Re: homophobia

Malcolm Lawrence (malcolm@wolfenet.com)
Fri, 05 Dec 1997 12:48:15 -0800

Lagusta Pauline Yearwood wrote:

> Just something I noticed:
>
> I think the fact that when people -- who are clearly not homophobic
> -- write something defending gays and lesbians, they still feel they have
> to add "by the way, I am straight..." I see that it is important that not
> only gays and lesbians fight against homophobia because homophobes need
> to see that there are straight people willing to stick up for gays and
> lesbians (not that they could not stick up for themselves!), but
> still...it always reminds me of that quote: "Homophobia: anxiety about
> being straight."
>
> lagusta

I understand your point, yet I don't see it as (forgive me if I'm
misinterpreting you) someone trying to establish any "distance" from whomever
they're defending. I rather see it as kind of noble. Ala: "I defend
homosexuals, regardless of my sexual preference, yet if you need to know: I
am straight. So I don't "need" to defend them." Substitute race, creed,
color, whatever. And the more "straights" that are vocal about their
defending homosexuals, the more homosexuality won't need to be defended
further on down the road.