that LGB or LGBT one group except one that was in favour for lesbian but based on a general study made in the USA that was on tolerance of LGB as a group so it's most a blur of gray.
(<http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/25/how-lgbt-adults-see-society-and-how-the-public-sees-them/>)

I don't have a source for this: Even if it is more accepted to be lesbian, wouldn't I say that they do have a higher social status and I do feel like it is in general a very big difference on how accepted LGBs are and that really messes with it.

**Tags:** social-psychology, sexuality, sex-differences

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I will say that in my social network it's better to be lesbian so I have a bios toward that  
> **username_1**: Even after your edits this question remains very confusing. What is the relevance of mental health in light of your question (in the title)? Why do you want to 'ignore religion'? Please rephrase/grammar/spelling check the 'pewresearch' paragraph; this reference does seem related to your question, but I can't make sense of what you wrote. Lastly, what is the purpose of the last paragraph? This reads as a subjective answer to your own question (again, hard to read) and I do not see how it contributes to making your question clear. If it is a follow-up question (assuming an answer), drop it.  
> **username_2**: @StevenJeuris - Ignoring religion aside, there have been a lot of cases in the past with regard to LGBT mental health affecting social responses towards those in **and** out of the LGBT community. Derogatory names are banded about a lot both ways. Add to that, the violence in such cases as Matthew Shepard and Brandon Teena, and you have a big soup of mental health problems exacerbated by these actions. Trying to pick out social attitudes may help sort it out. I do however agree on your query regarding religion as it plays a part in all this. Attitudes can be different in bible-belt areas.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-09-22. Score: 1

Well, I think one would have to make their own personal observation of this and do some research.

From what I've seen, being gay as opposed to lesbian, malexmale femalexfemale respectively, it's more acceptable to be gay. I believe this is because of how common "gay jokes" are, and how popular you see two men together in the media. In my hometown, when someone is introduced as gay, or "comes out of the closet" as they say, it's sort of funny and cute and nobody really cares. However, if it's a woman who announces her sexuality, then people are disgusted, shocked, confused, and she's more often than not labeled a "butch"

I come from a very religious place, but also a place where there's no public hate. There is general tolerance and some are liberal and very supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, but for the most part it is just a general cold tolerance.

I think this is in part due to how women have been viewed since the beginning of mankind. And also how women are represented in the media today. Usually it takes several years before a residue will be left of a certain message. Seeing two gay men has been so common that it's sort of settled into less open communities, and they will shrug at a man being gay. But because women haven't been portrayed as being lesbian for as long, and when they are they are perceived as "butch" (tomboy, tough, etc in other words) people are less accepting of them.

Women in my community are also seen as more "sacred" or "feminine" and the idea of tainting the typical girl who dresses appropriately, doesn't swear, upholds all religious doctrine 100%, and would never do anything wrong in her entire life is just absurd. It is normal for girls in my community who are not seen in this holy light to be labeled as "freaks."


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