Thegrowingrecognitionoftherightsofsexualaswellasracialminorities，thegrowingopennessofgaypeople，andthegrowingrecognitionthatgaypeopleareapartoffamilies，notathreattothem，hasresultedinadramaticgrowthinAmericansupportforgayequalityinthelast20years.Manymorefamilieshaveembracedtheirgaychildren；workersandstudentshavebecomemoresensitivetotheneedsoftheirgayfriends；andmostofthemajorcorporationsintheUnitedStateshaveinstitutedpoliciestoprohibitdiscriminationagainsttheirgayemployees.Mostmajorcorporationsalsonowtreattherelationshipsoftheirgayemployeeswithequalityanddignity，byprovidingthemwiththesamefinancialbenefitstheyprovideheterosexualmarriedcouples.Thischangehasrestoredharmonytomanyfamilies，schools，andworkplaces，byincreasingthehonestyandtrustbetweenpeopleandtheirabilitytoworktogetherforcommongoals.
TheplaceofgaypeopleinAmericansocietyremainsasubjectofdebate，especiallythequestionofgaymarriage.Butmanyofthemajorinstitutionsthatoncedemonizedgaypeople，includingthegovernment，themedia，andthemedicalprofession，nowsupportgaypeople.Incourtsoflaw，lawyersrepresentinggaypeopleusuallyhavethesupportofscientificauthorities，includingsocialworkers，familyexperts，andlegalscholars.
MostoftheremaininghostilitytogaypeopleintheUnitedStatesisinspiredbyconservativereligiousbeliefs，especiallyChristianfundamentalism.Infact，therecentdebateovergaymarriagereflectsamoreprofoundandwide-rangingdebate-ordivision-inAmericansocietybetweenpeopleholdingmodernscientificviewsofhumannatureandthoseholdingfundamentalistreligiousviews.Moderniststendtoexpresstoleranceforgaypeople，whilereligiousfundamentalistscontinuetoregardhomosexualbehaviorasasinandtoopposeitonareligiousbasis.ThecontinuinginfluenceofconservativereligiononAmericanpoliticsmakestheUnitedStatesalmostuniqueamongthemajorindustrializednations，andthisinfluenceisthemainreasontheUnitedStateshasbeenslowerthanmanyotherindustrializednations，suchasCanada，Belgium，Spain，andotherEuropeancountries，toextendmarriagerightsorothercivilprotectionstogaycouples.SouthAfrica’srecentdecisiontolegalizegaymarriagesreflectsthatcountry’srecognitionthattheembraceofgayrightsisthewaveofthefutureandcontributestosocialharmonyandstability.