By completely ignoring what I meant, and arguing the details of my homophobia essay.
My whole point is expressed in this statement:
I could not care less who anyone loves or has sex with, I just hate the characterization of people who disagree with this, or any, idea as mentally ill, evil, Ignorant, or stupid.
More in the extended entry...
Yes, some of them truly hate without justification, some of them truly fear without reason, but most of them have reasons. They are reasons I disagree with, but they are reasons nonetheless.
We can say they are wrong, but calling them crazy is offensive, and counterproductive.
We don't call racists mentally ill, we don't call sexists mentally ill, but we do call people who hate or dislike, or disapprove of homosexuals and homosexuality mentally ill, and I find that idea offensive.
UPDATE: One of my commenters, Kris, made the point that the problem is with the word.
See I don't deny homphobia exists, because there are certainly homophobes, my problem is with the general application of the term to everyone who hates, dislikes, or disapproves of homosexuals. Homophobia is a mental illness, and most of those people are not mentally ill.
So his suggestion is that we need a new word, to be used in the same way as we use the term racist or sexist.
I've thought of this myself, but I cant think of a good word to use.
Sexualist would be a reasonably relevant term, but it sounds more like somebody who's good in bed. Sexism is already taken (though it really should be genderism).
How about we get rid of isms entirely as not very useful, and use more accurately descriptive terms. Kris suggested Gay-Hatred, which applies to some, but not to all.
Oh wait; there's a point there....
These terms apply to some, but not to all. They paint everyone with the same broad, and generally inaccurate brush and THAT is what I have a problem with.
UPDATE 2: I am in the top 10 when someone searches technorati for "homosexual". One assumes that will do interesting things to my traffic and comments.
