Turkish family members' attitudes toward lesbians and gay men

Abstract

This study examined familial patterns of attitudes toward lesbians (AT-Lesbians) and toward gay men (AT-Gay) by using Herek's (1998) short-form of AT-Lesbian and AT-Gay scales. The participants were 116 college students (47 males, 69 females) and their parents (116 mothers, 116 fathers) located in the West Anatolian region of Turkey. Results point to significant differences between parents and their daughters, but not between parents and their sons. Fathers expressed relatively negative attitudes toward gay men, whereas mothers' expressed similar attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Sons' attitudes did not differ significantly across attitude targets, whereas daughters expressed relatively negative attitudes toward lesbians. Maternal attitudes appeared to be the most effective predictor for young childrens' attitudes toward lesbians and gay men.