Do we need to replace homophobia?

[Mark Latimour]

I heard something on a radio show today that got me thinking. There isn't a word in the English language that describes the act of having negative thoughts / beliefs about someone (or beliefs about your superiority based on sexual orientation.

For example, if you have negative thoughts about someone on the grounds of race, it is "racism" and you are "racist". If you believe that you are superior to someone on the grounds of sex, that is "sexism" and you are "sexist". "Ageist", "Ageism" etc

However, the "closest" word in relation to sexual orietation is "homophobia" / "homophobic", but it doesnt really work. Firstly, it only describes beliefs going one way (from hetrosexual towards homosexual). A homosexual person who holds negative thoughts about hetrosexuals isn't "homophobic". Secondly, the term itself means "fear of homosexuality". ALthough many homophobes probably are, its clearly not acurate to say that anyone who holds negative beliefs about gay people is "afraid" of gay people. You wouldn't call someone who was a Asian supremecist "whitephobic" for example. This came up in the context of a discussion about people who hold negative beliefs about gay people but arn't actually afraid of them and that homophobic seems to be an inappropriate word to describe someone in that situation.

So, do we need to replace the word homophobic / homophobia with something more general and keep that to describe something specific?

[T-Bird]

Hi.

For what reason would this new description to be created?

So folks could bash each-other with new words?

Look at racism vs. race-realism. That neve got us anywhere, methinks.

Just my 0.02€ as always.
Sam

[Relic]

"sexualorientationism"

god that's almost like a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious kinda word..

[jonathan_matos5]

[Jonyak]

well someone afraid of heterosexuals would be heterophobic.

I normaly just call people who are intolerant or afraid of other peoples lifestyles/sexuality/race/religion bigots.

[GeneralElectric]

I think the term should be jealous since they don't have to get married or have kids.

Honestly though I never thought about it. I can think of plenty of two word phrases that can describe people who don't like homosexuals.

I think this thread needs someone is culturally sensitive and has a degree in etymology for it to go any further.

[stratovani]

I'm presently reading a book on the English language, and English is full of words that were either modified or invented to describe a given object or situation. So from a strictly language standpoint until another word comes into fashion the word "homophobia" will continue to be used. Maybe "gayism" or "anti-gay" will come into use at some future time. For example, we don't say "Jewism", we say "anti-semitism". We don't say "anti-blackism", we say "racism". Language is constantly evolving as time goes by, who says "groovy" or "bitchin" anymore?


Disclaimer: Please, do not read anything else into this. This is strictly an examination of a word, implying nothing else.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by stratovani

who says "groovy" or "bitchin" anymore?

i do.


but only in context of being ironic.

[sarcastro83]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

i do.


but only in context of being ironic.

Man, don't use words that I use, ironically...

[lunarpollen]

Hmm I guess it *is* kinda weird that there is no word for "bigotry based on sexual orientation" like there are words for "bigotry based on race," "bigotry based on sex," etc.

[bassteban]

The word, perhaps; the concept, no- it's great joke fodder.
Not bashing anyone, more laughing at everyone.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by stratovani

Language is constantly evolving as time goes by, who says "groovy" or "bitchin" anymore?


Disclaimer: Please, do not read anything else into this. This is strictly an examination of a word, implying nothing else.

It's "bitchen," and it's been in widespread use for over 50 years.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

This came up in the context of a discussion about people who hold negative beliefs about gay people but aren't actually afraid of them and that homophobic seems to be an inappropriate word to describe someone in that situation.

Arguably, most of those "people who hold negative beliefs about gay people" are afraid of themselves being gay

(...which in a sense is the same thing as being "actually afraid of them")

The fact that they won't admit it, or aren't necessarily even aware of this underlying reason, is no reason not to use a word that accurately describes their behavior.

[Munjibunga]

To me, "homophobic" means "fear of the genus homo," in other words, fear of humans. Maybe just use gay-basher.

[PSPookie]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

So, do we need to replace the word homophobic / homophobia with something more general and keep that to describe something specific?

I propose: "wrongholeist/wrongholeism".

[Admiral Axtell]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

For what reason would this new description to be created?

So folks could bash each-other with new words?

Look at racism vs. race-realism. That neve got us anywhere, methinks.

Just my 0.02€ as always.
Sam

^ this.
you really made yourself seem like an A-hole for creating this thread OP.

[6jase5]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

To me, "homophobic" means "fear of the genus homo," in other words, fear of humans.

That makes David Bowie "Amerihomophobic" with his Fear of Americans, specifically speaking.

[Bassman7PM]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Arguably, most of those "people who hold negative beliefs about gay people" are afraid of themselves being gay

(...which in a sense is the same thing as being "actually afraid of them")

The fact that they won't admit it, or aren't necessarily even aware of this underlying reason, is no reason not to use a word that accurately describes their behavior.

Your argument also suggest that the opposite may be true, "people who hold negative beliefs about straight people are afraid of themselves being hetero." Thus the word Heterophobia would now come into play. Both uses of the word "phobia" are inaccurate.

[WalterBush]

I don't think we (as a society) need to find any ways to be more politically correct.

We could just call someone who doesn't like homosexuality, "someone who doesn't like homosexuality."
If they go further, and actively dislike homosexuals, we could call them, "someone who doesn't like homosexuals."
If they hate homosexuals, and want to oppress them out of existence, we could call them, "someone who hates homosexuals, and wants them to die."

These are all easy to understand, easy to say, yet very specific phrases used to describe the various shades of "negative thought" someone could apply to homosexuals. We can invent more as needed. I propose we leave "homophobe" as a word to designate its user as: a) putting political correctness ahead of analytical thought or b) a psychologist with a patient who's terrified of gay people.

[Yakob]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Arguably, most of those "people who hold negative beliefs about gay people" are afraid of themselves being gay

(...which in a sense is the same thing as being "actually afraid of them")

The fact that they won't admit it, or aren't necessarily even aware of this underlying reason, is no reason not to use a word that accurately describes their behavior.

Non-arguably, this is pure bull snot. It's like saying that members of the KKK are worried they might wake up black one day. Sorry.

People hate other people because they're predisposed to it. Every human is predisposed to prejudice and hatred because, at one time, that instinct was a valuable tool when breeding.

Now, in a society, that instinct, like so many others, is re-directed towards menial, useless behaviors. What people don't realize is that every ecosystem requires organisms that don't reproduce but can still function and aid in the continuation of the species. That's why God made gay people: they're regular people who (except for artificial insemination) don't make babies.