Homophobia: Fact Sheet

Homophobia: Fact Sheet
A phobia refers to an irrational and exaggerated fear or dislike of something or someone. Therefore, homophobia is an unreasonable fear or hatred of someone based on sexual orientation.

Homophobic acts may occur at a personal, structural, legal or organizational level and prevent people from enjoying their rights. Furthermore, homophobia can harm people’s health, as well as a nation’s economy. For instance, according to the UN, Uganda remains as a least developed nation since it relies on homophobia to run its politics.

Although most countries permit same-sex relations, homophobia still exists in today’s society. Case in point, in regions like Afghanistan, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Mauritania, one can face the death penalty for engaging in same-sex relations.
Additional threats, such as discriminatory laws by anti-LGBT states, are also emerging. For example, homophobia remains a political device in Uganda because, after the colonial period, the Ugandan government has relied on anti-LGBT legislation to control the public. These threats are significantly inhibiting the fight against homophobia.

Other homophobic acts include bullying, discrimination, negative comments, physical attacks, and stigma. For example, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (IGLA), stigmatization and harassment of the LGBT community are still prevalent across the world as many nations criminalize homosexuality.
Homophobia is, therefore, a grave social issue that not only threatens the beauty of diversity in the contemporary world but also threatens to scrap the progress that people have made.

Recognition of the existence and value of diversity is essential as a first step toward ending homophobia. Furthermore, designing language in a manner which identifies homophobia as a form of oppression, may also encourage people to start engaging in dialogue.

Bibliography
Carroll, Aengus, and Lucas Ramón Mendos. State-Sponsored Homophobia: A World Survey of Sexual Orientation Laws: Criminalization, Protection, and Recognition. Geneva: IGLA, 2017. http://ilga.org/downloads/2017/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2017_WEB.pdf.
“Face the Facts: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People | Australian Human Rights Commission.” Australian Human Rights Commission. Accessed January 8, 2018. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/face-facts/face-facts-lesbian-gay-bisexual-trans-and-intersex-people.
“Homophobia and HIV.” Avert. Last modified December 6, 2017. https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-social-issues/homophobia.
Hiebert, Dennis. “Is it Homophobia or Homoppression?” Canadian Review of Sociology/Revue Canadienne de Sociologie 53, no. 4 (2016): 488-492.
Seo, Hyeon-Jae. “The Origins and Consequences of Uganda’s Brutal Homophobia.” Harvard International Review38, no. 3 (2017): 42-43.
Simmons, Ann M. “Seven Striking Statistics on the Status of Gay Rights and Homophobia Across the Globe.” Latimes.com. Last modified May 15, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-global-gays-rights-report-20170515-htmlstory.html.