# Homophobes aroused by gay porn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549 "2003-12-07T14:45:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/21 "2003-12-08T04:14:55Z")
The idea that people who are homophobic to a degree such that they attack homosexuals are in fact repressing their own homosexuality has been around for a long time, and it appeals to people on several levels. But I’ve never seen anything that approaches a factual demonstration of the hypothesis. As **Northern Piper** noted, the study **Otto** cited is hardly conclusive. The idea of homophobia indicating repressed homosexuality might be right.\* It might be way off base. It certainly could make sense, but I’ve not seen the hard evidence. \*[sub]I’d guess an “out” reformed gay-basher might have a tough time dating.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/22 "2003-12-08T05:53:10Z")
Personally, I have a hard time believing a self-described homophobe would agree to take part in such a study as Otto describes to begin with. The second a scientist said, “Okay now, Billy Bob, we’re going to attach a sensor to your penis and see how it reacts to stimuli,” any GENUINE homophobe would snarl, “What are you, gay? I’m outta here!” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/23 "2003-12-08T07:03:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \* > \*\*How exactly does the Index of Homophobia scale work? \*\* It is one of a series of copyrighted “Personal Adjustment Scales” sold by the Walmyr Publishing Company, a major player in the field of Social Services/Human Services test scales. This is their description of this scale: > [@](#): > > **Index of Homophobia (IHP)** > > The SAS is designed to measure the level of homophobia. Scores range from 0 to 100 where low scores indicate a non-homophobic response and higher scores indicate a homophobic response. > > Reliability: .90 or greater. > Validity: .60 and greater. > Clinical Cutting Score: 50 > Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7 > Authors: Wendell A. Ricketts and Walter W. Hudson It is basically a bunch of questions like: [ul][li]I would feel comfortable if I learned my neighbor was gay.[/li][li]I would feel comfortable if my daughter’s teacher was lesbian.[/li][li]I would be disgusted to see two men holding hands.[/li][/ul] that you answer 1-(strongly agree) to 5-(strongly disagree). You can [see a sample here](http://www.walmyr.com/IHPSAMPL.pdf) This scale has been around for quite a while; it was originally developed in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/24 "2003-12-08T07:12:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by myles \* > \*\*Isn’t such a blanket cover statement, a scientifically nonfalsifiable hypothesis? Or else many people who spew hatred against gays, are not actually clinical homophobes? > > I mean, a person who suffers from agoraphobia, is not necessarily a repressed social butterfly, a person who suffers from arachnopohobia, is not necessarily a repressed arachnophone, so why should homosexuality be any different? \*\* It’s different because “homophobia” is a clinical term that refers to people who react angrily to homosexuals specifically as a result of their fear that they themselves may be gay. Through misuse, the term has come to be applied to anyone who disapproves of homosexuality for any reason. “Agoraphobia” has no similar history to its usage and application. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/25 "2003-12-08T07:14:14Z")
I dunno, **astorian** , read the article. I’m guessing they took a survey and then said, “Alright now we’re going to look at porn” and the guys were like “Alright! Free porn!” And if they’re like most colleges, Psych 101 students have to participate in studies anyway, so they figured they may as well look at free porn and get class credit for it. Besides, most homophobes won’t admit they’re homophobic. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/26 "2003-12-08T18:06:52Z")
Homophobia is different from say agoraphobia or arachnophobia in that some latent homosexuals may be overcompensating for what they feel are inappropriate urges. ---
**Author:** ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/27 "2003-12-08T18:49:44Z")
I would think that seeing any sensual sexual activity would elicit a basal sexual stimulation response. Your brain’s instinctual interest is elicited. The more pertinent question is whether male/female, female/female, or male/male sexual activity is the MOST exciting to a person. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/28 "2003-12-08T19:27:09Z")
I think **beajerry** makes a good point. Have there been any tests measuring the arousal of homosexuals viewing straight porn? By the implied logic, if gay folks get turned on by straight porn then they “are in fact repressing their own heterosexuality”. Sounds like some dodgy conclusions to me. . . DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/29 "2003-12-08T19:30:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Personally, I have a hard time believing a self-described homophobe would agree to take part in such a study as Otto describes to begin with. Having spent a small amount of time as a psychology student and research subject, I can tell you that psychological researchers often lie to subjects about what they are testing. ---
**Author:** ![myles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@myles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myles)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549/30 "2003-12-08T19:35:12Z")
> [@](#): > > ## \*Originally posted by bannerrefugee \* \*\*quote: > > ## Originally posted by Krokodil Isn’t a degree of repressed homosexuality part of the clinical definition of homophobia? (Source: Culture of Complaint by Robert Hughes) > > **Myles asks** > > Isn’t such a blanket cover statement, a scientifically nonfalsifiable hypothesis? Or else many people who spew hatred against gays, are not actually clinical homophobes? > > I think it can be studied. For example you could survey a group of young people on homophobic tendencies then track them and the control for changes in sexual preference. Why not? \*\* Maybe, but my point was that you cannot say that ALL homophobes are homosexuals, or that by definition a homophobe is a homosexual or else they or not a homophobe. Homophobia is a deeply cultural emotion felt by many, many people in the world (Christian fundamentalists, Islamic extremists), and you would need to study millions of people for traits of homosexuality or homophobia before you could even start to make such an overblown stereotyping statement. And if you temper the definition so that an individual can only be labeled a homophobe only if they are also a homosexual is to completely warp the definition of words so as they lose all meaning. It’s important to remember that such issues as sexual preference, and comfort with sexuality are cultural, societal, and religious issues and are NOT biological. The proponents of the theory that all homophobes are homosexuals would go so far as to say that if a religious group preached unreasoning fear of a sexual preference, then all members of that religious group, whether members of the group by birth or by choice were by direct implication homosexuals, solely because of their religious beliefs and completely independent of any personal sexual preferences. For instance, most of nineteenth century America was much more conservative and fearful of such issues as homosexuality than we are today, the above proponents would therefore say that most Americans in the nineteenth century were latent homosexuals. And I simply refuse to accept that proposition, based on the evidence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homophobes-aroused-by-gay-porn/217549.md?page=1)