Fear of Homosexual people, or becoming one yourself.
Homophobia is the fear of homosexuals or of being homosexual. It encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred or antipathy, may be based on irrational fear and may sometimes be related to religious beliefs.
Homophobia is observable in critical and hostile behavior such as discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientations that are non-heterosexual. Recognized types of homophobia include institutionalized homophobia, e.g. religious homophobia and state-sponsored homophobia, and internalized homophobia, experienced by people who have same-sex attractions, regardless of how they identify.
Causes[]
The term 'Homophobia' is much more commonly used to describe hatred of Homosexuals than as a fear of them.
Thus, there are many reasons that a person could have this phobia, as everyone is different, and has their own reasons in why they believe what they do.
Treatment[]
As stated in the 'Causes' section, a person who has this phobia likely has it for personal reasons, and there is no definitive way to treat it.
See also[]
- Heterophobia – fear of the opposite sex
- Lesbiphobia - fear of lesbians
Trivia[]
- The term 'homophobia' is much more commonly used to describe hatred of homosexuals than as a fear of them.