Oneofthemostimportantpurposesofanti-discriminationlawistoensurethatprejudicedoesnotimpermissiblydisadvantagecertaingroupsinsociety.Byspecificallyprotectingthesegroupsunderthelaw，policymakersseektopromotesocialharmonyandalsoeconomicdevelopment.Manyofthemajoranti-discriminationlawsintheUnitedStateswereenactedunderCongress’spowertoregulateinterstatecommerce.Thus，theselawsarenotseenasprovidinganyunfairaddedbenefittominoritygroups，rathertheyareseenasnecessary“corrective”measurestofightdamagingprejudicesinsociety.
25.Whyshouldpeoplecareaboutgayissues？
Therearetwomajorreasonspeopleshouldcareaboutgayissues.First，becausetheyaregaymenandwomenallovertheworld，irrationalprejudiceagainstthemcanbeextremelydestructivetosociety.Prejudicepreventsthegaymenandwomenfromusingtheirtalentsintheworkplace，theclassroom，andthesportsfield，anditleadstoignoranceaboutandthespreadofdestructivediseaseliketheAIDSvirus.Acknowledginggaysandlesbiansandunderstandingtheissuestheyfaceisthebestwaytocombatthisirrationalprejudiceandpromoteharmonyinsociety.
Second，whethertheyknowitornot，nearlyeveryoneknowsandcaresforsomeonegay.Recognizingthatfactandacceptingthosepeoplewithanopenmindcanmakeatremendousdifferenceinthatperson’slifeastheystrugglewiththeirownidentityandtheunfortunateprejudicefromothersources.
Homosexuality，Family，andSociety：Historical
PerspectivesfromtheUnitedStates
ByGeorgeChauncey
Sexualityhasahistory，asmuchascities，nations，andfamiliesdo.Changeinsexuallifeisoneofthemostcharacteristicfeaturesofmodernity，and，historically，suchchangehastakenplaceespeciallyquicklyinsociallyandeconomicallydynamicsocietiessuchasChinaandtheUnitedStates.