The word "homophobic"

Hi all,

This is a curiosity question. The word "homophobic" is used broadly to describe anyone who is anti-gay. The word literally means "afraid of homosexuals."

So, it is accurate for the people who are uncomfortable around gay people/wouldn't want to be in a locker room/etc.

But, it doesn't describe the people who just flat hate homosexuality, aim to take away rights, want to morally condemn homosexuality. Is there a word for these types of people? For example, rascists hate certain races, but they are not necesarily afraid of them(unless we want to go that route of reasoning).

Cheers

 

There is very limited concensus on what 'gay' means, so it's harder to define what it means to be 'afraid' of it.

People identify with gender and sexuality in all kinds of different ways and the changes in definition from one person to the next can be immense.

In many cases I would agree that the word 'homophobic' does not accurately describe the people who it used against, although perhaps 'fear' and 'hatred' are two sides of the same coin.

The internet has popularised a certain word that describes anyone who hates anything:

'Hater'

^^

It's broad but I like it.

 

I think it's fitting for all.

I mean homophobic to me at least, doesn't mean 'afraid of homosexuals'.

Homo - same (hetro means different)
Phobic - repulsion (as apposed to philic)

So to me it stands at people who dislike those who are attracted to the same sex.

 

Yes, there is: pricks.

 

The people who hate homosexuals usually fear that they are one (or are a little bit of one).

 

As you put it, 'homophobic' IS a word that broadly describes anyone who is anti-gay. We don't need to dissect the word and be literal about it. You know what homophobic means. When it comes to the weird old English language, words morph. I could list examples but doubt they're wanted.

 

Sometimes the people who are most homophobic are 'protesting too much' if you know what I'm saying. A video to demonstrate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1hEoqleoFE

 

phobic --comes from Greek 'phobos' meaning 'fear'
philic --comes from Greek 'philia' meaning 'love'.

only in chemistry have the suffixes '-phobic' and '-philic' taken upon meanings denoting something 'repelling' or 'attracting'.

homophobia is fear of homosexuals/homosexuality.

this is where most of people's differences stem from. the different (often subjective) definitions of words.

 

Straight up (pun intended). You know, I have to agree with Duck on this one. I mean, I have been the victim of assault (because of my homosexuality), and as a survivor - I can tell you that the statistics are totally revealing: Most folks that attack/hate queers - are closet cases. Not all, but many. I mean, why be "afraid" of something, unless it is something you fear is beyond your control?

So we have Hitler deliberately murdering gays and lesbians during the holocaust (which is still lacking in accurate research), and Matthew Shepard beaten and tied to a fence post - and left to die. If this is not fear of gays and lesbians - what should we call it? Heterosupremacy? Homophobia makes total sense to me. It is the correct word. Big time. And I am a survivor:

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=390426&f=59

Anywho, I'm not really certain what the OP is actually asking? Hate is hate. It matters not what label is used to justify it. Hate is never cool. Period.

--QP

 

I think Hetero-Supremecy could work. I was having a discussion similar to this last night where a friend of mine said he didn't hate gay's he just wasn't comfortable around them. Where as other people may say they "Fucking hate gay's", and there should be a distinction between the two, because I hardly think person A would want to be lumped with person B. Even though they are both idiots

 

i think that there are cases sometimes where the word gets tost around to much.
what i meen is i have encounterd ppl who said are you homophobic? to other becuse they feelt abitt uneasy not being abel to relate to well whit homosexuallety. if thats just that case it most probley would disapear after that person gotten a chance to understand it better.
like whit most things that others see as diffrent ore unknown to them.
phobic/phobia is a strong word. if you define the world to be to hate ore fear something.
i would hate being calld something like phobic of something just cuse i never gotten a chanse to understand it. but all in all i do agree whit all you said. ^.^
hating is wrong no matter what name its been given.

 

I'm just a word nerd. I agree, the label doesn't change the act.

 

That's all fair enough, you know, I am not dumb enough to not know what a phobia is- I have plenty.

I just think you don't have to take things quite literally so pedantically all the time. Whether we are talking science or whatever else, obviously the term has taken a whole new means as of that of a fear of homosexuals.

I am not wrong, just looking at it in a different light. I think it's pathetic anyone could think, in this day and age, homophobia was simply an act if fear.

5 men trampling a gay person to death because of their proclivity, they fear this person? I think however you look at the word, it's source and meaning are now completely different- you need to call these people something!

The scientific term derived from the same greek you know, so i'm going to stick with what I believe is a little more socially relevant now

 

And for the record, I know I am being subjective- so I don't want a war about anything. Just think the boundaries have been knocked a little bit.

My point is words are just words, I suppose. Take them how you want to.

 

i know words are just words. but unless you are willing to go through the same routine of explaining how exactly *you* define words with every single person you have a conversation with you are bound to be misunderstood by them. if we didn't have a general consensus on what words meant and each of us just resorted to define words in our own way, assigning them definitions we thought should really be, we would be in great difficulty at communicating with one another.

with word 'homophobic'. if you and i were to have a conversation about homophobes i would assume the word denoted a person (persons) with fear of homosexuals/homosexuality (this of course is not the kind of fear like arachnophobia for example, or fear of the dark). it's a more complex psychological kind of fear that the subject may not be aware of himself. it's more subtle. it doesn't mean that that person (homophobe) is afraid of a gay guy. his fear might be directed inwards, towards himself. and why this is called homophobia is because it's directed towards homosexuals/homosexuality and it stems out of fear. it doesn't specify what kind of fear we are talking about exactly. so whereas --in our hypothetical conversation-- i would assume we were talking about a person with quite specific psychological condition and/or behavior/circumstances mentioned above, you were simply talking about a person who dislikes gay guys. it's not the same. 'homophobia' is a word with very distinct meaning. if you want to redefine it then you should mention your new definition in every conversation on the subject. otherwise, by default, you will be misunderstood.

you know why dogs attack people -- because they are afraid of them. a rabid dog who attacks a passerby does it out of fear. so, often, does a guy beating up a gay guy. and like i explained above, it has little to do with actual physical fear of that person.
and in a group it's probably less to do with fear, because groups tend to initiate fights more readily. in a group maybe one of the attackers is a homophobe while others just go along with it to prove something to their buddies and the world. it's more complex.

 

I'll level with you, i'm not going to bother reading your post.

It's people like you I have learned to avoid. People on this site are so fuckin' pedantic it pisses me off and what started as an innocuous, yet subjective opinion- has now turned into some slander that you wish to punish someone with with fact.

Seriously, I get it, your brain is bigger than mine. I only tried to cover my arse before something like that post happened.

Ta

 

if you think i was slandering you then you really have a problem. you are the one taking words too seriously here.

 

C'mon guys, you're upsetting me. I love you both (don't care if you're str8 either).

I see both your points and I can correlate them - why can't you?

Literal versus Figurative. Sometimes ppl just play with words and deviate from their literal use. That is the nature of the language. Words evolve from their original meaning or use. Foresooth we speaketh not of olden tymes, but henceforth new wordes our tongues sore useth.

How did homosexual men get to be called "gay?" I know enuf of them that are quite morose.

So, homophobe is a Greek derived clinical term that is now applied to other usage to mean aversion more than fear. We all know what a homophobe is by any other name.

 

I don't know if you were, I didn't read it

 

Great point, Shale. Always spot on

I didn't mean offense to you Meridian, I just hate arguing pointlessly with people online.