"Homophobia is Based in Arousal" WOW!?

You might also want to check out our own SPOOFE and MEBuckner’s rendition of The Jack Chick of Homosexuality, right in the Straight Dope’s own online magazine, Teemings. Puts Mr. Cameron’s words to much better use, IMHO. :wink:

Esprix

Esprix sez:

Well, if I may… :smiley:

I’m sure it’s been mentioned before, but I find the word “homophobe” quite interesting. For one thing, it is etymologically incorrect. Literally translated, homophobia means fear of the same. I suppose that a word like homoerophobia would have been a much more accurate alternative when referring to a fear of homosexuals/homosexuality.

That said, could it be that this “mis-coined” term actually says something of note in this discussion? If a homophobe is someone who is both afraid of homosexuals, and afraid of “the same,” wouldn’t that imply that said homophobe is in fact a homosexual?

OK… this is just a play on etymology, and adds very little of substance to this discussion, but I thought it was mildly amusing.

For the record, I am neither homophobic nor “homoerophobic.” Whew… got my tracks covered there.