Susan's Place Transgender Resources

News and Events => People news => Topic started by: VanOcc on January 04, 2011, 10:03:11 AM

Title: Straight men kissing more
Post by: VanOcc on January 04, 2011, 10:03:11 AM
Not sure if this is in the right place, bear with me. XD

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/04/straight-men-kissing-homophobia (http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/04/straight-men-kissing-homophobia)

But do the Guardian seriously think that just because more straight men are kissing each other ingrained, institutionalised homophobia is on the decline?

---

Straight men kissing more

Why are more and more straight men locking lips in public – and does it mean the end of homophobia?

    * Lucy Tobin
    * The Guardian, Tuesday 4 January 2011

When two students asked Eric Anderson, a sociology lecturer at Bath University's department of education, if he had heard of the game "gay chicken", he shook his head. "I had no clue what it was," he says. "So they showed me." The students – both men – went in to kiss each other.

"The challenge was that whoever pulled out first was the loser," Anderson explains. "But because men are no longer afraid of this, they ended up kissing." Anderson was inspired to carry out a new research project.
Title: Re: People clearly don't understand what homophobia is about.
Post by: JessicaH on January 04, 2011, 10:21:03 AM
I kinda hate the word HOMOPHOPHOBIA.  A phobia is an irrational fear of something which is diferent from disgust, dislike or hate. I really dont think that most hate and intolerance is from irrational fear.
Title: Re: People clearly don't understand what homophobia is about.
Post by: VanOcc on January 04, 2011, 10:39:09 AM
Homophophobia? :P

You're right.. although I think a lot of straight stereotypical men might be irrationally afraid of someone else who is male bodied not liking women just because it doesn't make sense and they react badly.

But yes. Disgust, dislike or hatred can evolve from an irrational fear, but the fear isn't always there.
Title: Re: People clearly don't understand what homophobia is about.
Post by: VeryGnawty on January 04, 2011, 10:43:52 AM
There's a difference between judgment and fear.  Judgment comes from an internal desire for control.  Fear is an internal feeling of lacking control.  Homophobia will always have an element of judgment, but it won't always have an element of fear.
Title: Re: People clearly don't understand what homophobia is about.
Post by: JessicaH on January 04, 2011, 11:56:28 AM
If it doesnt have irrational fear then its the incorrect word! Jusr sayin...  ;D
Title: Re: People clearly don't understand what homophobia is about.
Post by: Hermione01 on January 04, 2011, 09:28:27 PM
Quote from: StacyBeaumont on January 04, 2011, 11:56:28 AM
If it doesnt have irrational fear then its the incorrect word! Jusr sayin...  ;D

But wouldn't you agree that it is irrational to hate or despise someone purely because of their sexuality?  Same goes for race etc.  When we loathe someone based on nothing else but their gender, sexuality, race, there is an element of fear as well as hate and disgust. 

Some of those irrational fears are a guy fears that others think he is gay.  Fear of being seen with a flamboyant gay guy.  Fear of being sexually aroused by gay porn or attraction to another man.  Fear of actually being gay.  Fear of catching gayness from another guy so much bash him to make sure it doesn't happen. All sounds pretty irrational to me, and that would be 90 percent of what Homophobia is based on, IMO.