Homophobia is linked with Homosexual arousal ?

Question

I saw this as one of the answers to a question here, and it made me curious. The article says:

"New Study Links Homophobia with Homosexual Arousal
Questions Whether It Is Latent Homosexuality Or A Response to Anxiety

Psychoanalytic theory holds that homophobia --the fear, anxiety, anger, discomfort and aversion that some ostensibly heterosexual people hold for gay individuals -- is the result of repressed homosexual urges that the person is either unaware of or denies. A study appearing in the August issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA), provides new empirical evidence that is consistent with that theory........"


for the full article, read here.
http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/glb/glbtphobia.html

i was just curious about the opinions about this.

Answer 1

This is all very Freudian-sounding to me. But it does seem to hold some truth - I am sure that there are many homophobes w/ these repressed urges. Also, I think b/c it is SO forbidden and SO wrong in some religious traditions, that homosexuality is appealing yet these people cannot admit this to themselves, further repressing any thoughts at all on the matter. Except for that it's REALLY wrong. (Not only religious either, but maybe general upbringing) What is wrong can be appealing but what is really bad can be downright scary. Any more thoughts?
P.s. to Contemplativ: if the writers of the article were more modern thinkers (psychologists) they would note that reaction and emotion are one in the same. One does not precede the other. They go hand in hand. Just a note. I'm a psych major. :) I guess I could check the article out myself.

Answer 2

This is what the article says at the end:

Do these findings mean, then, that homophobia in men is a reaction to repressed homosexual urges, as psychoanalysis theorizes? While their findings are consistent with that theory, the authors note that there is another, competing theoretical explanation: anxiety. According to this theory, viewing the male homosexual videotape may have caused negative emotions (such as anxiety) in the homophobic men, but not in the non-homophobic men. As the authors note, "anxiety has been shown to enhance arousal and erection," and so it is also possible that "a response to homosexual stimuli [in these men] is a function of the threat condition rather than sexual arousal per se. These competing notions can and should be evaluated by future research."

Makes sense to me.

Answer 3

In some cases maybe, but I don't think you can say that about all people. Some people just aren't used to seeing homosexual relationships, that doesn't make them gay, good or bad. Now, If these people were to start hating on homosexuals or being inhumane then that makes them weak of character and or uneducated. Just my opinion, God bless.

Answer 4

I think I'd have to laugh. Psychoanalysis is silly- Freud was obsessed with sex and thought it was the basic motivation for everything people think and do. I disagree. I think people do things for all sorts of different reasons, and sexual urges more often than not have nothing to do with it. Of course, if you accept as an article of faith that sex is responsible for everything, then naturally you can find sexual explanations for anything you choose to look at. But if you do, then you've parted company with science and might just as well look at tea leaves for a living.

Answer 5

<< aroused by homosexual literature, and images >> The above statement is a real problem. You are supposed to stay away from this sort of filth. Subjecting yourself to it only makes the problem worse. It's called temptation. And the more you subject yourself to it the more willing you are to partake of of it. You can find studies that will support any claim. That means nothing.

Answer 6

Yeah. I heard the same thing about Rev. Phelps with his Godhatesfags.com and his protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. He and most of his family are on the flake side of life. His "congregation" consists mostly of his family.

Answer 7

Makes sense ...or another take on the article would be, If you wanted some people to stop gay bashing you would say that to shut them up or they / you would be deemed gay.

Answer 8

I believe it. I'm sure all the f*g bashers out there have some sort of deep hidden desire to take it in the as* just once to see what it's like but are too big a pus*y to come out.

Answer 9

back in the 70's Psychoanalytic theory also says that a man that has sex with alot of woman had a romeo complex. where he is hiding his homosexuality with attraction to woman. Fraud believed that all people were bi sexual and based all his beliefs on the thing that drives people is sex.

Answer 10

I think People will criticize other people at times to divert attention from there similar behavior as to stay in the closet.