ABSTRACT
This chapter combines moral development theory with observations about related biases, to sketch the challenge that homophobia and heterosexism present to schools. The success of bias reduction in a school program inspired by Lawrence Kohlberg supports examining moral development more closely. Homophobic stigma is a powerful enforcer of conventional gender behavior. Military heterosexism plays a logical, if perverse, role in achieving the armed forces' goals. Military authorities argue that unit cohesion, preparedness, good order, and the integrity of the system of rank and command would be subverted by the open admission of homosexual service-people. Internalized homophobia is the self-loathing that afflicts many gays and lesbians. Nearly all homosexual people are to some degree subject to this shame. Intrinsics are less likely to be racially biased than extrinsics, but researchers have found largely negative views toward homosexuality in both groups, varying by denominational creed.
