The final night of American Idol Season 8 was absolutely phenomenal. Personally, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert were my two favorites of the show. Both were artistic and both styles of music appealed to me. However, Adam was the frontrunner and talented beyond any contestant that I have seen on this show. His vocal control and range was like nothing I have ever heard from a live performance. Each week I could not wait to see how Adam sized up. And each week this young man delivered immaculate performances. But in the end, despite Adam's talent, he lost to Kris Allen. Some stated it was due to homophobia while others deny homophobia's role in the voting process. So was his loss due to homophobia?

First, what is the definition of homophobia? According to Wikipedia, homophobia is defined as an irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals, or individuals perceived to be homosexual; it is also defined as fear or contempt for lesbians and gay men, as well as behavior based on such a feeling. It is prejudice and bigotry towards gay and lesbian community.

American Idol is a show in which viewers vote for the singers that they believe are the most talented. People call in to cast their votes. Therefore, American Idol is similar to our democracy. We can vote for the candidate that we believe in and should win. According to Gibbs (2005), voting behavior is greatly influenced by religion particularly around issues such as abortion, homosexuality, the environment and economic issues. Gay men and women have had to make a case for themselves to show others that they are just as adjusted as their heterosexual counterparts. In fact the research supporting well adjusted gays and lesbians is so overwhelming, the American Psychological association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Counseling Association as well as other mental health organizations all have stated that there is no research to suggest that gays function any less because of their sexual orientation.

For this reason, homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel for Mental Disorders in 1973. For many Christians, homosexuals are considered immoral, an abomination and undeserving of equal rights. Gay activists have had to fight for equal rights regarding employment, credit, lending, housing, marriage, adoption, public accommodations, the right to serve openly in the military and other areas of life. More recently, there is the fight over gay marriage and the passing of propositions to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. According to Masci (2008), social conservatives and others who oppose same-sex unions assert that marriage between a man and a woman is the bedrock of a healthy society because it leads to stable families and, ultimately, to children who grow up to be productive adults. Allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed, they argue, will radically redefine marriage and further weaken it at a time when the institution is already in deep trouble due to high divorce rates and the significant number of out-of-wedlock births.

Moreover, they predict, giving gay couples the right to marry will ultimately lead to granting people in polygamous and other nontraditional relationships the right to marry as well. However, it is important to note that there is no scientific evidence to support this view. In fact, the evidence is contrary when one examines the psychological/developmental literature regarding gay people. To believe this false Christian viewpoint is simple scapegoating. According to Brahm (2004), scapegoating is defined a psychological defense mechanism of denial through projecting responsibility and blame on others. It allows the perpetrator to eliminate negative feelings about him or herself and provides a sense of gratification. Furthermore, it justifies the self-righteous discharge of aggression. For the perpetrator, it can provide a firm separation between good and bad. Others describe scapegoaters as insecure, motivated to raise their own status, particularly relative to the target.

Having firmly convinced oneself that the other is responsible, it seems only logical to displace punishment as well. Simply listen to the words of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blame 9/11 and other terrorist attacks on gays. They assume that it is God's punishment for homosexuality instead of American policies and politics. Jerry and Pat have no scientific proof for their conclusion but rather just opinions. Let's remember, 9/11 happened in New York (World Trade Center) and Washington (Pentagon) not San Francisco on Castro Street.

So how could this relate to American Idol, you may wonder? During the show, pictures surfaced of Adam Lambert kissing his ex-boyfriend. In fact, Bill O'Reilly displayed those pictures on his show stating that "embarrassing pictures have been seen on the internet of Adam kissing another man." When, Mr. Bill O'Reilly displayed the pictures on his show, he blacked out Adam and his ex-boyfriend kissing. Bill O'Reilly has stated before that he is not homophobic. However, what message is he really saying if he blacks out pictures of two men kissing? I have never seen pictures blacked out of a man a woman kissing. So why black out these pictures?

His actions suggest that the image of two men kissing is shameful/bad and unequal to heterosexual kissing. This is prejudice, bigotry and homophobia. Additionally, there were all the questions on the internet and blog sites. Is Adam Lambert gay? The preoccupation America has regarding one's sexual orientation is compelling. Again, this suggests the shamefulness and judgment that Americans associate to being gay. If it were okay to be gay, then it would not make news headlines and it would not affect voting as it does in California and has in other states.

So was it homophobia that caused Adam Lambert to lose American Idol? We know that people's voting behavior is influenced by factors such as religion. In fact, Gibbs states that it is the most influential factor concerning homosexuality. But American Idol is based on singing not homosexuality right? Well, it is also a show that many Americans watch religiously from all different walks of life and many of them are deeply religious Christians. It seems that people will vote for whom they identify. Religion and faith are a big part of people's lives especially here in the United States and the majority of people living in the United States are Christians. With so much controversy over gay rights and the Christian Right believing that the acceptance of homosexuals would lead to society's demise, what would the message be if an openly gay man won American Idol? What would that say to the children watching the show? What would parents tell their children about this openly gay man?

To suggest that homophobia had no influence in the voting process of American Idol is to deny research regarding voting behavior, homophobia and the gay and lesbian community. Homophobia does exist in our society and it continues to play out consistently in our democracy. So it may seem, the win of Kris Allen over Adam Lambert in the American Idol Season 8 finale was simply not about being the most talented singer/artist, but rather representative of an insidious cultural war between conservative Christians and the gay community.