The Newspeak of Gay ‘Rights’

(Not exactly a positive article from the Harvard Crimson, but an interesting look at language evolution on LGBT issues)

While “homophobia” was begotten on college campuses, it has spread throughout political circles as gay rights advocates came to realize branding their opponents “homophobes” was a convenient way to discredit them.

But new, more egregious terminologies have now been invented that will never be found infiltrating non-academic fora.

<snip>

“Heteronormative” is a peculiar (some would say vapid) invention that does not yet pack the rhetorical punch “homophobia” does, largely because the idea that underlies it is so absurd on the face of things.

<snip>

This is the face of “heteropresumption”—the companion noun of “heteronormative”—which is the gaffe of assuming the person you’re talking to is, like the vast majority are, a heterosexual.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=509705

While I tend to roll my eyes at the Harvard Crimson's editorial, I have been coming to the conclusion that we use the word "homophobia" way too much.

It's an easy charge to throw at those who oppose use, but it's like calling Republicans "Nazis" in that it can be so over-the-top that it looses its effectiveness. (And, yes, I'm just as guilty at tossing the word "homophobia" around.)

While there are truly some people I consider homophobic (Fred Phelps and his clan of inbred followers, for instance), I think "heterosexist" is a more appropriate word for those who oppose LGBT issues.

Heterosexism doesn't come from a near-pathological hatred or fear of homosexuals, but from a presumption that heterosexuals are "normal" and anything else is somehow less than normal. I see a lot of that right here on DU from straight people who may not by against LGBT issues, but just don't understand them. These are the same folks who say things like "I just don't understand why you people have to be so confrontational about your sexuality" (as if being gay was only about what we do in bed).

But how do we reach these people and educate them? I've tried (as have lots of others here on the LGBT forum) to respond to their posts, but most of the time they never respond. We don't even know if they have read the responses or if they have read them and just dismissed them as "bitching from those radical fags."