ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ideologies behind the construction of homophobia and homosexuality as social problems in two European countries with opposite historical and cultural backgrounds and 'sexual scripts': the UK and Poland. It looks at the devastating impact of homophobic conduct on individuals in the social contexts of work, school and family and to what extent institutionalised homophobia affects individuals to the point of contributing to the development of internalised homophobia. The physical appearance of the individual is the stigma associated with the homosexual. The symbolic interactionism provides a grounded understanding of the social life of citizens and of the construction of homosexuality and homophobia as social problems in the European context. A lot of work remains to be done in the establishment of legal and equalitarian coverage for LGBT people in the European context so that homosexuality is not perceived as a social problem.
