Homophobia

[Whatisthisfuckery]

Inspired by the racism thread, although not a taat I don’t think:

Do people think homophobia is still a problem in the UK? I’m genuinely interested in people’s responses.

I very much do as I experience it myself, although by no means everybody is homophobic, in fact not even most people, but a significant number nonetheless. AIBU?

Hang on, you're not sure homophobia exists?!!!

Okay

@Thatagain what does any of this mean? Particularly your fourth sentence it makes no sense at all? I used to think homophobia wasn't the right word for it as I thought it was more ignorance than a fear but now I'm a bit older I can see that fear is exactly where homophobia stems from. It's people's fear that causes them to hate. Fear of their masculinity being threatened, fear of being faced with their buried sexuality, fear of women rejecting them or seeing right through them, fear of their own children not fitting in, fear of the status quo changing and no longer being the ones on top etc. etc.

@Thatagain

What are you on about??

How is someone who attacks gay people not homophobic? Unless they just attack people of all creeds and colours using a randomised system and it just happens to coincidentally be a gay person every time. This wouldn't be normal practice for a violent person as they will usually have a reason why they are attacking someone.

I am not sure homophobia exists.

Judging by your post it definitely exists. HTH.

I can't call a homosexual a homosexual without being called homophobic? That has made me think that it has no meaning. I am not phobic about a human. I also love everyone.

Or is it a word to describe a homosexual who likes to be referred to as GAY.

Maybe I'm a bit thick at the moment but what does this even mean?

Educate yourself. To be homophobic you must have a phobia towards another human being. I've not come across anyone who has a phobia about people. People do not always like what outhers do although it's rarely their business.

thatagain calling someone who is homosexual a homosexual isn't homophobic. It's just weird: why would you want to address someone like that?

However, you use the word 'lifestyle', and that rather suggests you know exactly what homophobia is, and that you are an apologist.

Attacking someone, physically or verbally, just because they are gay is absolutely homophobic. Also bigoted, hateful, evil.

Well from my education GAY was said to everyone. As in
How gay are you today?
Answer yes I am very gay
With the real meaning HAPPY!
I was taught and still know that GAY means happy. Gay has nothing to do with or about homosexuality.

Educate yourself. To be homophobic you must have a phobia towards another human being. I've not come across anyone who has a phobia about people. People do not always like what outhers do although it's rarely their business.

The word homophobia was coined by a psychotherapist in the 60s because of his observation that people, his colleagues specifically, were in general uncomfortable amongst gays and lesbians. The meaning of the word has since evolved — as is the case with most words over time — to encompass any sense of fear, discrimination, hate etc against people attracted to those of the same sex. To claim that homophobia doesn't exist on the basis of pedantry just seeks to divert the conversation from the subject matter itself. And what for? To make you feel less, dare I say, homophobic? To make yourself feel superior?

Get off your high horse and stop patronising people with 'educate yourself' thanks.

@Thatagain maybe you should also educate the Oxford dictionary.

Homophobia

Noun

Dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people.

What's not to understand unless you're trying to obfuscate and excuse?

Thatagain sorry but whilst gay does mean happy then it always means that you are sexually attracted to the same sex so please don’t talk rubbish, 1 word has more than 1 meaning!

Also not always

Gay has nothing to do with or about homosexuality.

Good grief.

Educate yourself. To be homophobic you must have a phobia towards another human being. I've not come across anyone who has a phobia about people. People do not always like what outhers do although it's rarely their business.

I doubt that there is any other time when you break modern words down into their literal classical roots and insist on defining them accordingly.

Again television. Or video, for that matter.

@Thatagain what do you think makes people talk about not wanting to 'expose' their children to gay people. What would make someone want to shelter their children of a massive part of the population. Does that not sound like an irrational fear to you?

This 'a homosexual' thing rather depends on the tone you're using when you're calling people this. There is nothing wrong with the word homosexual so I think you've got the wrong end of the stick there. Now if you're going round in life with the same antagonistic tone you've used on here then I'm not surprised people get offended as it can sound a bit dehumanising to refer to people as 'a homosexual' when what they actually are is a human being who happens to be homosexual as one of many facets to their personality.

Thanks for all of the knowledge. I cannot be held responsible for the dictionaries and the teaching I was taught. I am also not responsible for the changing of words to suit. No one has said I was wrong infact you have answered questions I've been trying to get so thank you. I knew homophobic was a made up word I didn't know a phychotherapist named it. Also what year did homophobic appear in the Oxford dictionary?

@Flacker
I agree, homophobia is rampant, my Nephew has been on the receiving end many a time.
I did have an experience that made me cross though, on saturday, We were in a well known childhood museum, and a male gay couple with their 3 children were standing in the play area, fondling, as in hands on each others groins, one licking the others face etc....which would have been just as awful had it been a heterosexual couple, in that surroundings, there were a few parents who subtly led their little ones away , we were on the other side of the dolls houses, so it wasnt a problem with my friends kids.
But it got me thinking, is this were a heterosexual couple, I would have told them to cool it down , as it's not appropriate, but I was reluctant to in this case, as I didn't want the accusation of being homophobic,
I then realised them acting like this was making it worse for other couples wanting to hold hands, kiss etc....
May I add they were an older couple, mid 40's, so they knew what they were doing.

All words are made-up in all languages. Some have merely been made-up more recently than others.

Seriously what are you on about. I am not comfortable with my children being around anyone. Regardless of sexuality. I do not mean to affend anyone. I've told my children and corrected the school also. Please try not to confuse people. In the beginning there was word. Word should not be minipulated to suit people's desires.

Word should not be minipulated to suit people's desires.

What are you on about?? Words evolve through time. Also, words tend to have multiple meanings. For example: Let's park our car by the park.

some words

Thatagain language changes, it's futile to try and stop it. Goodness knows how you cope with regional differences as well!

Thatagain

The word of God was not English.

Do you know what a video is? It comes from the Latin word for "I see". Does that mean there is no such thing as a video?