Open hostility against the LGBT community is less severe in the US than in many other countries, but unfortunately bullying, harassment, and sometimes even violence against people based on their real or perceived sexual orientation does occur. Whether or not you need to worry about harassment largely depends on where in the US you live. People living in rural areas and small towns as well as much of the South and the MidWest are known for being intolerant of LGBT individuals, whereas people in many big cities are known for being very open and accepting.
General public acceptance of the LGBT community continues to increase each year, but a large proportion of the US population is still opposed to guaranteeing homosexuals equal rights in all areas of life. Unfortunately, these groups, which are usually religiously and politically conservative, generally show very strong opposition. Although the LGBT community continues to gain more rights each year and same-sex marriage is now legal in 18 states, a very vocal group continues to proclaim that the future of the American Family and the very natural order itself are threatened by these changes.
Homophobia is a particularly troubling problem when it comes to LGBT youth. 8 out of 10 LGBT students report being bullied in school because of their sexual orientation. This can have devastating psychological effects then and later in life. The rights of transgender people are often less clearly defined by US laws, making gender discrimination on the basis of gender identity a prevalent problem in the courtroom, the workplace and schools.
Although most forms of discrimination in the US are nonviolent, there are over 1000 known hate groups in the US. These include neo-Nazis, white nationalists, border vigilantes, and black separatists. The Southern Poverty Law Center watches all these groups and other extremists and reports any illegal activity to the federal government. They also offer support to the victims of hate crimes and other forms of discrimination by these groups.
Members of the LGBT community are the most likely minority group to be a victim of a violent hate crime. Whenever a certain issue becomes very emotionally charged in the US, a spike in the number of hate crimes can be noticed.
