Homophobia

Pamela McMullin-Messier

George Weinberg, in Society and the Healthy Homosexual of 1972, coined the term homophobia to refer to the psychological fear of homosexuals and homosexuality. That definition, however, is limited in its focus, as it neglects wider structural sources behind the taboo of same-sex sexual relationships and the negative attitudes and intolerance shown toward any gender or sexual nonconformity in society. Additionally, this concept should also include internal manifestations of self-hatred in GLBTIQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, or questioning) individuals because of the stigma associated with their sexuality or gendered orientation. Newer terms, such as heterosexual hegemony , come across as better expressions to describe an ideological system that denies, denigrates, and stigmatizes any nonheterosexual form of behavior, identity, relationship, or community. At issue is sexual prejudice, the negative attitudes based on sexual orientation, whether the target is homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual (e.g., “fag” discourse among boys). Unlike homophobia, it ...

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