Homophobia

Homophobia is a collective definition of the negative attitude towards homosexuality, and also acts as a fear of homosexuality. Homophobia takes a worthy place along with such concepts as racism, xenophobia, sexism and anti-Semitism. The term was first voiced by psychiatrist George Weinberg in 1972.Semantic notions of the use of this term are: uncontrolled negative emotions, including fear, anger, disgust for homosexual people, and same-sex relationships. By itself, the term homophobia is not a sign of a mental disorder and is not a disease.

Scientists tend to believe that homophobia is avoidance and associated prejudices, fear, harassment, discrimination, acts of violence against lesbians, bisexuals, gays, transgender people.

Among women, homophobes are significantly less than among the male population. The term homophobia includes fear, as well as fear, manifested as a fear of coercion to engage in homosexual intercourse as a passive. But there are more neutral terms used - homonegativist.

Causes of homophobia

Psychologists can not draw a clear line between negativism in relation to homosexuality and homophobia itself. They believe that homophobia is directly related to negative emotions, as well as active struggle with the phenomena of homosexuality.

The causes of homophobia are the influence of religion, social and family traditions, as well as ignorance of people and latent homosexuality.

The internalized( internally) homophobia became the object of close attention from the study of psychologists. Its essence is that homosexuals and also bisexuals feel fear and disgust for homosexuality itself, which means their fear of becoming homosexual, and also fear of their own behavior to become homosexual. But one part of homosexuals, bisexuals and lesbians are able to suppress their homosexual aspirations, while others can not do this and experience various negative emotions, including guilt, remorse and anxiety.

Individual researchers believe that it is incorrect to refer such people to latent homosexuals, because a person is what he is, and he does not want to rank himself and be a homosexual.

Internalized homophobia carries many negative psychological consequences. There is a decrease in self-esteem, psychological complexes develop, neurosis, depression with suicidal attempts. Homosexuals and bisexuals who live secretly, without advertising their orientation and suffering from internalized homophobia, may fall into a paranoid mood with a morbid suspiciousness and suspicion. In this mood, it seems to a person that they are being watched, mocked and further exposed in an orientation, with subsequent dismissal from work. Fears often do not have real grounds.

What causes homophobia? To violence with insults, institutionalized homophobia, that is, discrimination by social institutions towards lesbians, bisexuals, gays.

Combating homophobia

Day against homophobia - May 17.According to the history, on May 17, 1990, the disease was eliminated from the International Classification - homosexuality.

June 2003 in the Canadian province of Quebec was marked by a National Day against homophobia. And in August 2004, French lecturer Louis-Georges Tan and activist for the rights of lesbians, blacks, gays, transsexuals and bisexuals were invited to celebrate this day on a world scale. The main goal was to attract public attention to lesbians, gays, transsexuals and bisexuals. This was particularly true for those countries that had taboo questions about sexuality, and people with LGBT manifestations were discriminated against. Louis-Georges Taine hoped that this day will change the life for the better of those people who are involved in LGBT people, and the fight against homophobia will become a matter for the authorities and will act as the will of the whole society.

As a result of the spread of homophobia itself, violations of the rights of sexual minorities occur. These violations are expressed in the obstruction of gays and lesbians to occupy certain positions, hold rallies and processions.

Since 2003, Russia has lifted the restriction on the prohibition of service in the army of homosexuals.

Most of the opponents of same-sex relationships claim that their prejudiced attitude toward homosexuality directly depends on their perceptions of the norm. Therefore, in their opinion, they do not relate their attitude to the abnormal. And many believe that the use of the term homophobia is an ideologically superfluous concept and suggested that it be replaced by a neutral term homonegativism. There is an opinion that homophobia is one of the forms of xenophobia and is associated with the fear of those who stand out from the general mass.

Against homophobia

The action "Week against homophobia" is an annual action, under the name "All are different and all are equal".Its goal is to draw attention to the problem of homophobia, as well as the danger it poses to society. This is a good opportunity to stop discrimination, as well as hatred of people.

The action is filled with various educational and information activities, actions, photo contests, flash mobs, film screenings, discussions, seminars, presentations of human rights projects and round tables. This action was supported by the Russian LGBT network.

More articles on this topic:

• Misophobia • Anthropophobia