Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Grainne who wrote (18352)	3/14/1998 3:47:00 AM
From: Grainne	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

I did want to say something about homophobia, which I believe is also an important component of homosexual hate crimes in America. Now it is probably true that most men who consider themselves heterosexual and yet have occasional homosexual urges would not feel so conflicted about them if they did not also consider homosexuality a sin in the religious sense--and so religion also plays a formative role in homophobia--I also personally believe that homophobia exists on its own as a factor in hate crimes. What is very interesting to note is that at least one study was done on homophobia which also tested men's sexual arousal to homoerotic images, and discovered that the men who were most aroused were the most homophobic. That is not really surprising, if you believe that it is what threatens you which is most frightening. Of course the study results are confusing. The report states that men who are anxious tend to get erections, and so perhaps it is an anxiety response rather than true arousal which is noted. Is that true, incidentally? Obviously, as a woman, I wouldn't know offhand. (I have certainly never made my husband anxious, not one time, never, ha ha.) So anyway, the more homophobic among you, do you think that in any way possible this could be a defense mechanism against arousal? I don't think anyone is absolutely one hundred percent homosexual or heterosexual--we are all somewhere on a continuum--and if your eyes were closed and you were being stimulated sexually it could be a man or woman who was doing it, and unless you knew the sex of that person and could allow yourself to become repulsed, it would feel good. Well, I think I am beginning to drift here, but I thought the study was interesting. Anyway, perhaps bragging about being homophobic will become a thing of the past here!!! apa.org