Heterophobia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heterophobia is a term used to describe irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against heterosexuals. Heterophobic is the adjective form of this term used to describe the qualities of these characteristics while heterophobe is the noun form given as a title to individuals with heterophobic characteristics. Heterophobia is used in the same manner as homophobia - that being, one who has a fear of something. In the case of homophobics, they are alleged to fear homosexuals. Heterophobics fear heterosexuals or more precisely, in both cases, those who support or practice a lifestyle which mimics their cause. Although either of these uses may not capture the approval of all literary scholars - the intent of both has been accepted by governments world wide.
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[edit] Alternative uses
The term is also used by some[who?] to imply that extending equal rights to LGBT people inherently constitutes discrimination against heterosexuals, or as an intentionally absurd use of language made generally by more conservative position in LGBT debates, to counteract perceived pejorative bias of the term homophobia.
Heterophobia may also be an intentionally subversive use of language made generally by more conservative position in LGBT debates, to counteract perceived pejorative bias of the term homophobia. Critics[who?] of LGBT equality measures often see themselves as having rational and morality-based reasons for disagreeing with particular LGBT positions, while the other side may accuse them of taking the 'homophobic' position. They may see the word 'homophobic' as an ad hominem attack and in response, they demonstrate the perceived absurdity and inapplicability of this term by using variations of the term heterophobia or moralityphobia.[citation needed]
[edit] Criticism of the term
SUNY professor Dr. Ray Noonan, in his 1999 presentation to The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) and the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) Conference[1] said,
The term heterophobia is confusing for some people for several reasons. On the one hand, some look at it as just another of the many me-too social constructions that have arisen in the pseudoscience of victimology in recent decades. (Many of us recall John Money’s 1995 criticism of the ascendancy of victimology and its negative impact on sexual science.) Others look at the parallelism between heterophobia and homophobia, and suggest that the former trivializes the latter. Yet heterophobia may be one of the root contributors in the etiology of homophobia, as Noonan argued in 1998. For others, it is merely a curiosity or parallel-construction word game. But for others still, it is part of both the recognition and politicization of heterosexuals' cultural interests in contrast to those of gays—particularly where those interests are perceived to clash.
Some[who?] have argued that the word is etymologically ill-formed, as it appears to have been formed from the Greek elements hetero- "different" and phobia, so that the word in fact means "fear of difference". Such critics[who?] have proposed alternative words such as heteroerotophobia or heterosexophobia. However, the word's common usage shows that it is in origin a portmanteau of heterosexual and phobia, coined on the analogy of homophobia (which is likewise an etymologically incorrect portmanteau).
Proven cases of overt discrimination against heterosexuals are rare.[citation needed] More minor cases may involve gay bars or clubs denying access to a person accompanied by someone of the opposite sex, e.g. a lesbian club barring women with a male guest.[citation needed] This may also be a form of sexism.[citation needed]
