The word "homophobia"

Am I the only one who thinks that the word "homophobia" is a misnomer? People who hate gays often do not hate them out of fear. Some just plain hate gay people because they are evil. I prefer "Heterosexim" because it describes this injustice better than "homophobia."

People who hate gays don't hate in the way arachnophobes hate spiders.

This comes up after a conversation with a former friend i which he said that he doesn't hate gays because he is insecure or afraid, he just plain hates gays and will proudly make fun of gay people without shame.

So what is your opinion on this?

I'll post the IM logs if it's not against the rules to drop a non-member's screen name.

[shireguy]

my opinion is that they're gay but afraid to come out because they are scared they'll go to hell and will be shunned because they were fed religious bullshit at a young age

[Jard]

Originally Posted by STK

I'll post the IM logs if it's not against the rules to drop a non-member's screen name.

Just go back and erase the screen name?

[Bookmarked]

To the etymologist, the words “homosexual” and “homophobia” are a nightmare. The former merges the Greek homos (the same) and Latin sexualis (sexual) and the latter would best be translated (at a pinch) as “a fear of the same thing.” These (sometimes confusing) words hardly do justice to the complex nature of the concepts they represent.

The initial definitions of homophobia are insufficient to the point of being almost completely redundant. The earliest usage kept true to its linguistic roots and defined it as a clinical phobia, that is to say a persistent, irrational or absurd fear of homosexuals. I don't think many people run of screaming when they see a queer person walking along the street. As amusing as it might be.

[jazzyspazzy]

why don't we just call them gay-haters?? that's the closest u'll get 2 what they are...

[xequar]

Originally Posted by jazzyspazzy

why don't we just call them gay-haters?? that's the closest u'll get 2 what they are...

I think "bigot" works just fine, myself.

Yes, bigot is a much better term.

On a lighter note, I think we should spell it with 2 g's... since 2 of the most offensive insults in the English language have a double-g. Biggots. Or bigggots.

[carrie90]

I've never really thought about it but now you mention it, it is a good point

[Lexington]

If I remember correctly, "phobia" means "irrational fear or hatred". In which case, I think it's quite apt.

Lex

[Markio]

Heterosexism makes it sound like the ones who are heterosexist are the ones in power. Meanwhile, homophobia makes homophobes sounds like scaredy-cats. I like homophobia.

[malachite]

In this politically correct world we live in, we call his homophobia becuase we have to concider the feelings of the people who are insulting and hateful.
Now isn't that a crock of horse shit.

[silas99]

To me...I guess it makes no difference what you call it. Everyone knows it describes a spectrum of discriminatory thoughts/actions. You could call what you like...it's still the same thing.

[George]

Homophobia is alright by me.. It's a term to describe something, nothing more. =/

[Chip]

Originally Posted by STK

Am I the only one who thinks that the word "homophobia" is a misnomer? People who hate gays often do not hate them out of fear. Some just plain hate gay people because they are evil.

See, I have a bit of a hard time with that idea. I know that some people say that, but I strongly suspect that it really is, at it's deepest level, fear.

There's a great book called "The Dark Side of the Light Chasers" that delves specifically into the really extreme anger and hatred that nearly everyone feels for various things -- whether it's gay people, or homophobes, or crooked politicians or whatever -- and the author makes the argument that in nearly all cases, what drives that intense, venomous anger is a very deep-seated, unconscious fear that in some way we, who are angry, are afraid that somehow we identify with or have the attribute we most violently reject. Keep in mind I'm talking venomous, boiling-blood hatred and anger, not just mild discontent.

And the more I read that book, the more it made sense to me.

Now... I think that some people just are afraid of gay people, or are so attached to their religious teachings that they believe they're going to hell... but if they are following a religious practice, the Bible teaches us to hate the sin and love the sinner; to help that person find salvation, to offer him or her kindness and compassion and God's love. But that message always seems to get lost.

So... at that point, is homophobia a phobia (an irrational fear of homosexuals) or, if it's driven by religious beliefs, is it something else entirely, maybe sinophobia (fhe fear of people who are sinning) or some sort of fear of somethign within ourselves?

I don't know, but I think it might be somethign to think about in this context.

[littledinosaurs]

The word doesn't matter.
Bottom line is they have issue with LGBT people.
Changing the word isn't gonna change how they react or how we deal with them.
*shrug*
use whichever word you like, it's all the same in the end.