I do not feel very comfortable around homosexual people, I feel like there out to get my bum haha. I really dont understand why i feel like this, whenever i spot a homo i stay as far away as i can. I feel homophobia is just a natural reaction to something you dont like, for example snakes or spiders its just a phobia. I think that this phobia will never go away in alot of people, just because its natural. Although many people over come their phobias. What do ou all think of homophobia or phobias at all?
Well, as a psychology fanatic I've done a lot of reading. Some recent psychology journals have suggested the term homonegativity, reflecting the perspective that behaviors and thoughts that are frequently considered homophobic are not fear-based but instead reflect a disapproval of homosexuality. Coretta King said that, "Homophobia is like racism and antisemitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood."
But, on the flip side you could possibly look at it in a general phobic manner. That it has to do with an individual's psychopathology, thus being an irrational fear just like a fear of balloons or red gloves. So, you could possibly have a true phobia if you fit the prerequisites. Those would be:
* Shortness of breath or smothering sensation * Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate * Chest pain or discomfort * Trembling or shaking * Feeling of choking * Sweating * Nausea or stomach distress * Feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded, or faint * Feelings of unreality or of being detached from yourself * Fear of losing control or going crazy * Fear of dying * Numbness or tingling sensations * Hot or cold flashes * Fear of fainting Also note that the DSM does not classify homophobia as a true phobia. But the DSM is hit or miss on classification, but that's a whole different discussion.
Being homophobic, or just homoscared is normal. See, most people aren't scared around other races, there scared on what they'll do.
Homosexuals, I think, are a different case, maybe not. So, either you just dun like 'em or you just really are afraid of them. I'd put myself at 20-80. Depending on who you are.
Also, I agree with SwitchFoot, nevah have heard of it.
when is apoppapis coming it's coming really soon in the year 2036 if the people dint hear it made we will be exstint but if we can shoot it it will still come with alot of little rocks and 20 percent of the wold might live might live i said might
as i commented in the homosexuality page, i fell ok around ****. Also, i agree switchfoot. "I do not feel very comfortable around homosexual people, I feel like there out to get my bum haha" This is EXTREMELY rude. P.S. If you want to know my opioun on homosexuality, read it, near page 71
Staying on the topic of phobias, and specifically Crunk's alleged phobia, this is something I've thought about a fair bit (as a medical student heading towards clinical psychiatry and neuropsychiatry). I'm going to suggest that while this obviously relates to some "natural" part of our functioning (which I'll loosely call 'fear of the other',) that most of the basis for this is cultural and learned behaviors- which is why Armed_Blade is under the impression that this is "normal". It may be "normal" at this time (this is debatable); whether it will continue to be, and whether it is "desirable" is a different matter.
I'm not usually a fan of psychoanalysis (in the proper, Freudian sense), but where it does work stands as good evidence that the thing being described is more "in your head" than anywhere else. Ultimately I'm not sure whether it's useful to tell somebody they either do or don't 'have a phobia', as with many things DSM, the real indicator of pathology is how much 'distress' it causes, especially within the subject/patient themselves.
In general, phobias are defined by behaviors- unless there's an underlying comorbidity, these are usually treatable with a bit of cognitive therapy i.e. altering the patterns of your own thoughts and behaviors so that you no longer get locked into distressing/debilitating situations.
So Crunk, supposing that you did have a phobia of homosexual people, and the option to free yourself of this was given to you (which, in reality, there's little reason to believe this isn't the case). What would you do about it?
There's no question that learned behavior is implicated in this particular "hobia", as history shows us that homosexuality was once accepted (Greeks, etc.) So I don't know why such a debate would be necessary. I do, however, think that the fear involved is rather irrational, as we have established that not all homosexual people are aiming their genitalia at heterosexual orifices... So regarding said fear, what kinds of actions can be taken to correct/confront it? That I think, is the important question here, and one that would ultimately get down to the root cause.
As a facetious counterexample to garifu's argument, there were probably homophobes in the ancient Greek times, but they would have been in the minority :P
Just as Crunk appears to be, in this thread, washed amidst a sea of disapproval (a sentiment I hope I haven't conveyed myself!) Funny huh :P
Also (again to be facetious), who's to say that the homosexual people were aiming their genitalia at heterosexaul orifices? xD
Everybody out of the closet! It's time to release your inner-rainbow!
