Donât Call it Homophobia
Call it what it is - prejudice and hatred.
June 14, 2016
Does homophobia really describe what the world witnessed in Orlando? There is no doubt that innocent people were targeted for simply being part of the lgbtq community - for being themselves. What I am suggesting is that this term thatâs been used repeatedly following Sundayâs violence does not accurately describe what the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer people have experienced. Nor does it give enough weight to the actions that stem from the discrimination of that community.
Of course the deaths of 49 people and the wounding of so many by the hands of one person is a shock. A shock that forces most of us (maybe for the first time) to acknowledge the level of discrimination faced by our lgbtq comrades. Although the sheer number of casualties in Orlando is shocking, violence directed at the lgbtq community is not new. In Canada, hate crimes against lgbtq people continue to rise and are considered to be the most violent according to Statistics Canada. Trans people are also facing increased levels of violence in the U.S. with homicides hitting record numbers in 2015. On top of physical and sexual violence, governments and institutions continue to deny basic human rights to many lgbtq people here in Canada, south of the border and across the globe. These realities are not the result of fear, so why do we call it a phobia? Why are we choosing to frame outright bigotry in the language of mental health?
When do this, it feels as though the right kind of outrage just doesnât materialize - And we should be outraged. These acts can not be put in the same category as fears which generally only affect those afflicted. We need to recognize that such targeted violence and discrimination is no phobia - it is prejudice and bigotry.
The use of phobia ignores the deliberate choice made by many who target those they have been taught to think are lesser than them. Unlike genuine phobias, discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity is very much voluntary and is not caused by any sort of pre-existing trauma. We are in essence letting people off the hook when we chalk it up to something we imagine they have little control over. Using the language of mental health also has the effect of lending legitimacy to that so-called fear and the actions that go with it. We do not use such timid language with racists. I mean, a racist doesnât âsuffer from racismâ - they are racist. Yet we seem look at perpetrators of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identities in a different light.
Is it a coincidence this same term is used to describe blatant racism towards Muslims? Islamophobia is another euphemism that has seemingly been applied to downplay just how hateful and hurtful these attitudes are.
Again, what happened at Pulse in Orlando was not an expression of fear - it was an expression of hatred. Hatred that is always learned through the actions and words of others. As with all bigots - it does not matter whether they learned it at home, at school, at a place of religious worship, or from the media - the point is they learned it. We are not born to hate like this.
What can we do? It seems automatic to express both outrage and solidarity in the wake of such targeted violence. What needs to come more naturally to many of us is the fierce objection to all forms of oppression. Whether it be jokes, exclusion, the denial of rights or outright violence, the expression of hatred and bigotry marginalizes people and damages all of society. So please, do not wait until another horrible example is provided - speak up each and every time you are able to challenge prejudice in any form. Let people learn from positive examples and stop hate in its tracks.
To my lgbtq comrades  - Stay Proud!
By Jessa McLean













