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Homophobia (from Greek homos, same and fobos, fear) literally means "fear of the same," however the term "homo" as a reference to homosexuals was used in the creation of the word. There are several different interpretations. The two main associated concepts are:
1. Prejudice against homosexuals or LGBT people in general.
2. Fear of homosexuality (and possibly the associated avoidance of exposure to homosexuals or related materials and situations).
LGBT (or GLBT) is an acronym used as a collective term to refer to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. It is considered less controversial than the terms queer or lesbigay.
Gay rights supporter Scott Bidstrup, in a personal essay titled Homophobia: The Fear Behind The Hatred, emphasizes the association between prejudice and fear:
If you look up homophobia in the dictionary, it will probably tell you that it is the fear of homosexuals. While many would take issue with that definition, it is nevertheless true that in many ways, it really is a fear of homosexuality or at least homosexuals. 1
Niclas Berggren, writing in the Independent Gay Forum, argues that "homophobic" opinions are irrational:
It is usually not the case, for homophobic persons, that the basis of their attitudes towards homosexuality is rational reasoning, or intellectual argumentation. Such endeavors have, as a rule, been added afterwards, to try to give the homophobia a nicer and more respectable framing. However, these attempts to argue intellectually against homosexuality are utter failures. 2
Christian commentator Gregory Koukl, in a personal essay titled Heterosexism, objects to the medicalization of a moral position:
The word homophobia has come to describe any kind of opposition to homosexuality of any sort, but its interesting that part of their homosexuals' goal was to shift the emphasis from what many perceived to be a homosexual problem, away from the homosexual activity itself, and towards the attitude people have about homosexuality.... They purposely did this to change the focus of the discussion from the morality of their activity and the social appropriateness of their lifestyle to the attitudinal bias of those who would judge them
1. Prejudice against homosexuals or LGBT people in general.
2. Fear of homosexuality (and possibly the associated avoidance of exposure to homosexuals or related materials and situations).
LGBT (or GLBT) is an acronym used as a collective term to refer to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. It is considered less controversial than the terms queer or lesbigay.
Gay rights supporter Scott Bidstrup, in a personal essay titled Homophobia: The Fear Behind The Hatred, emphasizes the association between prejudice and fear:
If you look up homophobia in the dictionary, it will probably tell you that it is the fear of homosexuals. While many would take issue with that definition, it is nevertheless true that in many ways, it really is a fear of homosexuality or at least homosexuals. 1
Niclas Berggren, writing in the Independent Gay Forum, argues that "homophobic" opinions are irrational:
It is usually not the case, for homophobic persons, that the basis of their attitudes towards homosexuality is rational reasoning, or intellectual argumentation. Such endeavors have, as a rule, been added afterwards, to try to give the homophobia a nicer and more respectable framing. However, these attempts to argue intellectually against homosexuality are utter failures. 2
Christian commentator Gregory Koukl, in a personal essay titled Heterosexism, objects to the medicalization of a moral position:
The word homophobia has come to describe any kind of opposition to homosexuality of any sort, but its interesting that part of their homosexuals' goal was to shift the emphasis from what many perceived to be a homosexual problem, away from the homosexual activity itself, and towards the attitude people have about homosexuality.... They purposely did this to change the focus of the discussion from the morality of their activity and the social appropriateness of their lifestyle to the attitudinal bias of those who would judge them
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