My grandmother called the couch a “davenport” … I still knew what she meant.
Then keep in mind to forward any invitations to yours truly ;).
Time to update your dictionary. While the Greek rook phobos may indicate “fear”, -phobia is now taken to mean an extreme abnormal fear OR aversion to. In fact, the Merriam-Webster defines “homophobia” as the “irrational fear of, aversion to, discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.”
I might say that this argument – I’m no homophobe: I’m not afraid of gays! – really strikes me as terribly silly.* A simple glance at a modern dictionary would show “homophobia” is not just restricted to “fear”; it has a much wider accepted meaning, which clearly encompasses the usage taken by modro.
- Want some proof that the meaning of words change with time? Look up some of the meanings the word “silly” has taken over the years.
I must say, I’m sorry. I had no idea that the entire point I was trying to make was made moot by my choice of the word homophobe. Amazing how quickly moral issues can be broken down to arguments over word choice, isn’t it.
I’d hand all of the invitations over to you, but I’m afraid I’d be risking a hernia, as there are so many of them.
Think of it as evolution to a new topic.
New evolution: every time I hear some one speak out against universal marriage because marriage is designed to protect a family with children, I get purely enraged. So MY marriage is invalid because because I have not produced another gas-guzzling waste producing selfish bigotted US citizen? Then why should my marriage be legal?
Well, in fairness, I think they may get perceived as indiscriminate fuck machines more because they’re guys than because they’re gays. Looking around my office, the single guys here are all pretty indiscriminate about where they’ll put their dicks, the only difference being that some of them want to put them into 90% of the women they see (even Martha Stewart if they’re in their normal state of non-sobriety), and the others want to put them into 90% of the men they see.
According to the theory put forward in Ferrous’s recent Pit thread, many straight men think that gay men will view them the way they (the straight men) view other women. Personally, I think there’s a lot of merit to this, so the guys who instantly get defensive about fending off advances may be telling you something rather interesting about their own habits.
(sorry if the spelling or coding are screwed up, my browser isn’t letting me preview)
Call me a homophobe because I don’t want a massage from a man if you want.
But to call me a homophobe because I reference a “gay lifestyle.” to make a point is just wrong. Lets say there is no “gay lifestyle” and (for the sake of agrument) I thought there was one, does that make me a homophobe. Nowhere in your definition of homophobe does it mention ignorance. By the way if Webster says …aversion to…homosexuality is homophobia, doesn’t that include all straights?
By Narrad: "the Merriam-Webster defines “homophobia” as the “irrational fear of, aversion to, discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.” "
No. I may, for the sake of argument, have an aversion to homosexual acts, in that I don’t want to perform them myself (unless I’ve had a lot of alcohol, and he’s really cute ). But that doesn’t mean I have an aversion to homosexuals themselves.
To put it another way: I don’t like broccoli. (The deadliest vegetable on earth…it tries to warn you itself with it’s terrible taste.) But I don’t have any problem hanging out with people who eat broccoli.
I call busllshit. Nobody said any such thing and massages from men were never ever mentioned. You have been called a homophobe because you posted this:
First, there is no gay lifestyle, any more than there is a blue-eyed lifestyle or a redhead lifestyle. The only thing gay people have in common is that we fall in love with members of our own genders. Other than that, we are as diverse as the rest of humanity. The “gay lifestyle” bullshit is just another attempt to cram us into one catch-all category.
Second, you cannot disagree with being gay any more than you can with haveing blue eyes or red hair. Being gay is an aspect of a person’s being, not a political position one can debate. Preach all you please, I can no more change my sexuality than you can the color of your skin.
But… but… I just bought a credenza and I have no idea where to put it!
I’m sure you’ll be able to make a suggestion, though.
If you really want to make 'em sick, pick Janet Waco.
I got into an argument with a gay man about the war in Iraq. That would be an example of not “agreeing with gays.” I have a feeling you meant something else though, more like you don’t approve of their existence.
And thanks to gobear for making sure I didn’t blow a gasket this morning. I’ll probably end up, er, heating up later. B and I are going to see Pirates (I’m expecting it to be an eye candy flick). Plus, y’know, empty house and all’at this weekend.
I am merely giving an example of what I consider evidence of homophobia. Whats your point?
Also read my entire post. It also says "My question is, are those that are ignorant enough to think that the flamboyant gay guy portrayed on many a TV show is the norm considered homophobic?
I don’t think misconceptions about gays=homophobic"
Fine. So “gay lifestyle” is a bullshit term.
Well, the Massage example doesn’t quite count. No one said the guy giving the massage is gay. So you don’t want a guy touching you, that’s fine.
Doesn’t make you homophobic.
I would get uncomfortable if I had a woman touching me in a sexual manner, doesn’t make me heterophobic.
I don’t think ignorance really counts either. It’s one thing to believe a sterotype, it is another thing altogether to use that stereotype as a means of hurting other people. Ignorance isn’t an irrational fear, it is ignorance. Where homophobia comes in, is if we met in person, and you got to know me. Suppose we became friends, got along real well, then I told you I was gay. How would your opinion change. Would you have less respect for me? Avoid me? Even if by knowing me in the first place I proved that the stereotypes were incorrect?
If you would, that is homophobia.
I agree with that completely. Is that scenario really that common? (FTR I have gay clients and freinds and don’t respect them less or avoid them)
No, but you wanted to know if ignorance counted as homophobia, and I just used that as an example of what does.
Fine, no gay lifestyle. But - there is an AGENDA. The Supreme Court says so. Where do I get a copy?
So, since I’m a woman who would never ever ever ever go to a male gynaecologist (and I think I’d even be uncomfortable going to a male GP to be honest), by your logic doesn’t that mean it’s evidence I’m gay?