Editing Discrimination (section)

===Sexual orientation===

[[File:Cologne Germany Cologne-Gay-Pride-2015 Parade-17b.jpg|thumb|LGBT activists at [[Cologne Pride]] carrying a banner with the flags of over 70 countries where [[LGBT rights by country or territory|homosexuality is illegal]]]]
[[File:Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill protest.jpg|thumb|right|Protests in [[LGBT culture in New York City|New York City]] against [[Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill|Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill]]]]
{{See also|Heterosexism|Heteronormativity|Biphobia|Homophobia}}

One's [[sexual orientation]] is a "predilection for homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality".<ref>''World English Dictionary'', [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sexual+orientation "Sexual Orientation"]</ref> Like most minority groups, homosexuals and bisexuals are vulnerable to prejudice and discrimination from the majority group. They may experience hatred from others because of their sexuality; a term for such hatred based upon one's sexual orientation is often called [[homophobia]]. Many continue to hold negative feelings towards those with non-heterosexual orientations and will discriminate against people who have them or are thought to have them. People of other uncommon sexual orientations also experience discrimination. One study found its sample of heterosexuals to be more prejudiced against [[asexuality|asexual people]] than against homosexual or bisexual people.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Intergroup bias toward "Group X": Evidence of prejudice, dehumanization, avoidance, and discrimination against asexuals |first1=Cara C. |last1=MacInnis |first2=Gordon |last2=Hodson |journal=Group Processes & Intergroup Relations |doi=10.1177/1368430212442419 |volume=15 |number=6 |pages=725–743 |year=2012|s2cid=3056711 }}</ref>

[[Employment discrimination]] based on sexual orientation varies by country. Revealing a lesbian sexual orientation (by means of mentioning an engagement in a rainbow organisation or by mentioning one's partner name) lowers employment opportunities in [[Cyprus]] and Greece but overall, it has no negative effect in Sweden and Belgium.<ref>{{Cite journal | doi=10.1080/13545701.2010.541858|title = Women's Sexual Orientation and Labor Market Outcomes in Greece| journal=Feminist Economics| volume=17| pages=89–117|year = 2011|last1 = Drydakis|first1 = Nick|s2cid = 154771144}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi=10.1108/IJM-02-2012-0026|title = Sexual orientation discrimination in the Cypriot labour market. Distastes or uncertainty?| journal=International Journal of Manpower| volume=35| issue=5| pages=720–744|year = 2014|last1 = Drydakis|first1 = Nick| hdl=10419/62444|s2cid = 10103299|url = https://econpapers.repec.org/RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6684| hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>Ahmed, A. M., Andersson, L., Hammarstedt, M. (2011) [http://www.ifau.se/upload/pdf/se/2011/wp11-21-are-homosexuals-discriminated-against-in-the-hiring-process.pdf Are gays and lesbians discriminated against in the hiring situation?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529055358/http://www.ifau.se/upload/pdf/se/2011/wp11-21-are-homosexuals-discriminated-against-in-the-hiring-process.pdf |date=2015-05-29 }} Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation Working Paper Series 21.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi=10.1111/irj.12078|title = Career lesbians. Getting hired for not having kids?| journal=Industrial Relations Journal| volume=45| issue=6| pages=543–561|year = 2014|last1 = Baert|first1 = Stijn| citeseerx=10.1.1.467.2102|s2cid = 34331459}}</ref> In the latter country, even a positive effect of revealing a lesbian sexual orientation is found for women at their fertile ages.

Besides these academic studies, in 2009, [[International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association|ILGA]] published a report based on research carried out by Daniel Ottosson at Södertörn University College in [[Stockholm, Sweden]]. This research found that of the 80 countries around the world that continue to consider [[homosexuality]] illegal, five carry the [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] for homosexual activity, and two do in some regions of the country.<ref>"[https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7883204&page=1 New Benefits for Same-Sex Couples May Be Hard to Implement Abroad]". ABC News. June 22, 2009.</ref> In the report, this is described as "State sponsored homophobia".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2009.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100502074613/http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2009.pdf|url-status=dead|title=ILGA: 2009 Report on State Sponsored Homophobia (2009)|archive-date=May 2, 2010}}</ref> This happens in [[Muslim|Islamic]] states, or in two cases regions under Islamic authority.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ilga.org/news_results.asp?LanguageID=1&FileID=1111&ZoneID=7&FileCategory=50|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029185853/http://www.ilga.org/news_results.asp?LanguageID=1&FileID=1111&ZoneID=7&FileCategory=50|url-status=dead|title=ILGA:7 countries still put people to death for same-sex acts|archive-date=October 29, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religionfacts.com/homosexuality/islam.htm|title=Islamic views of homosexuality|access-date=April 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415225546/http://www.religionfacts.com/homosexuality/islam.htm|archive-date=April 15, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On February 5, 2005, the [[The New Humanitarian|IRIN]] issued a reported titled "Iraq: Male homosexuality still a taboo". The article stated, among other things that [[honor killings]] by Iraqis against a gay family member are common and given some legal protection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=51540&SelectRegion=Middle_East|title=AU welcomes progress in peace process|work=IRIN|access-date=April 26, 2016|date=2004-09-29}}</ref> In August 2009, Human Rights Watch published an extensive report detailing torture of men accused of being [[LGBT rights in Iraq|gay in Iraq]], including the blocking of men's anuses with glue and then giving the men laxatives.<ref>"[https://www.hrw.org/en/node/85049/section/3 They Want Us Exterminated]". Human Rights Watch. August 16, 2009.</ref> Although gay marriage has been legal in [[South Africa]] since 2006, same-sex unions are often condemned as "un-African".<ref>Harrison, Rebecca. "[https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE52C3MN20090313 South African gangs use rape to "cure" lesbians]". Reuters. March 13, 2009.</ref> Research conducted in 2009 shows 86% of black lesbians from the [[Western Cape]] live in fear of sexual assault.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/12/eudy-simelane-corrective-rape-south-africa | title=Raped and killed for being a lesbian: South Africa ignores 'corrective' attacks| newspaper=The Guardian| date=2009-03-12| last1=Kelly| first1=Annie}}</ref>
{{further|LGBT rights by country or territory}}
[[File:NYC Pride 2019 05.jpg|thumb|The [[NYC Pride March]] is the [[List of largest LGBT events|world's largest LGBT event]]. Regional variation exists with respect to [[toleration|tolerance]], the [[antithesis]] of discrimination, in different parts of the world.]]
A number of countries, especially those in the [[Western world]], have passed measures to alleviate discrimination against sexual minorities, including laws against anti-gay [[hate crimes]] and workplace discrimination. Some have also legalized same-sex marriage or civil unions in order to grant same-sex couples the same protections and benefits as opposite-sex couples. In 2011, the [[United Nations]] passed its first resolution recognizing LGBT rights.