Homophobia

A phobia is to have an irrational fear of something. Homo in this context is used in respect to Homosexuality. So what is homophobia? It has become a massively hyper used term in political debate and personal attack. Is the term homophobia being applied correctly?

People who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual may experience harassment or discrimination from people who are scared of or uncomfortable with these identities.

But, you can surely disagree with the homosexual lifestyle without discriminating against people that are homosexual. Furthermore, is everyone that disagrees with a homosexual lifestyle truly and irrationally afraid of homosexuals?

According to Planned Parenthood, "The homophobia definition is the fear, hatred, discomfort with, or mistrust of people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Biphobia is fear, hatred, discomfort, or mistrust, specifically of people who are bisexual."

Planned Parenthood is irresponsible with this definition because they choose to use "or" rather than "and" to bind the various conditions they outline. Being uncomfortable around a homosexual person does not alone make you homophobic yet according to Planned Parenthood it does. For this reason Planned Parenthood loses all all credibility in having any consideration of their definition of terminology.

It is true that people with homosexual or bisexual orientations have been stigmatized during some or many periods of human existence. It is also true that these people have found wide spread acceptance during periods or human existence and in ancient to present societies.