Homophobia is defined as an irrational hatred or fear of homosexuality. Although there are legitimate cases of homophobia, the use of the term has been expanded to take on social and political meanings. Gay advocates use it widely to refer to those who are hostile toward gay people and even those who disagree with the pro-gay perspective. They consider homophobic those who want to resolve their homosexual problems as well as therapists who try to help them. Some activists have an almost neurotic attitude toward all "straight" people and blame all their suffering in life on either social or internalized homophobia.
The truth is, those who are hostile toward gay people are usually prejudiced, meaning that they have an opinion against it without adequate basis, but not homophobic. Those who disagree with the pro-gay perspective may also do it legitimately out of conviction, which is a strong belief. Those who object to homosexuality on religious or moral grounds do so out of conviction, not because of a phobia or prejudice.
in Resolving Homosexual Problems: A Guide For LDS Men
Whoa. This sounds familiar. I would say he plagiarized me except that he wrote it nearly a decade before I thought it up. ;-)
2 comments:
Jason Parks wrote: Those who disagree with the pro-gay perspective may also do it legitimately out of conviction, which is a strong belief.
But what is the basis of this conviction? God's disapproval, right? Isn't that something we fear?
I agree that the term homophobia is overused and sometimes misused. I usually use anti-gay instead. But--but--I genuinely believe that fear lies at the heart of much anti-gay behavior and belief: fear of God's disapproval, fear that straight people can become gay, fear that gay people can't become straight, fear, fear that homosexuality will undermine family and societal structure, etc.
I've commented on this before, but since it was in a different context, I'll repeat briefly here.
Religious conviction is not born solely by fear of God's disapproval, but hopefully matures past that. In my own case, I have no fear of homosexuality, but I see it as inconsistent with my eternal destiny of rearing children in an eternal family.
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