HOMOPHOBIA & COMING OUT
4:48AM on February 15, 2008
As is the case with racism, numerous and complex factors contribute to homophobia. As with racism, homophobia is based on prejudice towards those who are different. The primary source of homophobia in most Western nations seems to be the Judaeo-Christian religious tradition of opposition to homosexuality, justified by certain passages in scripture. From its roots in religion, over the years, homophobia has institutionalized itself in the law.
Because of the pervasiveness of homophobia in our culture, we are exposed from a very early age to a constant stream of messages that denigrate homosexuality and homosexuals. For example, faggot or queer is one of the most common names used by boys in school to denigrate a classmate. For some people these negative messages become internalized as truths about "the way things really are."
The single most important step in liberating oneself from internalized homophobia is recognizing that the source of the bad feelings is external "programming" written by a society which in general is very negatively disposed towards homosexuality as the result of religious predjudice.
I experienced this myself from my family. Remember, homosexuality is generally felt to have a strong genetic component - it is not a deviance or an illness, any more than being left-handed or blue-eyed are. Another vital step in escaping the grip of internalized homophobia is to "come out" (i.e. reveal one’s sexual orientation) to a trusted friend or relative.
"Coming out" can be an extremely complex emotional process. Going through it alone can be very, very hard. It can make a difference to have the support of someone who has a good understanding of the many emotional aspects and can offer useful insight into your particular situation. If you feel that you have nobody you can trust and need somebody to help you; I am always here. Please drop me a line and head your RUDE MESSAGE "coming out". I can't guarantee to solve your problems, but I am more than willing to listen and offer a helping hand. Remember, you are not alone - many of us have been there!
IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE "RUDE COMMUNITY" & WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW - MEMBERSHIP IS TOTALLY FREE - PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD AWAY...
www.rude.com/antonyuk
|
