homophobia defined

After recent discussions with friends and postings on public fora, I wanted to put together a page to define what homophobia is.

Here is how the term is defined by some sources.

noun – an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexuals.

Oxford Dictionary

noun – irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

noun – Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men. 2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

The American Heritage Dictionary

Homophobia is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.[3] It can also mean hatred, hostility, disapproval of, or prejudice towards homosexual people, sexual behavior, or cultures, and is generally used to insinuate bigotry.[4] The term homophobic means “prejudiced against homosexual people,”[5] and a person who is considered homophobic is sometimes called a homophobe. Critics of the term “homophobia” consider non-medical usage of the term to be controversial.

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