Just the other day, I was in the library looking for research on a paper I have to write for my art history class on “Lesbian Artists.” The subject of gays and lesbians isn’t really something that bothers me. I’ve always believed that a person should spend their lives with the one who makes him or her the happiest, no matter their gender. But as I walked up and down the aisles of books filled with gay content, I started to feel uncomfortable.
Seeing the words “The Lesbian Menace” or “Boy Meets Boy” as I filtered through the books wasn’t the issue; more or less, I didn’t want anyone to see me looking at them. I didn’t want anyone to think I was gay.
As I say down with my stack of research literature, I made a point to cover up the titles of the books. A girl passed me, and I never moved so fast in my life to hide what I was reading. It was then that I thought to myself, “What am I doing?” I had never had a problem with gay people, why would I fear people believing I’m one? Though I am a not afraid or offended by homosexuality, I fear being viewed as one. I wondered if maybe I, along with many others, have a form of homophobia.
I had always thought throughout my lifetime that being homophobic meant hating the gays and not wanting to have any sort of contact with them. But according to avert.org, there is a range of homophobia. It can be seen as:
1. Hostility toward or fear of gay people;
2. Negative feelings or attitudes towards non-heterosexual behavior or identity; or
3. Social ideologies that stigmatize homosexuality
I tried looking for more information on why people are fearful of being seen as gay in a society that accepts the lifestyle, but “fear of being gay” didn’t even register in Google’s top searches. It’s interesting to see that even in today’s world, homosexuality is still difficult to discuss. I’m interested to see what others feel about this situation, so please leave a comment if you have an opinion.
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