I will always believe homophobia is a mental illness

My wife and I have been discussing this after a thoughtful post about the way some DUers were trying to portray Corsi (I think I got the name right) with this type of a rumor. First off, there is nothing wrong with being gay. And as the OP so thoughtfully posted, such talk on this (especially on this forum) should not be tolerated. I keep believing that we are progressive, accepting, loving people here. I don't think it is PC to point out that the way being gay has been discussed in this instance and in other supposedly joking threads should be restricted (yes, free speech and all. But this, imo, is cloaked hate speech).

I asked my wife, a school psychologist, if homophobia was listed as a mental illness in the DSM-IV. Her book is in her office at work, but she said it is a phobia, and it could affect a person who has to work with gay people or interact with them quite frequently (and, of course, can't accept their lifestyle). So, any shrinks around here who may have a copy on hand, you may be able to share some of your thoughts on this.

I have had to work with my own personal prejudices throughout my life. Growing up in Texas, I heard the "N" word quite frequently, even from my grandfather, a poor dirt farmer from Oklahoma who never made it past 8th grade. And I loved him. But thanks to my mom, the first person in my family to get a college education, she taught me how wrong this type of thinking is. I remember my mom inviting a young, AA couple over to our apartment for dinner in 1968. I can remember that the AA man had my first name. I was later shooed off to bed, but I can still remember how nervous the man looked throughout the night. It was still pretty unacceptable for blacks and whites to mingle, and coming to an apartment complex in a white part of town probably made him a little nervous. Of course, being a 7 year old at the time, I didn't exactly know all of this. Oh, and by the way, my mom will be 72 and is a fine, progressive woman who votes democratic. I'm very proud of her.

I digressed on the homophobia issue, but I wanted to say I have truly NEVER, EVER UNDERSTOOD the thinking behind it. I have never been "fearful" or "turned off" or "sickened" by it like homophobes are. Why the hate and fear? And I'm sorry, the "well, he's a closeted, self-loathing gay" I don't completely buy into. In my opinion, gay people are too good to display such evil. LOL, I know that's painting with a broad brush, and there surely are some self-loathing gay people (Larry Craig, anyone?). But I truly believe that most homophobes are just hateful, sick people who happen to be straight.

Anyway, a bit of a rant. The post I read this morning on the insensitivity of some here toward our gay and lesbian friends really made me think and want to say this. And, of course, there is only one true gay agenda. The agenda is to have the same rights and privileges as everyone else as outlined in our constitution. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, is there?

People who are sick don't deserve blame (because they're *sick*). Hence, I don't believe hating gay folks is an illness. It's a character flaw. And a character flaw that people choose to continue, or to end.


EDIT: Added last sentence for clarification.

But you make an excellent point.

some Christians and other folks are taught by their parents and some religious zealots that gay is bad.

. . . repressed homosexuality.

That would make way more people gay than could realistically be gay.

I know Alfred Kinsey's early studies of sexuality have been called into question, but it's still some of the most in-depth information we have. Kinsey established a 6-point scale of sexuality with 0 being totally heterosexual and 6 being totally homosexual. Based on his studies, at least a third of the men he surveyed had experienced sex with another ma to the point of orgasm at some point during their lives. A lot of this happens as young people "experiment" or perhaps lack the opportunity for heterosexual contacts. It doesn't mean they are gay or will become gay, but in such a hetero-centric society as our's an experience a young person may find pleasurable with a same-sex partner is fraught with anxiety. It doesn't take long for young people to pick up on the message that any sex not recognized as "normal" is something to be ashamed of. So they shift into shame and denial in an attempt to reinforce their image of themselves as "normal." Part of this is externalized into lashing out at others who are different.

it's a fear of the new. by having to accept gay relationships as equal, they'd also have to accept a whole new viewpoint of the world, and have to learn much beyond the small sphere they've lived in their whole life. I pity most homophobes and try to teach them gradually. eventually, I have in fact seen this change people.

in another, say 4.5%, of homophobes, it's just a symptom of other mental disorders. if you knew a schizophrenic who insisted that there are nano-satellites buzzing around them, you wouldn't say nano-satellite-phobia was their problem.

in that remaining 0.5%, it may very well be a genuine phobia.