Lavender and Blue

Abstract

Most victims of antigay/lesbian hate crimes never report these crimes to police for fear of hostility and abuse. Similarly, lesbian/gay officers fear a negative response if they come out at work. Research assumes but has not shown that dislike of lesbians and gay men translates into negative behavior. This article employs original survey data to examine the relationship between attitudes and behavior toward lesbians and gays among subsets of sworn officers. We employ the concept “sexual project” to argue that this relationship is shaped by experiences that determine respondents' relationship to (homo)sexuality, masculinity, and civil rights. We conclude by outlining implications of homophobic attitudes within law enforcement.