What is homophobia? Can it be cured?

[IndianaJones]

http://www.endhomophobia.org/homophobia.htm">Education


"Homophobia: The fear of feelings of love for members of one’s own sex and therefore the hatred of those feelings in others… the belief in the inherent superiority of one pattern of loving and thereby its right to dominance." - Audre Lourde

4 types

Personal homophobia is prejudice based on a personal belief that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are sinful, immoral, sick, inferior to heterosexuals, or incomplete women and men.

Interpersonal homophobia is individual behavior based on personal homophobia. This hatred or dislike may be expressed by name-calling, telling "jokes”, verbal and physical harassment, and other individual acts of discrimination.

Institutional homophobia refers to the many ways in which government, businesses, churches, and other institutions and organizations discriminate against people on the basis of sexual orientation. Institutional homophobia is also called heterosexism.

Cultural homophobia refers to social standards and norms which dictate that being heterosexual is better or more moral than being lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and that everyone is or should be heterosexual. Cultural homophobia is also called heterosexism.

http://www.endhomophobia.org/homophobia.htm">Cure?

Identify homophobia, not homosexuality, as the problem to be addressed. In conversations with friends and colleagues, speak out about homophobia. For many people, the only time that they talk about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people is in the context of homophobic 'jokes.'

Think about the similarities and differences between homophobia and other forms of oppression. Use what you know about racism, sexism, classism, etc., to better understand homophobia and to look for ways to respond to homophobia.

Listen to the experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and assume that their experience with oppression Is valid. Similarly, assume that the ways in which lesbian, gay, and bisexual people experience the world are different from the ways in which heterosexuals experience the world.

[JackBeck]

1. An individual who is homophobic

has a better chance of being cured than an individual who is a homosexual.

[Skittles]

13. absolutely

some homophobes I have known changed their ways when they got to KNOW a gay/lesbian person - for example, a co-worker - it's harder to demonize someone they know and respect because they start to see them as PEOPLE first and not solely "sexual beings".

[NMMNG]

2. It can be cured

When it is made clear that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. All bigots must be relegated to the lunatic fringe of society where they belong.

[fenriswolf]

3. better yet if its a disease

can i call in sick with it?

*"hello? boss? hi its me, yeah I can't come into work today.
....whats wrong you ask??.....well I'm afraid of gay people.....
that's right....when will I be cured? well how long does it take to
get an extra 20 iq points?"

[IndianaJones]

4. its a psychological disorder. nt.

[NMMNG]

6. It's a social disease

Though it is most common among people with IQ deficiencies.

[dysfunctional press]

5. apparently the cure involves a rather large suppository...

although it can also be taken orally if preferred.

[dorkulon]

7. "Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal?"

J Abnorm Psychol. 1996 Aug;105(3):440-5.

Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal?

* Adams HE,
* Wright LW Jr,
* Lohr BA.

Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-3013, USA.

The authors investigated the role of homosexual arousal in exclusively heterosexual men who admitted negative affect toward homosexual individuals. Participants consisted of a group of homophobic men (n = 35) and a group of nonhomophobic men (n = 29); they were assigned to groups on the basis of their scores on the Index of Homophobia (W. W. Hudson & W. A. Ricketts, 1980). The men were exposed to sexually explicit erotic stimuli consisting of heterosexual, male homosexual, and lesbian videotapes, and changes in penile circumference were monitored. They also completed an Aggression Questionnaire (A. H. Buss & M. Perry, 1992). Both groups exhibited increases in penile circumference to the heterosexual and female homosexual videos. Only the homophobic men showed an increase in penile erection to male homosexual stimuli. The groups did not differ in aggression. Homophobia is apparently associated with homosexual arousal that the homophobic individual is either unaware of or denies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8772014

It's just one study, but makes a ton of intuitive sense to me.

Also, I think that putting this meme out there in the zeitgeist, the "if you hate fags that means you're a fag" meme, it could result in a huge reduction in overt homophobia.

Edited to clean formatting

[readmoreoften]

12. No. It's just blaming the victim and absolving heterosexuals of their violence.

The whole "people will be less homophobic if they fear it makes them look gay" strategy has run its course. It's counter-intuitive and it's also silly.

Homophobes are maladjusted, group-think individuals with low self-esteem. Racists aren't racist because they're ashamed of a half-black great-grandparent (this also used to be a common comment). Antisemites aren't antisemitic because they believe that Judaism is the true religion. And homophobes aren't anti-gay because they're gay.

Some of them are angry because they were picked on at school and lumped in with gays (who, unlike them, 'deserved' abuse)
Some of them are angry because they're poor and they fantasize that gay men are all rich and run the world.
Some of them were beaten like dogs as kids.
Some of them live lives of total cowardice and resent anyone "different" who can survive because it makes them feel like existential failures.
Some of them are insecure about the size of their penises or their 'kinkier' desires, even though they are heterosexual.
Some of them hate gays because they hate "liberals" and to them "gays" are the quintessential "liberals".

There are lots of reasons for anti-gay violence. I've known one bisexual man in my life who admitted to homophobic behavior. I've never met any other gay person who was an "extreme homophobe" of any sort. Most of us were latently sympathetic and attractive towards gay characters/images/and people without knowing it before we realized we were gay.

[Serenades]

8. Yes, it can eb

Yes, it can be cured. I was "Type 2" homophobic in high school, junior high, or whatever. Sometimes I think of some of the absolutely stupid things I used to say and I am filled with profound sadness. I used to "joke" about one person I knew specifically. Now I deeply regret those actions. I can't imagine what went through that person's mind. I wish I could take it back.

[idgiehkt]

9. no, because it is part of common religious indoctrination

it is not an 'syndrome' unique to an 'individual'.

[dorkulon]

10. I'm not so sure.

I think people tend to fear anyone who's different than the norm. Even left-handed people were once considered the spawn of the devil by some, and they were forced to be right-handed in China.

I think people use religion to justify their preexisting prejudices, but those prejudices originate in human fear and ignorance, and are transferred to the religion.

[idgiehkt]

11. that may or may not be an accurate historical perspective

but the point is that homophobia is written into religious texts and taught in religious teachings in most major religions. So no it can't be 'cured', so to speak, on an individual basis, it's a cultural institution, not a psychological sydrome or malajustment.

[IndianaJones]

14. kick. nt.

[flvegan]

15. Homophobia is an emotional response to a belief.

The "cure" is a change in that mindset that establishes that belief.