History has also shown that gay people have always been discriminated against. Not only were gay people denied of equal treatment in court ("de jure"), but they also have been victims of violence and harassment in our own society on the base of their sexual orientation ("de facto"). Homosexuality was labeled a felony crime in the past, existing "Sodomy Laws" which prohibit oral and anal sexual intercourse, even between consenting adults, were primarily used to target homosexuals, and the current federal government denies openly gays employment to federal institutions like the CIA, FBI, the army -- nation's biggest employer in the United States -- or the National Security Agency. The government even regularly removes openly gay officials from public positions, and so do a lot of other employers in the private sector (Mohr 6).
In individual cases, homosexuals are often harassed, insulted, kicked, punched, and thrown at by fellow classmates, coworkers, and even family members just for being gay. These discriminations base on prejudices and stereotypes that society has of the gay community.
Among the most common stereotypes are those which carry fear and ignorance. Gays are said to be "child molesters" and "sex-crazed maniacs". They are considered extremely "immoral" because they do not follow social customs, "unnatural" because homosexuality violates the basic functions of genitals and contradicts the nature.
Religious leaders reason that Jesus asks the mankind in the Bible "to go out and have children." Since homosexuals are not able to reproduce children, homosexuality is, therefore, from their prospective an act of sin.