New Study on the “Dynamics of Self-Acceptance and Defense”

As reported in this April 10, 2012, CBS News article, a new study in the current issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people who are closeted are more likely to express hostility towards gays and lesbians. Richard Ryan, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester and co-author of the study noted, "Sometimes people are threatened by gays and lesbians because they are fearing their own impulses, in a sense they 'doth protest too much.’ In addition, it appears that sometimes those who would oppress others have been oppressed themselves, and we can have some compassion for them too, they may be unaccepting of others because they cannot be accepting of themselves."

Posted at GLMA. Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com/,