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What does homophobia mean?
What does Homofobia mean?
What is the difference between homophobia and biphobia?
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Why did homophobia exist?
The meaning of HOMOPHOBIA is discrimination against, aversion to, or fear of homosexuality or gay people.
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or antipathy , may be based on irrational fear and may sometimes be attributed to religious beliefs.
- Prison; death not enforced
- Prison, with arrests or detention
- Overview
- History of Homophobia
- Understanding Homophobia, Heterosexism, and Transphobia
- How Homophobia Manifests Itself
- Causes of Homophobia
- Impact of Homophobia
- Signs of Homophobia
- What to Do If You're a Victim of Homophobia
- How to Shift Culture Away From Homophobia
- A Word From Verywell
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Homophobia is an irritational dislike of, or prejudice against, people who are LGBTQIA+. The word "phobia" in the name conveys that fear of difference leads to hate; homophobic beliefs can be said to originate out of fear that the white supremacist and colonial status quo regarding gender and sexuality will be challenged, shattering the worldviews of many people, but homophobia manifests as actions that are anything but fearful.
Homophobic actions can include incidents of harassment, discrimination, and violence against people who identify as LGBQ+. The prefix of the word references same or similar gender attraction. Homophobia also affects people who are attracted to multiple genders, even as biphobia is also a relevant term for that community.
Transphobia—discrimination against transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people—intersects with homophobia and shares similar origins, but is a different form of oppression.
There are many people and institutions in our society that are homophobic, but that doesn't make homophobia an acceptable viewpoint to hold.
That's because it leads to harm against others and is rooted in anger and fear of difference. Being homophobic is similar to the concept of being racist. Perpetuating either bias places you firmly on the wrong side of history and further away from a world in which all humans are equal.
George Weinberg coined the term homophobia in the 1960s. He wrote a book entitled "Society and the Healthy Homosexual" in 1972, in which he denounced homophobia as a sickness. Though the term wasn't introduced until the '60s, societies throughout history have discriminated against or held negative attitudes toward LGBQ+ people long before this time.
Examples of this include Ancient Greece, where many types of same-gender relationships were common but were not approved of by all people, and in the Middle Ages, when same-sex relationships were tolerated by society at some times but not others.
Our attitudes and understanding around LGBTQIA+ identities have continued to change over the years, especially due to the work of activists and advocates in the community. Due to the medicalization of same/similar-gender attraction, the scientific community has also played a role in destigmatization.
In 1992, the APA released the following statement:
Homophobia vs. Heterosexism
Homophobia is dislike or hate of LGBTQIA+ people, whereas heterosexism describes a society where heterosexual people are the dominant sexuality group. Homophobia operates on a personal and systemic level, while heterosexism operates primarily on a systemic level because it is both the societal belief that heterosexual people should be prioritized above all others as well as the real-world implications of that belief. These may sound similar, but the difference is that homophobia is a personal feeling you hold, while heterosexism supports those feelings to be part of the systems of our institutions. Heterosexism is the result of heteronormativity, the belief that being heterosexual is the only "right" or "natural" way to be. Our society is heterosexist meaning that it is common for LGBQ+ people to have lower life expectancies than heterosexual people, and that it is most likely that our laws fail to protect LGBQ+ people or actively discriminate against their community concerning jobs, housing, marriage, and/or healthcare.
Homophobia vs. Transphobia
This is a little trickier because the "T" in LGBTQIA+ is for transgender and nonbinary people, which may lead you to believe that transphobia is just a part of homophobia. However, that isn't the case. Transphobia is a very specific dislike of and discrimination against people who are trans. Transphobia depends on cisnormativity to exist. Cisnormativity is the idea that being cisgender is the “normal” or “right” way to exist. Transphobia manifests as actions such as violence and the denial of gender-affirming health care. It's possible to be homophobic and transphobic at the same time. Transphobia is its own term because it is so prevalent in our culture and has led to countless acts of violence against trans people and legislation against their health care. While transphobia and homophobia have things in common like being related to misogyny and sexism, transgender and nonbinary people experience things that cisgender LGBQ+ people don’t, which calls for more specific language.
Homophobia can be blatant or subtle. It also presents as institutional as well as personal. Let's look at the ways that homophobia has existed in our society.
•Bullying and harassment of children and adults
•Microaggressions
•The belief that LGBTQIA+ people don't deserve equal rights
•Not socializing with people you suspect to be LGBTQIA+
•Making generalized statements about LGBTQIA+ people
There are many different reasons that homophobia has existed. These are some of the most common reasons.
•Colonialism: In conquering native societies around the world, colonialists enforced the belief and practice that monogamous, heterosexual relationships were the only acceptable type.
•Religion: Numerous monotheistic religions have texts that speak out against same-gender relationships, and followers of those religions sometimes use those texts as "proof" that their God does not accept LGBTQIA+ identities.
•Fear of the unknown: It's easy to be scared of something you aren't familiar with. Sometimes, people are homophobic because they have never interacted with an LGBTQIA+ individual and don't realize that they're far more similar than they are different from one another.
•Lack of acceptance of your own identity: Homophobia can be internalized if a person doesn't want to accept their own identity or seeks to protect themself from homophobia by targeting more visible LGBQ people
•Lack of education: Studies have shown that the more people are educated about LGBTQIA+ people, the less likely they are to fear or have negative attitudes toward them.
Homophobia has many negative impacts on LGBTQIA+ people. These can include:
•Reduced mental health
•Worsened physical health
•Stress and trauma
•Increased risk of suicide
•Internalized shame
We all learn as we grow in life. Sometimes, we find ourselves realizing that the viewpoints we hold might not be the best ones. If you realize that you or someone you witness may, in fact, be homophobic, here are some ways to discern if that's the case.
•You avoid socializing with LGBTQIA+ people
•You think you're "better than" LGBTQIA+ people
•You've bullied or harassed LGBTQIA+ people
•You've discriminated against LGBTQIA+ people by not offering someone an opportunity because of their perceived orientation
•You think LGBTQIA+ people are going to hell
Unfortunately, occurrences of homophobia continue to be prevalent in our culture. Though your instinct might be to fight back against it, this can be dangerous. You should always ensure your own safety before you act.
If you have been the victim of homophobia, seeking help from others is generally your best bet. If the incident occurred at an institution, contact the administration or officials at the school or place of business. Explain the situation, and ask for their help in resolving it.
If the incident was a personal one that didn't occur at a place of business, calling the authorities can be a dangerous move, especially for trans people and other multi-marginalized people—but it may be the right one to make if you were violently harmed or threatened with violence. Standing up for yourself is ideal, but you should only do that if it is physically and emotionally safe for you to do. Otherwise, you should seek outside help to resolve the situation or entirely distance yourself from your assailant if feasible.
If you are seeking support for issues with coming out, relationships, bullying, self-harm, and more, contact the LGBT National Hotline at 1-888-843-4564 for one-to-one peer support.
Don't Make Assumptions
The world is full of all kinds of people, and you never know what any one individual is like until you get to know them. If you find yourself making assumptions about a person you believe to be LGBTQIA+, stop yourself in your tracks. Remember that you don't know them, and they don't deserve to have your negative feelings put on them. In the same vein, remember that just because a person looks cishet doesn't mean they are. Ask for a person's pronouns rather than assuming you can tell what gender they are by looking.
Educate Yourself
Read books, watch TV shows or movies, and follow the social media accounts of LGBTQIA+ people. Additionally, you can attend workshops about homophobia to change your past viewpoints and to understand the harm they were causing.
Don't Kid About It
Never make jokes about LGBTQIA+ people, as they are genuinely harmful to many. This serious issue leads to people being harmed and, therefore, is not a joking matter. For example, phrases like, "that's so gay" are insulting and hurtful because they equate "gay" with something that is "bad" or inferior.
Gaining a better understanding of the individual lives and experiences of LGBTQIA+ people can help those who are homophobic understand why their behavior is wrong. Consider learning more about what others have experienced through LGBTQIA+ essays about homophobia such as this one.
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1.Adams HE, Wright LW Jr, Lohr BA. Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal?. J Abnorm Psychol. 1996;105(3):440-445.
2.Hubbard TK. Historical views of homosexuality: ancient greece. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1242
HOMOPHOBIA definition: 1. harmful or unfair things a person does based on a fear or dislike of gay people or queer people…. Learn more.
Feb 12, 2021 · Homophobia is a severe form of prejudice against those who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. ... We also look at the definition of “outing” and how heterosexism can affect a person’s health.
- Danielle Dresden
Homophobia is the fear, hatred, or mistrust of people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Learn about the causes, forms, and effects of homophobia, and how to support and stop it.
Oct 14, 2024 · Homophobia is negative attitudes towards homosexual people and homosexuality, which may lead to discrimination, hostile behaviour, or hate crimes. The term was coined by George Weinberg in 1972 and has been criticized for implying a pathological fear.
