Homophobia
From ArticleWorld
Homophobia includes hating everything about homosexuality and homosexuality from their culture to their lifestyle. Sometimes these feeling can lay the groundwork for bigotry. Opposition to homosexuality or homosexuals on moral or political grounds is called being homophobic.
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Origin of the term
The word homophobia used as fear of homosexuality or homosexuals was first used in Time Magazine in 1969. The word homophobia combines the Greek words phobos which means fear or panic and homos which means the same.
Internalized homophobia
Internalized homophobia usually refers to homophobia as it applies to homosexuals that hate themselves and other people like them. It includes the fact that homosexuals are not comfortable and don’t accept their own sexual orientation. This case might cause a pushing back of homosexual desires. There is a pull between deeply held social and moral beliefs and strong emotions, desires, and needs. This pulling of emotions can cause deep depression and sometimes cause suicide among homosexual adults and teenagers. Internalized homophobia can lead to bigotry and prejudice too.
Homophobia equals prejudice
Since homosexuality usually has a negative view associated with it, it would be safe to say that homophobia often leads to prejudice against homosexuals. For example, many religions and societies are against homosexuality and homosexuality and some laws reflect that too. In the worse cases of homophobia, there has been violence perpetrated against homosexuals or people that were believed to be homosexuals.
Homophobia in popular culture
Homophobia is all around society when it comes to popular culture. Eminem got much publicity because people thought that he wrote homophobic songs. Matt Shepard was beaten to death for being openly gay and his case gained national attention. A movie about Matt Shepard’s life was also made.