Homophobia (Day 9 of Living Beyond a Label!)

Homophobia is an irrational fear of, and hatred or aversion towards people experiencing same sex and/or gender attraction. So while primarily aimed at those who are lesbian and gay it also spills over onto those who are bisexual, pansexual, etc. Actions that are homophobic may include harassment, discrimination, or even violence against people based on their sexuality. 

While homophobia is not uncommon, and may be ingrained in social norms, this does not make it acceptable. Homophobia causes harm to others and is based in hate, anger and fear of those who are different.

Often conflated with heterosexism, there are some key differences.  First, heterosexism is more about prioritizing heterosexual people above non-heterosexual people, essentially discrimination in favour of heterosexuality rather than against homosexuality which occurs on a less personal and more societal level, and is a product of heteronormativity. 

Homophobia can be blatant or it can be more subtle. From bullying, harassment and acts of violence, to speaking against LGBTQ+ rights, avoiding people who are LGBTQ+ or making generalizations and erroneous assumptions about LGBTQ+ people.

Homophobia exists for many reasons, including but not limited to, religious beliefs, fear of what  is different, lack of education, or even struggling to accept one’s own identity.

Homophobia can lead to stress, trauma, poor mental  health, poor physical health, and in general lower overall quality of life.

[image consists of a stop homophobia hand]

So what can we do about Homophobia?

If you are a victim of homophobia, you may find yourself wanting to fight back, but it’s important to ensure your safety first and foremost. Afterward you may want to connect with others to get help, depending on where and what happened you may be able to contact the authorities, or the administration of a business, or simply one of the many support resources for LGBTQ+ people. Though sadly in some cases even contacting the authorities may require the use of caution so your safety and wellbeing is still most important. 

Culturally we can work to shift away from heterosexism and homophobia by making an effort to avoid assumptions, learn, and ask questions. Better yet we can seek to become an ally! (Want to learn more about being an ally? See this thread as part of our Living Beyond a Label events!)

If you feel up to it, share your own experiences with homophobia and/or how you work to overcome those?