Looking at how quickly (in societal terms) the gay rights movement in the USA has progressed: the number one thing that changed people's minds was individuals c

Looking at how quickly (in societal terms) the gay rights movement in the USA has progressed: the number one thing that changed people's minds was individuals coming out to their friends & family. It is easy to demonize people you've ever met as perverse deviants: very different to hold on to those demonizations when you learn that somebody you've been close to your whole life is a member of this group. On the other hand, racial minorities can't really do this: prejudices that exist prior to getting to know somebody have a much easier time both preventing people from interacting as well as having a greater likelihood of persisting during interpersonal interactions. This is a large portion why the gay rights movement has been progressing at a faster rate than either women's rights or civil rights have in this country.