Is homophobia a mental disorder?

Is Homophobia a Mental Disorder?
By Suzanne Fields

Freedom of speech is our most important right, forcing us to bounce ideas around in the sunlight. Most important of all, free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution is what makes everything possible.

But it's being undermined in ways that many of us don't always notice. The danger is not always government censorship or institutional taboos. We've medicalized speech about certain subjects, so that speaking about them renders the speaker to someone suffering from a disease that must be treated. Robust, roisterous and even rude debate is forbidden.

Phobias, as in homophobia, Islamophobia and even Christophobia, have entered the canon of diagnoses. By linking criticism with a phobia, we deprive the speaker of his right to speak; by classifying him as having an emotional disorder, we deprive him of independent thinking.

We may be tempted to blame Freud for this malady malfunction, but that would be unfair and, worse, inaccurate. When Freud spoke of phobias, he referred to obsessive anxiety as a defense against repressed impulses. Books and plays, for example, now often depict a homophobe as being afraid of his own impulse toward homosexuality. This creates a motive of which the "patient" is not even aware. Such theories are popular but hardly scientific, and often such a diagnosis becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is aptly captured in a headline about a new book, "Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Paranoia."

There were phobias, of course, before Freud wrote about them. In the 18th century, a phobia described an irrational fear, an aversion in the mind, rather than objective reality. In the public mind, phobia is inevitably linked with paranoia as a catchall psychological stigma. A paranoid person, we now know, may suffer a mental disorder, but he may be responding to his reality with a rational rather than an imagined basis for his behavior. Even paranoids can have enemies.

"The phobic imagination has risen alongside the therapeutic culture, which tends to interpret conflict and troublesome behavior through the medium of psychology," writes sociologist Frank Furedi in Spiked.com. "The diagnosis of phobia has become central to a therapeutic worldview that regards stress, rage, trauma, low self-esteem or addiction as dominant features of the human experience." In this way, public problems are reduced to psychological problems, as we look for "cures" instead of examining the social consequences of public policy.

There is some irony here in the case of homophobia. Not so long ago, homosexuality was considered a medical disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. But when homosexual activists came out of the closet, arguing against the medical diagnosis, the psychiatrists in 1973 voted against defining homosexuality as a disease. Now it's the homosexual activists themselves who seek to medicalize the aversion of homosexuality, suggesting that those who disdain the homosexual lifestyle suffer a mental disorder called "homophobia." Such a critic is, in the vocabulary of moviemaker Michael Moore, a "sicko."

In some quarters, anti-Semitism has become "jewphobia," which reduces hatred of Jews to an irrational impulse, a medical problem, rather than bigotry with a long public history. Passengers on a U.S. Airways flight who expressed apprehension over the behavior of Muslim clerics who ostentatiously recited prayers and shouted provocative slogans as they boarded the plane are accused of "fear and prejudice" by an Islamic advocacy group, which sued them for their caution. The very real and universal fears in the wake of September 11, when zealous Muslims crashed several airliners to punish "infidels," are brushed aside.
Metaphorical phobias are an appeal to self-censorship and demand limits on free speech. An accusation of Islamophobia restricts legitimate debate over what can be criticized. It obscures distinctions between intelligent observation and irrational prejudice.

We've come a long way in dispelling the stigma of mental illness and the "snake pits" that early mental hospitals often became. Now we risk diagnosing as disease what ought to be legitimate discussions of lifestyle, worldview and secular and religious values. Psychology begets a speech police. Insensitivity becomes illness. Debates over morality become debates over "disease."

Phobia dictionaries include everything from the ridiculous to the subliminal. My favorite is arachibutyrophobia -- fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. But we should all be wary of laliophobia, the fear of speaking out. By diagnosing legitimate issues of public dissent and disagreement as phobic disorders, we all run the risk of suffering from that. And beware of peanut butter, even with jelly on a slice of Wonder bread.

sfields1000@aol.com

I think that if we classify homophobia and the like as mental disorders, then we have to look at a whole range of attendent beliefs as mental disorders. Eventually, we have to consider whether a whole personality type which appears to make up something between 20 and 25 percent of the U.S. population is a mental disorder.

Personally, I'm fine with just labeling them "dicks." They're just people who happen to have many opinions which are dickish in nature and have the attendent conditions of obsessive self-justification and a lack of perspective which often verges upon, or becomes, comedic.

Yeah I prefer your view Ben lol

Homophobia/racism/sexism etc cannot be defined as mental disorders. Otherwise previous times (the entire 19th Century in UK and US for instance) saw what must have an epidemic- one which plagued most of history.

They are simply backward views, formed in ignorant times that have fewer and fewer advocates as time goes by. The TMs of this world are a dying breed thankfully- and the world over (we are just lucky to be at the forefront of change in the west).

Re the op, of course some wish to attach the 'phobia' label into their made up word as its sole purpose is to undermine And silence any views that don't fit with the pc dictated and desired view.



To say that homosexuality goes against the biological and mechanical design and purpose of our reproductive organs and the basis of attraction being between male and female is undeniabe and completely factually correct.


But some people will not only ignore the simple truth and claim this is wrong, but also try to label you as a 'homophobe' for daring to say it.


Now of course this is a completely ridiculous reaction to anyone of sound mind, so it raised the question of THE accuser having a less than normal thought process and maybe themselves suffering from denial or some other type of mental illness!

That has to be the most stupidest claim ever heard, as where have you ever been silenced on your views?

Basically your argument is to attempt to deny equality to consenting adults who are homosexual and you do this based off no valid reasoning other than to discrminate against them.

It seems you are trying to excuse why you a homophobe, not that you are one.

And maybe homosexuality itself is a symptom of mental illness.....!?

Tommy Monk wrote:And maybe homosexuality itself is a symptom of mental illness.....!?

Okay, explain scientifically how?

Because it is behaviour that clearly goes against the biological and mechanical design and purpose of our reproductive organs and the basis of attraction being between male and female.



You wouldn't be behaving in such a way and believing it to be so right if your brain was working correctly....

You keep talking about brains working correctly, if the only difference between you amd another man is he is attracted to men then I'd say his mind is fine.

Honestly do you ever read back through your posts? Do you talk in such ways to you wife? Tell her how special your relationship is because it fits the 'mechanical' design (pmsl- made by Professor God?) of your cock and her vagina?

They proved homosexuality wasn't a mental illness/problem years ago. You are just too stupid and stubborn to accept that. You gonna die a hateful man tommy :-)

Tommy Monk wrote:Because it is behaviour that clearly goes against the biological and mechanical design and purpose of our reproductive organs and the basis of attraction being between male and female.



You wouldn't be behaving in such a way and believing it to be so right if your brain was working correctly....

I said explain scientifcally, not some babble you just invented.

Well what I said is backed up by science..... namely biology!!!!

Tommy Monk wrote:Well what I said is backed up by science..... namely biology!!!!

No you have not provided anything in regards to a mental disorder. Just claiming something is not natural is not evidence to a mental disorder.


Try again.

Well if an unnatural and abnormal behaviour is exhibited then it would normally be associated with some sort of mental disorder....

Tommy Monk wrote:Well if an unnatural and abnormal behaviour is exhibited then it would normally be associated with some sort of mental disorder....

So youi basically you have no idea or a clue and are just making up bullshit.
So basically using your logic anyone that has oral sex and anal sex is thus suffereing from a mental disorder, one of which you cannot explain what this disorder is or any reasoning behind your claim.

Seriously, you are one cluless idiot.

Attraction is biologically designed to be between opposite sexes.



If somebody is not following this normal and natural pre designed normal and natural behaviour but instead doing something quite different then it could be argued that this is a symptom of mental illness or disorder of some kind.

Designed?

By who?

Clearly then by your logic Homosexuality would be thus designed, as they cannot control who they are physically attracted to just as is the case with hetrosexuals and bi-sexuals. .

You just argued it is natural.

Oh dear ha ha

You cannot deny the biological and mechanical design and intended purpose of our reproductive organs, or that of ANY other species on the planet.

Tommy Monk wrote:You cannot deny the biological and mechanical design and intended purpose of our reproductive organs, or that of ANY other species on the planet.

Again what design?

Who is this designer?

Funbniest load of babble I have ever heard.

Again if people cannot control who they are physically attracted to, then by your logic, Homosexuality is thus normal.

Just to clarify -- everything Tommy has said here is backed up by the latest research performed by preeminent ideologically-driven pseudo-biologists, many of whom have the sheer talent and energy to hold elected office as Tories, BNP, Republicans, etc. while pursuing their research in pseudo-biology.

They have come to many conclusions that are of great comfort to their followers, including the finding that women who have been raped (you know, for-real raped, not just claiming it because they want to see some poor dude go to prison for several decades) don't get pregnant.

Those who are mentally ill exhibit wide ranging abnormal and unnatural behaviour and symptoms, with the overwhelming majority being unable to control the way they feel for most of the time.

Really do they, please further explain the science behind this and show comparisons with homosexuals to other mental health disorders.
As basically you are now saying people who have no mental health problems, are now mentally ill, if they have something abnormal about them?
You really sure you want to say that or have time to detract before I make you look an even bigger idiot?

For example, people who suffer with depression or body dismorphia (in moderate to severe cases) may exhibit evidence of self harm through cutting or scratching the skin on arms legs etc or manifest in eating disorders like anorexia/bulemia etc.


While in all these particular examples, the sufferer can be under the illusion that they are actually taking control of their situation and feelings rather than the behaviour actually being a symptom of the disorder itself.

Tommy Monk wrote:For example, people who suffer with depression or body dismorphia (in moderate to severe cases) may exhibit evidence of self harm through cutting or scratching the skin on arms legs etc or manifest in eating disorders like anorexia/bulemia etc.


While in all these particular examples, the sufferer can be under the illusion that they are actually taking control of their situation and feelings rather than the behaviour actually being a symptom of the disorder itself.

How is that associated with homosexuality?
You do realise again you cannot control who you are physically attracted to?
There is nothing to even compare, its quite comical also.
Just like you were quick to drop the abnormality claim, was so looking forward to embarressing you.

Tommy Monk wrote:You cannot deny the biological and mechanical design and intended purpose of our reproductive organs, or that of ANY other species on the planet.

can this be referred to as 'the dicks and bums argument'? it's old and already countered



AND Yes it definitely is a mental disorder.

We aren't machines tommy, and we weren't designed.

Tommy Monk wrote:You cannot deny the biological and mechanical design and intended purpose of our reproductive organs, or that of ANY other species on the planet.

Of course you can.  Yours is a religious notion, which presupposes a designer and a purposeful agent who intentionally creates reproductive organs.  I've seen no evidence of such an agent or deity and I specifically deny it's existence.  

It's just another character that allegedly walks on clouds and performs tricks for the kids, only in this case he is supposedly up to his elbows in tubes and testicles.

Not at all, I use the word 'design' as in a purely functional manner.

I am not arguing the origin of this design, only that it is, and that this biological 'design' and intended purpose is clear and undeniable.



Not just amongst us humans but seen throughout all species in similar fashion.

Tommy Monk wrote:Not at all, I use the word 'design' as in a purely functional manner.

I am not arguing the origin of this design, only that it is, and that this biological 'design' and intended purpose is clear and undeniable.

Not just amongst us humans but seen throughout all species in similar fashion.

Like all that Gay animal sex we had to post in the other thread

Was unsubstantiated waffle as I proved.....