Do we need a new word for homophobia?

[synthesis]

Does anyone else here feel that there ought to be a term along the lines of "racism" or "sexism" to replace "homophobia"?

I'm not arguing that homophobia - etymologically, an irrational psychological fear of homosexuals - does not exist, but that all modern anti-homosexual sentiment is not accurately described with the word.

A great deal of anti-homosexual attitudes and actions cannot be reduced to "fear" of gays. Many anti-homosexuals do not "hate" or "fear" gay people in the same way that a racist does not necessarily "hate" black people - they just have false assumptions about the people they are caricaturing, which can be eliminated through exposure and education.

I feel like there ought to be a term along the lines of "anti-gay" or "anti-homosexual" to include when we critique discrimination. "Heterosexism" just doesn't cut it.

What we need is a word that, like "racist" and "sexist", can be used to challenge people's false, reactionary assumptions about oppressed people without making any holistic assumptions about the character of the person being criticized.

In other words, when someone says something sexist, you can inform them that their statement was sexist and educate them as to why this is so, without attacking the character of that person.

"Homophobia", on the other hand, has a plethora of psychological connotations that will be much more likely to close a person's mind to opposing points of view.

What do y'all think? Should we try and get a consensus as to a new term to describe the broader trend of anti-homosexual bigotry, or does "homophobia" adequately describe all the anti-homosexual tendencies that exist in many impoverished, highly religious cultures?

[Black Dagger]

There's a term that's already in use, heterosexism - not sure if that's what you're getting at conceptually.

[synthesis]

It is and it isn't. I don't think it adequately fulfills the "anti-" nature of anti-homosexual sentiments in the same way that "racism" and "sexism" do. It's also a little too academic to really be effective, in my opinion.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

How about "sexualism"? Same usage as racism, but substitute race for sexuality. Tha advantage of this word I feel is that it can also be used instead of "transphobia" or whatever word is currently used concerning transsexuals/transvestites.

Also, by not placing "anti" or some other negative prefix on the front, one is subconsciously encouraged not to use sexuality as the true measure of a person.

[RedAnarchist]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 02:11 pm
How about "sexualism"? Same usage as racism, but substitute race for sexuality. Tha advantage of this word I feel is that it can also be used instead of "transphobia" or whatever word is currently used concerning transsexuals/transvestites.

Also, by not placing "anti" or some other negative prefix on the front, one is subconsciously encouraged not to use sexuality as the true measure of a person.
Thats a good idea.

[Reuben]

This discussion reminds me a little of the prolonged discussions that some people have about the word anti-semitism and how non-jews are also semites etc etc. To be honest I believe that these discussions are not massively relevant. THis is because the meaning of words is socially and historically etermined and as such might diverge from its etimological route. This is the case with many words.

[Dr Mindbender]

whats the point? We dont have an equivalent word for the fear or hatred of muslims either.

[counterblast]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 02:11 pm
How about "sexualism"? Same usage as racism, but substitute race for sexuality. Tha advantage of this word I feel is that it can also be used instead of "transphobia" or whatever word is currently used concerning transsexuals/transvestites.

Also, by not placing "anti" or some other negative prefix on the front, one is subconsciously encouraged not to use sexuality as the true measure of a person.
I'm not sure that lumping the two together is the right way to go about it.

Transphobia is as much linked to oppressive notions of gender, as it is sexuality.

A bit of a mesh between homophobia and sexism.

[LOTFW]

The word homophobia has always bothered me, in that I have evolved (or at least over time, changed) my views regarding society and homosexuality. But I never "feared" homosexuals. It's a dumb word, for the most part, and makes the issue far too narrow.

[Black Dagger]

Reuben made an important point which seems to have been ignored:


Originally posted by Reuben
To be honest I believe that these discussions are not massively relevant. This is because the meaning of words is socially and historically determined and as such might diverge from its etimological route. This is the case with many words.

'Homophobia' means a lot more than 'fear of homosexuality' - in fact i honestly doubt whether that was ever the sole meaning of the term. So to say that the term is inadequate is really a fallacious argument - it's ignoring the social meaning of the term and judging its usefulness on a narrow, literal definition that has little currency.

[LOTFW]

'Homophobia' means a lot more than 'fear of homosexuality' - in fact i honestly doubt whether that was ever the sole meaning of the term. So to say that the term is inadequate is really a fallacious argument - it's ignoring the social meaning of the term and judging its usefulness on a narrow, literal definition that has little currency.

I disagree.

I will never allow a political force, or any force, to grab the dictionary and claim they are the rightful heirs to correct use of language.

I support a woman's right to choose an abortion. Yet the "social meaning" of "Pro Life" means an individual dedicated to preventing a woman's right to abortion on demand.

I will NEVER yield to society that such people are "Pro Life". They are correctly termed (in my viewpoint), "Anti choice". It is not only more accurate, but prevents the "other side" from implying that I am "anti-life".

Homophobia, based on simple compound terms, FIRST means to be "fearful" of homosexuals or homosexuality or some such. I suppose there are such people. But to brand all those who are still deciding about homosexuality's relation to society as being a "homophobe" implies they are afraid, in the same way that I not being "prolife" must be anti-life.

[synthesis]

I agree. There are connotations behind the inclusion of the word "phobia" that may or may not be appropriate given the context of the situation. What we really need is something more encompassing than the term currently in use.

"Racism" or "sexism" do not necessarily imply fear or hatred in and of themselves. They are used to label a wide range of tendencies that are fundamentally divisive on the basis of biology.

I argue that "homophobia" has connotations regarding the psychological origin of the bias when it should really reflect the biological nature of homosexuality.


whats the point? We dont have an equivalent word for the fear or hatred of muslims either.

You are obviously referring to Islamophobia, and I agree with you. It doesn't really work for all situations.

"In 1997 the British Runnymede Trust defined Islamophobia as the view that Islam has no values in common with other cultures, is inferior to the West, is a violent political ideology rather than a religion, that its criticisms of the West have no substance, and that discriminatory practices against Muslims are justified."

I'm sure there's a more accurate term out there somewhere. Many of the aspects of anti-Islamic discourse are fundamentally irrational, but they are more often based in ignorance, not fear.