Ignorance is bliss? Undergraduate students and lesbian and gay culture

Empirical studies exploring prejudice against lesbians and gay men are well represented in the psychological literature. However, discussion around knowledge and awareness of lesbian and gay culture and history as a form of prejudice appears to be absent from the psychological literature. The purpose of the study reported here was to explore awareness of specific aspects of lesbian and gay culture and history (for example, symbols, organisations and historically significant places). A convenience sample of 101 students completed a short open-response questionnaire asking them about specific lesbian and gay places, organisations and symbols (for example, ‘What is Stonewall?’, ‘What does the pink triangle symbolise?’). Findings of the study indicated that respondents had an extremely limited knowledge of lesbian and gay culture and history. The implications of the findings for maintaining lesbian and gay community and for securing recognition within human rights discourse are discussed.