Photo: Liquid Matrix
Homophobia is what we call the irrational and illogical reaction to someone’s sexuality by other people. Homophobia is sometimes called sexual prejudice and usually manifests itself in someone being hostile or prejudiced against us. That hostility may be intentional or unintentional, and may be expressed in any way ranging from physical violence to mental or social pressure.
Intentional. In some employments prejudice is usually a disciplinary measure, but it is difficult to make a complaint about behaviour when you are not completely sure you have been discriminated against, or that the behaviour was intentional. Sometimes you may not even know who sent you the hate letter, or the name of the person who insulted you. If you are being bullied, the subject of a vendetta, or people are playing games with you, setting you targets they know you cannot achieve, just so they can get at you, it is hard to deal with. Most people suffer homophobia in silence, feeling there is nothing they can do.
Homophobia is more pronounced in people with unacknowledged attraction to the same sex. People who grew up with authoritarian parents who forbade such desires may be more prone to homophobia. Parenting and sexual orientation affect the formation of intense and visceral fear of homosexuals, including self-reported homophobic attitudes, discriminatory bias, implicit hostility towards gays, and endorsement of anti-gay policies. Attackers often perceive some level of threat from homosexuals. People in denial about their sexual orientation may lash out because gay targets threaten and bring this internal conflict to the forefront. People with supportive and accepting parents are more in touch with their implicit sexual orientation, while people from authoritarian homes showed the most discrepancy between explicit and implicit attraction. Source
Internationally, attention is drawn to homophobia by the International Day against Homophobia (Idaho) on May 17 every year.
Homophobic attacks in the community are now classed as ‘hate crimes’ and reported and seen as a serious matter. The Government, legal establishment and Police are giving increased attention to hate crimes, and the punishments for hate crimes are being made considerably more severe. Homophobic attacks of any description where you work are not part of your job description or your conditions of service. If you feel you are being discriminated against, you probably are being, so complain – don’t suffer in silence.
Four typical behaviours which reveal intentional or unintentional homophobia are lying, stereotyping, misrepresenting, and linking. Gay men and lesbians fear that these behaviours re-enforce people’s prejudices and old wives’ tales.
Many religious groups will tell downright lies about gay men and lesbians in order to push their own agenda. For example, that gay men and lesbians are not suitable for adopting children. Such lies are difficult to counter, but have to be continually rebutted.
An example of stereotyping at work was an advertisement where a generic gay figure was portrayed in a derogatory and predatory manner which may have led some viewers to think that the behaviour portrayed was stereotypical.
Misrepresenting usually occurs in the media when insufficient care is taken writing and proof reading stories, and continuity of approach is lost. For example, the Guardian following a particular case consistently called the accused person a paedophile before the trial. During the trial a different reporter called him a homosexual every day of the trial. After he was convicted the original reporter took the story back and called him a paedophile. That treatment misrepresented all gay men as paedophiles in some people’s minds.
Unintentional linking occurs in the media, for example a positive story about changing the laws was immediately followed by a story about schools banning video filming at nativity plays to prevent the footage falling into the hands of paedophiles. So gay men, lesbians and paedophiles were linked as being the same, and the positive story was turned into a negative one by the linkage with paedophilia.
Stereotyping, misrepresentation and linking are all unthinking forms of homophobia but they are still homophobic, inappropriate and unprofessional. The only way to deal with them is to challenge them when they occur and explain why they are wrong.
Homophobic crime is endemic in Britain’s prisons, but often ignored by the authorities, according to an investigation that has revealed allegations of verbal, physical and sexual assaults. The Howard League for Penal Reform found that homophobic incidents are not nationally monitored. The targeting of gay men for sexual favours is also widespread, and victims are too scared to report abuse in case they are mocked or ignored by staff. Sending prisoners to vulnerable persons’ units for their “own protection”, along with child abusers and informants, fuelled dangerous, false stereotypes about homosexuality. One bisexual man told the League: “I’ve been put in segregation and slashed down my back with a razor. They say if I go into the shower they will beat me up and some ask for sexual favours. We can’t report it, as we’re then labelled as a grass and that leads to abuse.”
There are also
Biphobia, and
Transphobia, which is a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards transsexualism and transsexual or transgender people, based on the expression of their internal gender identity.
Text updated 9 April 2012
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