Homophobia doesn’t kill, a statement in itself which is inaccurate, because in a matter of fact homophobia is greater than fear itself. It’s a killer. Now we often use the term to direct it towards homosexuality, but its also a negative attitude and prejudice towards religious beliefs and stereotyping certain people.

It’s a label we tend to brand of people and its that label which segregate certain individuals in society. Although the  latter population may not utter the word and describe them selves as Homo’s, the majority are not so shy; after all if I  was to say that I too have certain beliefs against sexuality; would that make me a homophobe ? I guess it would. But it doesn’t mean that I cannot have a deep conversation with them or work with them on a one to one basis. For most people it would seem that people who oppose homosexuality are mean, hateful, unenlightened, narrow-minded clods. That is not true. In many cases, it just may seem their beliefs and expectations on what is natural and what is not so clouds their judgement. But by frequently employing such words do we merely sabotage the efforts to make certain that homosexuality is ultimately sanctioned by those of us who would strike it from existence if we could.

So, why do we fear homosexuality?

• Okay, so its obvious its not natural. Science can ultimate challenge that. And that too directs towards religion. But here’s the link, if we bring religion into it. How many religious people do you think are homo’s, well the not natural argument would go against their religious beliefs. Basically its a perversion of the two. You cannot be religious and believe in gays, lesbians, transgender etc…how many priests do you know accept homosexuality. Not many. So ultimately religion is one the main factors which drives this fear.
• Its more of a us vs. them kind of agenda. Its somehow a subconscious belief in the mind that if someone else is granted rights, those rights come at one’s own expense. We somehow feel threatened, without the reasonable answer on why we do. We just don’t want a change in the environment. Or are simply afraid of that change and what the change will bring to us.
• Loss of control is another reason behind the fear, as humans there’s no doubt that we are born with primal instinct. Its like male animals who have the urge to dominate other species. There’s no different in the way the humans work, we dominate. Its another way saying, this is the right and the only way and so by loosing that control that dominance, it sparks up the fear of threat. An example of this would be prison raping. Its s why men, who on the inside of prisons rape other men with brutal frequency become promiscuous heterosexuals on the outside. Such men almost never have sex with other men as a means of emotional sharing, it’s rather a violent act, intended to control, assert dominance and force other men into a subordinate position.
• Here’s an interesting one, fear that one may actually be homosexual themselves. Why are people so afraid of accepting themselves as they really are. Is the fear in ourselves rather that the other. Truth is we often deny the reality and tend to point fingers elsewhere.

We tend to brush conversations like I say under the carpet , however the cost the society is paying is huge. We have increase religious hate crime, we have the worldwide condemning and mass killings of homosexuals, and make things worse their religious leaders give the go ahead for the killings as its states it’s the one of the commandments of the lord. Businessmen face the problem of sexual harassment and intimidation against their gay workers, and the resulting loss of productivity costs business an enormous amount of money every year.  We fear that homosexuals are bringing an increase into AIDS and HIV, and that’s unfortunately a scientific fact. Segregating the society in such a way that gay people now have their own ghettos, which clearly means no straight people allowed. And in the simple matter of sex, the fear of homosexuality among heterosexuals, particularly heterosexual men fearing that they themselves may be gay, has been the cause of a great deal of sexual dysfunction. Many a marriage has broken up because the man was unable to perform simply because of this fear, the ultimate breakdown of relationships and families.

So you put all these things into perspective and you can understand what drives the fear of homophobes, that’s includes me even though I am open minded. Its not about saying that its okay for homophobes and that they have the rights and freedom of speech, and its not about hating homophobes to have open views. Its realising why they react the way they do, and the reason that drives their fear to bring their judgement on certain people in the first place.

By Maria’m AS (ed. Truthrevoloution)