Attitudes of Israeli gay students toward other minorities: an exploratory study

Notwithstanding significant changes in the legal and psychiatric status of homosexuals, they are still very much victims of public prejudice. It may be asked, however, how they view other minority groups. The present study compared the political attitudes of members of a gay political party at the Hebrew University with a control group of heterosexual university students matched for demographic characteristics. Homosexual subjects showed significantly more support for left-wing parties (particularly Meretz). A significant difference was also found in the party nominated by subjects as most opposed to their own views. Homosexual subjects showed a much higher rate of opposition to Moledet (a right-wing extremist party) and Shas (a religious party), whereas heterosexual subjects were more often opposed to left-wing extremist parties. Notwithstanding this finding, levels of political tolerance for the party most opposed to their own views was higher among homosexual subjects than among the control group. Whether these results are related to the minority status of homosexuals, or to the ideology of the political left is not clear, and is recommended as a topic for further research.