Is Homophobia a Mental Illness?

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Homophobia: By definition, “an extreme and irrational aversion to and hostility toward gay or lesbian people, or those generally believed to be deviant from traditional gender stereotypes.” Not long ago, homosexuality was wrongly labeled a mental disorder. Today, we know the real disorder in this context is homophobia. We use this term broadly, applying it to almost anyone uncomfortable with or morally opposed to homosexuality. But research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that someone with true homophobia is more than just uncomfortable or irritated. They harbor both an actual phobia, which is an irrational fear of a perceived threat that does not exist, as well as something called “psychoticism,” a personality trait characterized by aggression, impulsivity and anti-social behavior.

So how do we distinguish a genuine homophobe from others who are merely ill at ease with same-gender romance, sex and marriage? If the person’s emotional reaction to homosexuality is intense, automatic and visceral, then a mental disorder is at work. Just like anyone with another type of phobia, these individuals experience a physical as well as emotional reaction—heart rate up, breathing quick, flushing “hot,” and the like. In kind, they will strive to avoid or attack what frightens them, employing anything from rejection and withdrawal to verbal abuse, discrimination or even physical violence. The nasty psychological impacts of these harassments on LGBTQIA+ people are well documented.

It may seem odd that fear is the driving emotional force here because, if you observe homophobes, their anti-gay rants bristle with hostility and self-righteous indignation. But, with them, fear masquerades as hate. And although those with homophobia may not realize it, this fear may not be confined to those they despise. It may also be toward themselves. A psychological dynamic found in many homophobes is their unacknowledged erotic interest in the same sex combined with an upbringing by authoritarian parents who vehemently vilified such desires. Many of these persons are at war with themselves, torn between their repressed same-sex attraction and the ingrained prohibition against all things homosexual imposed by their social tribe.

Inner Conflict

This theory—that homophobes project their inner conflict outward at homosexuals—remains a matter of debate, but studies suggest it is often accurate. The unconscious nature of this same-sex attraction explains some of the scandalous “outings” of ardent anti-gay public figures who become involved in homosexual behavior. As one example, there was evangelical preacher Ted Haggard who pontificated against same-sex marriage and “sodomites” only to be exposed in a gay sex scandal. There are many other examples of this sort, often among ministers and politicians who publicly condemn homosexuality despite engaging in same-sex acts.

It’s easy to dismiss such people as hypocrites, but it’s also important to remember that many of them are in denial about their homosexual desires. They’ve been admonished to repress these urges and have plenty of practice doing just that. It may seem improbable, but through denial a person can hide such truths from themselves, only to have them suddenly erupt through their behavior.     

How could this level of repression develop? Well, in a homophobic family, someone with same-sex desires is at grave risk of losing familial support, love and inclusion. To a young person, this can be very threatening, so repressing or denying these urges is common. On the flip side, the research also found people who have emotionally supportive and accepting parents are far more likely to be in touch with their sexual orientation, rather than repress it, and to be comfortable with those different from themselves.

To most “live and let live” folks, homophobia seems more a character defect than a bonafide mental malady, but it clearly is the latter. Persons with this condition are at risk of harming others, both emotionally and physically, and some have perpetrated hate crimes and even murder. Without question, their mental illness is no excuse for such behavior. Rather, it’s a reason to look in the mental mirror, acknowledge the problem and get help.

It’s also worth noting that, whether one thinks same-gender love and sex are natural or not, our species is the only one that responds to homosexuality with hate. We’re the outlier.

For more, visit philipchard.com.