• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Is homophobia genetic?

MaggieD

DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
43,244
Reaction score
44,664
Location
Chicago Area
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Moderate
Another thread brought this line of thinking to mind.

Sexual urges are probably the strongest urges we experience. They have to be, or we would have never survived. We are driven to have sex despite the conditions around us - in the face of disease, starvation, war, pestilence. Our sexual urges transcend all of these things....because having sex is soooo pleasurable.

Okay. Now. My subjective experience with homophobia has been that it is, in general, males that feel an absolute disgust when thinking about male homosexuality. It's been my personal experience that women take a more neutral approach to female homosexuality. If a homosexual woman made moves on a straight woman, it's highly unlikely the straight woman would be disgusted...or that any thought of violence would enter her mind. Just sort of, "No, thanks."

Anyhow, I'm beginning to think that this visceral reaction that has been hardwired into male humans as a way to preserve our species. Since sex is soo pleasurable, if men weren't hardwired to be so averse to sex with another male, we might not have been successful as a species.

Yeah, I know: wierd. But anyone have any thoughts?
 
I think its a cultural thing. I remember being taught to punch guys if they ever came onto me...

:eek:r something along those lines:
 
I think its a cultural thing. I remember being taught to punch guys if they ever came onto me...

:eek:r something along those lines:

SE, that is soooo interesting. And it does make sense. Maybe guys are taught you either punch a guy or others will think you're homosexual. I never thought of that. Thank you.
 
Yeah... especially with the latino american upbringing in certain periods of my life. They sort of hammer machismo into you. As if gays would come onto you without signal or be on molestatious dementia bent horny rampages.
 
SE, that is soooo interesting. And it does make sense. Maybe guys are taught you either punch a guy or others will think you're homosexual. I never thought of that. Thank you.

No I think it has more to do with people are scared of some one different. I was never taught to punch a guy or else I was gay and I never met a guy like that either.
 
That's alright then, I was worried the consequences might be serious. :mrgreen:

Don't worry since I will become the Devil when I die I will make sure to put you in charge of the dirty girls. And the good type of dirty.
 
I dont think it's genetic. It does tend to run in families though because the most active source of socialization is usually a person's parents and if their parents are homophobic, they'll likely pass that mentality on to their kids simply because they interact with their kids more than most other adults.
 
I think homophobia is exagerated in many cases - just because I disagree with someone's sexual preference doesn't mean I'm homophobic.
Homophobia isnt defined as disagreeing with someone's sexual preferences. Homophobia is a visceral and hateful or negative reaction towards gay people with no logical reason behind it.
 
Homophobia isnt defined as disagreeing with someone's sexual preferences. Homophobia is a visceral and hateful or negative reaction towards gay people with no logical reason behind it.

By definition, yes - but too often, anyone identified as being critical of the homosexual agenda is labeled a homophobe.
 
By definition, yes - but too often, anyone identified as being critical of the homosexual agenda is labeled a homophobe.
Well..yeah because you use words like "homosexual agenda". There is no logical basis for that idea
 
Well..yeah because you use words like "homosexual agenda". There is no logical basis for that idea

It's not an uncommon term among conservatives. It doesn't mean I hate them or are scared of them - I just don't agree with their lobbying goals.
 
It's not an uncommon term among conservatives. It doesn't mean I hate them or are scared of them - I just don't agree with their lobbying goals.
It's a stupid term as it only exists in the minds of conservatives and has no backing in reality. There is no "gay lobby" trying to advance gay people beyond trying to make the law see gays as equal to anyone else as far as the government is concerned.
 
It's a stupid term as it only exists in the minds of conservatives and has no backing in reality. There is no "gay lobby" trying to advance gay people beyond trying to make the law see gays as equal to anyone else as far as the government is concerned.

They are equal - they have all the same rights as I do. They can marry someone of an opposite sex just like the rest of us.
 
They are equal - they have all the same rights as I do. They can marry someone of an opposite sex just like the rest of us.
This argument has already been flogged to death and is not the topic of the thread. If you want to discuss it, feel free to open a new thread.
 
They are equal - they have all the same rights as I do. They can marry someone of an opposite sex just like the rest of us.

A woman can marry a man but a man cannot and a man can marry a woman but a woman cannot. It's sexual discrimination. If you argued that everyone was free to marry their own race then it would be equal in priciple but it would still be racial discrimination. Case closed. Moving on...

There is little evidence that homophobia is influenced by genetics, whereas there is considerable evidence that genetics do play some role in homosexuality.
 
That's a straw man argument. I'm sure you can do better.

Oh really? Please do explain how it is a strawman. This I have got to hear. :roll:

There is nothing sadder than when someone cannot refute an argument so they incorrectly surmise that it is a logical fallacy.
 
Oh really? Please do explain how it is a strawman. This I have got to hear. :roll:

There is nothing sadder than when someone cannot refute an argument so they incorrectly surmise that it is a logical fallacy.

No. Don't. The thread is about homophobia. Not the political side, the personal side. The behavioral side.

I don't suspect it to be genetic. I think it's cultural.
 
Freedom to Marry Coalition, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Gay and Lespian Victory Fund, Log Cabin Republicans, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Turn Out!, just to name a few gay groups that do lobby for gay issues. No lobby type group stops at just what is necessary. It is politics and it is power. They want an advantage and gay groups are no different. They have agendas. Your definition of homophobe is way off base. It doesn't just represent fire breathing gay bashers. What you describe is beyond just simple fear of homosexuality.
 
Another thread brought this line of thinking to mind.

Sexual urges are probably the strongest urges we experience. They have to be, or we would have never survived. We are driven to have sex despite the conditions around us - in the face of disease, starvation, war, pestilence. Our sexual urges transcend all of these things....because having sex is soooo pleasurable.

Okay. Now. My subjective experience with homophobia has been that it is, in general, males that feel an absolute disgust when thinking about male homosexuality. It's been my personal experience that women take a more neutral approach to female homosexuality. If a homosexual woman made moves on a straight woman, it's highly unlikely the straight woman would be disgusted...or that any thought of violence would enter her mind. Just sort of, "No, thanks."

Anyhow, I'm beginning to think that this visceral reaction that has been hardwired into male humans as a way to preserve our species. Since sex is soo pleasurable, if men weren't hardwired to be so averse to sex with another male, we might not have been successful as a species.

Yeah, I know: wierd. But anyone have any thoughts?

I think you have a point. Man has been evolving and trying to overcome primitive instincts since the dawn of man. It sounds pretty logical.
 
That's a straw man argument. I'm sure you can do better.

It's so cute when conservatives pick up on debate terms and tactics but use them so horribly wrong.

You should look up what this term means.

Anyway, he's right. It is discrimination based on gender, not discrimination based on sexual orientation. You know why?

Gay marriage is not gay sex. If you've ever been married, you'd realize how little sex has to do with the whole scenario!

Anyway. On topic. I think homophobia is largely cultural. It's a macho thing. There may be a slight genetic component to it, related to aggression, that might amplify the negative reaction, but that's probably about it.
 
Back
Top Bottom