Homophobia: a Definition

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Homophobia: a Definition

Even well-educated people seem not to know what the word "homophobia" actually means outside the political arena where the word is said to be nothing but an empty political charge. I'm sure that the charge of homophobia is sometimes made purely as a political tactic. But that fact should not make us blind to the other fact--that real homophobia also exists, and sometimes the use of the word is denotatively correct. However, recognizing that the word is sometimes validly used in a technically accurate way requires that the hearer know the technical meaning of the word. So here's my attempt to explain the technical meaning of the word.

The word "homophobia" was coined by a New York psychotherapist, George Weinberg, in 1972, based on his observation of a pattern of irrational behavior in patients he worked with. He noted in these patients a pattern of irrational fear, revulsion and distrust of homosexuals that was sometimes translated into hostility and even rage towards them. These feelings were irrational in the sense that they were not grounded in reality and were very resistant to change based on factual information that contradicted the false beliefs with which they justified their feelings.

Irrationality

Like phobias, these feelings are obsessive and irrational--that is, they are feelings that (1) are not based on real-world experiences or actual dangerousness of that which is feared or hated, (2) are resistant to change when the "reasons" for the feelings are demonstrated to be false, and (3) may involve an intensity of feelings that are disproportionate to any perceived problem about homosexuality. For instance, despite their strong feelings, homophobes did not develop their phobia from bad experiences they had with actual homosexuals. In fact, most homophobes report that they don't know any homosexuals. Their prejudices are, in other words, not based on real-world experience. That's one part of the irrationality of homophobia.

The other part of homophobia's irrationality is its resistance to change. For instance, Weinberg sometimes gave his patients statistical evidence that contradicted some of their false stereotypes about homosexuals. At the time, they would acknowledge that they must be in error, but then at their next sessions they would repeat the same false stereotype as if it were true again.

Homophobia is irrational in the sense that it is not grounded in actual life experiences with real homosexuals. Indeed, those who have homosexual acquaintances and family members are not as likely to be homophobic as are persons who believe that they have no homosexual acquaintances. This lack of real experiences with actual homosexuals is why homophobia generally embodies misconceptions and false stereotypes about homosexuals. Stereotypes have changed over the years, but some have been remarkably enduring. For instance, a survey by Kinsey of 3,000 Americans (1973) found that:

56% believed homosexuals were afraid of the opposite sex.

69% believe homosexuals act like the opposite sex.

71% thought homosexuals molest children.

Many associated homosexuals with certain occupations or felt that some occupations were inappropriate for them. For instance, 86 percent of Kinsey's sample felt that homosexuals could be florists, but 76 percent felt they should not be school teachers. Common myths that one still hears today include the false belief that there is no homosexuality in other species (while, in fact, it has been noted in species as diverse as gulls, dolphins, cows, primates), that homosexuals can't reproduce (whereas about 20% of male Baby Boom homosexuals have been heterosexually married and parented children).

More important than the content of homophobic myths is the fact that they are actively defended in spite of logical reasons for abandoning them. When false homophobic beliefs about homosexuals are countered with evidence of their incorrectness, homophobes may ignore that evidence by simply changing the topic to another myth that supports their homophobia. Homophobic assertions become more and more abstract, and therefore more difficult to disprove--e.g., the assertion that homosexuals are "disgusting" or "sick" has no clear referent within homosexuals, since such terms really describe subjective states of homophobes.

This resistance to contrary evidence makes homophobes are difficult to educate. For instance, the same individuals who have acknowledged the factual inaccuracy of homophobic beliefs will later reassert the original false beliefs and express surprise at their incorrectness when the same counter evidence is provided--as if they had never heard that evidence before. Weinberg noted that the same people seem surprised time and time again on hearing evidence that their stereotypes are not grounded in reality. The pattern of defending homophobia is to substitute one misgiving for another as each is challenged without confronting the basic irrationality of the underlying fears.

The extremity of the emotional load is out of proportion to any real problem. This can be seen most clearly in stronger forms of homophobia that involve disgust, loathing, intolerance, and even hate crimes.

Homophobia is, in other words, not really a matter of logic, but of feelings that run deeper than mere intellectual opposition to homosexuality. Consider the example of homophobic feelings expressed by a sixteen-year-old girl I spoke with. On a date in Salt Lake City, she and the boy who had asked her out decided to take a ride on one of the horse-drawn carriages downtown, thinking it would be romantic. As a carriage drew up to the station, she noticed that the couple in it were two men, one with is arm around the other. "It was disgusting!" she exclaimed. When I asked her to tell me what about this experience was disgusting to her, she answered, "Because it's revolting!" and when I inquired what revolted her about the couple, she replied "Because it's disgusting!" Our conversation came full circle without her having been able to explain the basis of here feelings.

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The irrationality of homophobia manifests itself in the ability of homophobes to entertain mutually contradictory positions about it. For instance, the same person who argues that homosexuality is terribly disgusting to "normal people" may also compare homosexuality to a contagious disease that readily spreads from one person to another or ask "What if everyone became homosexual?"

Homophobia as a Social Norm

Homophobia is most easily talked about using extreme examples. Strong examples impress people and are remembered. However, most homophobia is "invisible" or hardly noticed because most homophobia is mild rather than extreme. Weinberg himself noted that ...

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