Straight people who are homophobic: We live in a society that likes to believe that progress has been made – even though many members of our society condemn whatever progress and seem to prefer going backwards; that was accurately demonstrated through Trump’s election as president. Many people will argue that we don’t need Pride parades anymore, that we don’t need advocacy for equal rights because we have achieved a certain degree of equality – whether we’re talking for LGBT rights, women’s rights, racial equality etc. There are homophobic people, even within the LGBT community, who believe that homophobia doesn’t exist anymore.
What’s more, there are people who say, do and believe homophobic things, such as that we shouldn’t have our fundamental rights recognized, but love patting themselves on the back and being reassured that “they are not homophobic”. It’s this absurd belief that conservative people hold in order to feel better for themselves, that as long as they don’t want LGBT people dead, they are not homophobic. Well, sorry to break it to you, your homophobia is real, and it shows in what you do and say in everyday life, so if you truly claim that you want to be supportive towards LGBT people, check if you’ve ever said “I’m not homophobic, but…”
- It simply goes against the natural order of things.
So do airplanes, eyeglasses, wheelchairs and vegan bacon, but we created, allowed, and constantly use these things because we found out that they are extremely useful while we evolved as social human beings. At the end of the day, the only thing that we may keep doing today in the same way that we initially started doing when we appeared on this Earth – hence on toilets – is peeing and pooping. Societies are fluid: they change; things that always existed in hidden become accepted, things that existed more openly are today judged. We keep adjusting the world around us so that it suits our way of living. Using the argument of a certain “natural order of things” is simply an outdated way of pretending we’re not bigoted.
- People mate in order to reproduce.
So I guess that heterosexual couples incapable of having children, heterosexual couples who never want to have children, and heterosexual couples past the age of reproduction have no purpose in life.
- God made Adam and Eve, not Ellen and Portia.
First of all, in secular states not all people are, or have to be religious, and while it’s important to respect everyone’s religious beliefs, we can’t have our fundamental rights denied because some people believe their God wouldn’t allow our existence. Besides, many religious people are LGBT or supportive allies of our community, because they focus on the teachings of love and equality of their religion.
- It’s science.
Well, if you study some history and philosophy of science you will probably find out that even scientists make mistakes because they are human beings. Even though science should be an objective discipline based on facts, it very rarely works this way, and many conservative scientists use their science to promote their own agenda. It is what many scientists currently do in Russia, where it is believed among the medical community that, if a person has an abortion, the child that may be born after a following pregnancy will have health issues because it will feel the ghost of its lost sibling. Here in Greece, I recently saw a headline from about 50 years ago, citing a scientific study which stated that Greek cigarettes are healthier than other cigarettes.
In the same way, many conservative scientists still try to convince people that homosexuality is abnormal, but in any case today they are a minority in the scientific community, which has come to agree that there’s nothing wrong with homosexuality and bisexuality.
- Gay people are simply everywhere on TV.
First of all, straight people are everywhere around us in real life. Making life-changing decisions for us, dictating the mainstream and accepted way of living, enjoying the right to get married, have children, access more decent healthcare and education, and not run a risk of being fired, abused or harassed because of their sexuality. Straight people who are homophobic, are used of that representation privilege – of being practically everywhere, of being considered the “default” – so that if the focus ever moves away from them and suddenly they’re not the centre of attention anymore. Although LGBT people are on TV a lot, these representations are often false – eg. depicting us as caricatures or as the butts of a joke on a TV series – or simply crucial for our voices to be finally heard. We are not up taking any of your space, straight people. We simply demand some space to exist.
- I personally find it disgusting when I see two boys kiss.
Sincerely. Nobody does. And your elective aesthetic is a result of your homophobia. Bye.
- What if they have kids and their kids grow up to be gay?
First of all, it really doesn’t work like that. Parents can do absolutely nothing to influence their child’s sexuality. LGBT people born in straight family is the freaking proof of that. But also, you claim you aren’t homophobic, and then you react like children growing up to be gay is the worst thing that can happen?
How is that not homophobic?
- I don’t know why we have to discuss their issues all the time when we have more important issues to deal with.
In other words: “I am not in any way directly affected by you expressing your needs because I am straight privileged, so I don’t think discussing them is worth my time, and I expect the rest of society to comply with me.”
- All of my friends are gay and I feel left alone.
Just…
- I’m ok with gays as long as they keep it to a minimum/don’t provoke/don’t flaunt it in my face.
Your heteronormativity literally dictates which Kinder Egg you’re gonna buy for your 3-y/o. Don’t expect me to tone-police my existence when society shoves in my face everyday that I should be straight.
- I assume that everyone is heterosexual and I constantly erase other sexualities.
Well, hate to break it to you, but we exist too. We may work together or be in your classroom. We are more than you think. We are everywhere.
And, by the way, people who assume the way you do, are the reason we need those labels that make you so angry. Because our existence is literally not recognized until we shout it from rooftops.
- I only go to regular clubs.
“Man, don’t take it the wrong way. You’re my friend, but I’m not going into the gay club with you”.
That’s right. Because homosexuality is contracted through air molecules.
- I’d freak out if my kid turned out to be gay.
Ah, my favorite kind of homophobia. People who are proud of how open-minded they are, until it comes to denying support to their own child.
So sorry to break it to you…
- I don’t support gay marriage.
Imma shout it again for those in the back: denying LGBT people their rights makes you a homophobe. “I’m not a homophobe because I don’t want LGBT people to die” simply is not enough.
- I’m just sexist and hate everyone who’s effeminate.
Also comes in the shade of “I can’t stand see MEN with PENISES wearing heels”. Also present in the LGBT community. Check your misogyny, check your homophobia, this is a trainwreck.
- I don’t understand how someone can be gay/lesbian/bi.
I don’t understand why you put these stone lions at the entrance of your mansion when you’re most clearly not a Gryffindor, Sharon, but I roll with it.
- You’re heterophobic.
I don’t think that I’m going to change your mind here, but HETEROPHOBIA DOESN’T EXIST. Neither does reverse racism, reverse sexism, or cisphobia. Do you know why? Because homophobia, racism, sexism and transphobia are systematic forms of oppression which are based on power relations. Put more simply: the social group that holds the most power is the one that can oppress a group which doesn’t hold that social power. In an heteronormative society, straight people make the rules of the game, and homophobia is giving a name to the systematic oppression that we face every day. Me not being able to be hired because I’m bi is homophobia. You being called an asshole because you discriminate in your hiring practices is not heterophobia.
- What am I supposed to tell my kids?
That Mark and Luke next door are adopting a kid so they can soon have friends around their age instead of spending their evening with miserable homophobic you, Tabitha.
- I just fear the gays will hit on me because I’m irresistible.
Again, I’d be heartbroken to break it to you…
- I even think lesbians are hot.
That’s not because you are an accepting person, that’s because you objectify women and feel entitled to female sexuality. Leave queer women the fuck alone.
- I think gay people are mentally ill.
Actually… you are not entirely wrong here. Like many people, many of us are mentally ill. We may have depression, PTSD, borderline disorder, schizophrenia, or anxiety. However, that’s because we are people – let alone people who suffer from the bigotry of people with your ideas every day, and that doesn’t make our lives very easy – not because we are gay or bi. LGBT people may suffer from mental illnesses, and we fight for its de-stigmatization, but our sexuality or gender identity IS NOT a mental illness.
- I am just excercising my right to free speech.
No one is denying your fundamental right to the freedom of speech. You have every right to share your every opinion and that is not punishable by law, but other people have a freedom of speech to, so they have the right to tell you that youre opinion makes you a bigot.
So. Your opinion is homophobic.
- I think this is the same with encouraging pedophiles and bestiality.
This is ridiculous and offensive in every way. Children and animals cannot give consent to any kind of sexual relationship. Homosexuality and bisexuality between adults and people over the legal age of consent isn’t hurting anyone’s bodily and emotional autonomy, and you need to stop right now.
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- I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle.
The gay lifestyle doesn’t agree with you.
- I don’t see why you need laws/the blessing of the state or church to just have sex with whoever you want.
What if I told you that the identities of LGBT people have to do with more than just sex? Many LGB people happen to belong in the asexual spectrum. We are not asking the state or church to recognize our right to have sex. We ask for legal recognition of us as people, for rights that have to do with our taxes, or inheritance, visiting our partner at the hospital when they’re sick, developing our personalities to their full potential, sharing our lives with our loved one and possibly raise our kids like all straight people can if they want to.
