12.11 Understanding homophobia
Read about homophobia
Gay Rights Around the World
What is homophobia?
Homophobia is the fear, discomfort, dislike, or hatred of homosexual people. Actions based on homophobia can range from expression of negative attitudes, systemic discrimination, and to violent hate crimes. Rates of homophobia have decreased in recent decades, but one 2016 study reported that 1 in 4 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans) people reported experiencing discrimination.
Does homophobia exist in non-human animals?
There is no clear evidence of homophobia in non-human animals, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. However, what would homophobia look like, in, for example, penguins? Please let us know if you find any compelling evidence of homophobia beyond humans!
Could homophobia be adaptive?
The question of whether or not homophobia is adaptive is one that has been scarcely addressed in the scientific literature. In this Scientific American blog post, author Jesse Bering discusses several papers published in the mid 1980’s through the mid 1990’s, in which two authors present conflicting ideas about whether a child’s sexual orientation is malleable (can be influenced by environment, early sexual experiences, or interpersonal connections), and if such malleability could influence the adaptability of homophobia. Gordon Gallop argues that if homophobia were adaptive, you would predict to see it expressed most as it concerns contact of homosexual individuals with ones children. Likewise, if parental influence can affect sexual decision making, one could argue that the parent who does not express acceptance for homosexuality may influence their offspring to have more heterosexual sex, resulting in more descendants. Interestingly, as Bering points out, there has not been much follow-up research to further address the question of the adaptive nature of homophobia. Furthermore, it is important to remember that just because something might be adaptive does not inform any moral stance for that issue (being adaptive does not make it “right”).
Activism to fight homophobia and defend LGBTQ rights and welfare
Queer people and their allies have been fighting homophobia (and transphobia) for centuries. Here is one example of brave activism:
Consider the following questions
- What makes some individuals homophobic, and others not?
- Is homophobia genetic?
- Is it possible for homophobia, as a trait, to be adaptive?
