For some of those guys, hitting on can be construed from merely being in the same room. It really is a bizarre phenomenon.
I’ve only seen the term used in terms of men, so I assumed it was a gender-specific term. I understand from this post that it can apply to individuals of either sex.
So one second is ok? 
I don’t know what this means.
You’re not homophobic. And by the way, there are a few sexual things (well ok, one thing) that you straight people do that I don’t even want to think about, much less see. And that doesn’t make me heterophobic.
You’re not bigoted or morally flawed or anything. But, depending on how someone chooses to employ the term, you might still qualify as “homophobic”, in a benign way; does seeing a homosexual kiss squick you out much more than a heterosexual kiss? Then perhaps there are grounds for calling you “homophobic”, to precisely that extent to which you have a special personal repulsion to homosexual acts above others, though there would not be good grounds for inferring from this that you are any kind of bigot or have any hatred or intolerance or otherwise dishonorable feelings directed at that particular group. And, of course, many people would therefore choose not to use the word “homophobic” to describe you, reserving it only for those who actually have such feelings and are thus worthy of contempt. Like many matters of word usage, it varies from person to person.
To clarify what I was saying: Of course, getting caught up too much in the particular word is just semantics. So, rephrasing it without the question of “What is ‘homophobia’?”, the basics of your situation are: there’s nothing particularly objectionable about your personal aesthetic preferences, so to speak, and, as you already know, you’re not a bigot, but it may nonetheless be the case that you do find certain acts much more off-putting when they are homosexual than when they are heterosexual. But you needn’t worry much over a fear that this makes you a “bad person”. You could tell me you were uncomfortable watching redheads make out, and it’d be pretty much the same deal, except for the cultural baggage which surrounds the one and not the other.
If I’m going to be blatantly honest, a man kissing a man is going to grab my attention a lot more than a man and a woman, or even a woman and a woman. It doesn’t bother me though, not to the level that I would avoid a movie, or a social event if there might be some boy-on-boy lip action.
I guess I don’t think you’re a homophobe, but it’s a little odd that a celluloid representation of an act would prevent you from seeing a good film. Now if BB was essentially gay porn with a storyline I could see where you’re coming from. But given the fact that it’s about two gay dudes, there’s relatively little kissing and intimate behavior going on.
Many people have a problem seeing extreme PDA, gay or straight, it doesn’t make you a homophobe. However, if you’re comfortable seeing a straight couple share a little kiss goodbye, you should be comfortable with a gay couple doing the same. You’re probably just uncomfortable with it due to a lack of exposure of such things. Watch the movie, skip the sex if you hate that sort of thing, but watch the kissing like any other movie, it’ll be a good first step to helping you get more comfortable with it.
I’m straight, but my best friend is gay. I have no problem having in depth talks about his love life, sex life, or the amazing array of things a gay porn star can fit in the anus, but I absolutely despise going to gay clubs with him. The guys tend to be way too aggressive and handsy without even giving you a chance to tell them you’re not interested, or even gay. From what my girlfriend tells me, it’s the same way for a woman at a straight club, but with the slightest chance of being interested. You can have your limits, just as long as they’re equally expressed to everyone.
Some of us are so bothered by seeing certain things in a film that the presence of it will completely overshadow anything else about the film. For example, I can’t stand gore in movies. I went to see Master and Commander, and the only thing I remember about it is feeling like I was going to vomit during the scene where the doctor performs surgery on himself. That scene overshadowed the whole rest of the movie for me, even though I didn’t look at the screen during most of it (Mr. Neville told me when it was safe for me to look).
If you found out a person you previously liked was part of a gay couple and then broke off your friendship, that would make you a homophobe.
If you still kept the friendship but wouldn’t allow the other person in the couple into your house, that would make you a homophobe.
If you asked them not to make out in your house, that would not make you a homophobe. If they insisted on doing so, that would make them damn impolite.
I was not asking what “Peter Pan Syndrome” means. I was asking what Nava meant by “official term.”
Some on the SDMB would say so; by page 3 this thread devolved into a discussion over pretty much that issue, with roughly equal numbers on each side.
So in order to prove one is not a homophobe, one must seek out and watch gay-themed TV shows and movies? :dubious:
I guess that makes me a homophobe too. I haven’t seen Brokeback Mountain and don’t plan to. I also don’t watch shows on LOGO…do I need to join the Phelps congregation now?
Your co-worker/friend/whoever it is is wrong. One can support an issue but not particpate in it. A few years ago I was opposed to an amendment that would ban smoking in all workplaces (except bars) in Florida. I don’t smoke.
And just to give that side equal time…
Yes, yes you are. You must report to a reeducation camp ASAP. Fail to comply and you will be immediately into custody at ‘pound me in the ass prison’.
(Can you tell I just rewatched Office Space this week?)
I have a friend who insists he’s not “homophobic” because, as he points out, he’s not afraid of gays. He just doesn’t like most of them. :rolleyes:
Of course not, but you’re missing out on some things. There’s certainly a lot of total crap on LOGO, but there are also some excellent and interesting movies that you won’t see anywhere else.
If you specifically avoid entertainment that deals with gay issues, and no other reason, then perhaps a little introspection is in order.
I think, though, that if someone had that same reaction to watching two guys kiss in a movie, one could accurately term them “homophobic.”
With respect, I don’t agree. I think reactions to men kissing, or women kissing, or men and women kissing, or what-have-you are involuntary.