Do you think homophobia is more accepted than racism?

[CanIEatPringlesYet]

Just that really. I do.

Whereas racism depressingly still seems to run through our society, as someone who has been in a same sex relationship for the past few years, I believe homophobia is much more accepted.

As an example, if someone is expressing their dislike for gay marriage, I have heard on several occasions something along the lines of "well I don't agree with them, I'm all for gay marriage personally, but they're entitled to their opinion".

Would you ever hear the same if someone said "well I don't agree with mixed race marriage" or "I don't believe in equal opportunities for black people"? Oh, it's just their opinion!! I don't think so, so when people say this about homophobia - blatant homophobia, why are some people still so quick to defend their right for their bigoted opinion?...

Definitely agree, but you could also say that about sexism and classism too. All are equally unacceptable in my view.

Good point @CremeEggThief

It's an interesting and valid point actually. My MIL has made similar sort of remarks 'well its up to them but I don't hold with that sort of set up and they certainly shouldn't be allowed to adopt'. I challenged her of course but I think she thinks its fine. Mind you she had to get over her son marrying a brown person so perhaps she used to have similar views on that but has never said a word on that score.

Think you are totally right OP, and @CremeEggThief.

Several extended family members attend the same church, which happens to have a black minister - and while it was scandalous (to them) when he arrived it’s apparently nowhere as bad as the happily married gay minister in the same diocese , homosexuality being unchristian apparently.
And the minister whose marriage broke down due to an affair was apparently just led astray by a Jezebel.

DS is gay and was called "queer boy" by another kid at school, school wrote it off as kids being kids but would have a quiet word for future reference. When I said it was homophobia and needed to be clamped down on they looked at me like I had two heads whereas the boy who called another boy the n-word got a two day exclusion because "we don't tolerate racism in school".

@Hospedia, classic example. I'm sorry to hear this, although not at all surprised.

So why do we think this is a more accepted form of bigotry?

I actually think sexism is by far the most accepted form of bigotry - far more accepted than homophobia.

Anyone who’s concerned about the erosion of single sex spaces knows women matter least.

I don't know if this is the case, as really no one in my circle with these views. However, I've often seen the people that homophobic and objecting, as in your OP, to gay marriage for example, are doing so on religious grounds.

Maybe theres and issue around the two almost competing? For example the parents campaigning not to have children taught about homosexual relationship, were predominantly muslim and against this on religious grounds. I would be cautious to say I think they are outrageous homophobes as then run the risk of being islamcphobic... You don't really have that with racism.

Just wondering this, not sure if I even entirely agree!

It does seem more acceptable than racism.
I suppose at one level christianity has nothing to say about race but does have something to say about in what circumstances sex is allowed.
But a lot of people arent religious but are still homophobic so that doesnt explain that.

Even stonewall is against gay people!

Yes, and homophobes often attempt to justify their bigotry using religion, despite the fact that religions are not homophobic.

Homophobia (and particularly biphobia) are an issue on MN, if you challenge this the postere claim its just ‘a view’ and MN will often allow posts to stand, where as they are more likely to remove racist posts and other posters are more likely to call out racism.

Completely. Look at Stonewall, their CEO Nancy Kelley has described homosexuality as ‘sexual racism’. That’s as blatant as homophobia gets and yet people still think Stonewall are about gay rights.

Yanbu.

I think some people still see homosexuality as a choice and therefore think its something they don't need to "agree with" whereas you can't choose your race so you can't really "disagree" with race. Although you can disagree with mixed race relationships etc.

Although most of the most homophobic people I know are also racist. Their prejudice seems to know no bounds.

I think one of the biggest problems with homophobia is that in some circles it’s been rebranded as ‘inclusivity’. Attacking lesbians, in particular, for being only interested in their own sex is defined as defending trans rights.

Sadly prejudice is commonplace all over. The frequency of certain types of prejudice depend on the circles in which you move.

In my professional life I come across plenty of sexism.

Where I live there is very little ethnic diversity so I therefore come across very little racism. Lots of Islamphobia around though. Areas nearby still have strong protestant/catholic tensions.

I tend not to come across homphobia these days within my social circles people just wouldn't tolerate it. But its out there in other circles.

Here on NMs there are pockets of transphobia and ageism is prolific and widely tolerated.

But its not a competition. All prejudice should be challenged and called out.

Actually I think the most accepted prejudice/ intolerance is about Religion. Islamaphobia and increasing intolerance of Christianity and other faiths too - see lots of that on this forum.

Yes especially in all the schools I have worked in.

you can't really "disagree" with race.

There are still plenty that disagree with "multiculturalism". They claim it's not racist because they "just like things the way they've always been".

Most people that hold these views hold negative stereotypes about anyone that does not act/ think like them.

@MissyB1

Actually I think the most accepted prejudice/ intolerance is about Religion. Islamaphobia and increasing intolerance of Christianity and other faiths too - see lots of that on this forum.

I think the reason for that, at least in part, is many religions’ intolerance towards different groups, and indeed any ‘way’ accept their way.

So it’s little tolerance for intolerance.

If all Christians thought and behaved like Jesus - were accepting, understating, forgiving and did not judge, the world would be a much better place. And Christianity would be taken more seriously.

I know what you mean though I would agree with an earlier poster that sexism is even more widespread.

With homophobia, I think for a lot of people they have a vague sense of an overlap between gay/LGBT issues and liberal attitudes to sexual morality which perhaps confuses the question. I have quite conservative views about sexual morality so a lot of the stuff associated with Pride celebrations, for instance, I do disapprove of. I don't think that makes me homophobic, just relatively conservative in these matters, but others might disagree.

@LoveGrooveDanceParty
So because some people of various faiths might be intolerant it’s ok to tar all with the same brush? Hmmmm imagine if we justified intolerance towards people of colour or homosexuals because of the behaviour of some, would that be acceptable? No of course not!
I’m not responsible for the behaviour of other Christians.

So I’m going to drop a nuclear bomb and say that I think that ALL crime is treated as less serious than racism, when to me all type of hate is as equally serious and as bad as the next.

Re religion I think it's noticeable that real ignorance about religion, I mean both doctrinally and in terms of practice/experience, is considered acceptable, even positive, in many educated circles in a way that's not true of ignorance about most other issues.

@MissyB1

Actually I think the most accepted prejudice/ intolerance is about Religion. Islamaphobia and increasing intolerance of Christianity and other faiths too - see lots of that on this forum.

Given that we have a state religion that discriminates against same sex couples, I'd have to disagree.