LETTER: Sexism, phobia are related

Editor,

I wanted to weigh in on the homosexuality debate without contributing to the antagonistic and polarizing course this conversation has taken. Ignoring biology for a moment (best left up to scientists and theologians), I thinkit is important to consider the effect homophobia has on gender roles, or rather the way in which sexist ideology controls homophobia.

With biology removed from the picture, how does homosexuality become such a large issue? More than being a physical issue, homosexuality relates to gender, specifically the way homosexuality upsets traditional gender roles. Certain behavioral expectations (religious, cultural, economic, etc.) are placed upon men and women, and same-sex relations upset the traditional picture. Homophobia is the fear that men and women are violating their “given” sexual gender roles; sexism actually manages homophobia then, because sexism desires to control all modes of gender behavior. Homophobia tries to control and resituate the genders of men and women who do not conform to traditional notions of sexuality. For example, a man calling another man a “homo,” or other derogatory terms, is an accusation of inadequate masculinity; he essentially accuses him of not being a man. The transitions are clear: Fear of differing genders becomes homophobic slander; homophobic slander translates into a larger context of broad gender control for all men and women. And because “masculinity” and “femininity” range so differently from culture to culture and era to era, a singular definition and universal standards of behavior for either become extremely variable.

I want to stress finally that I firmly believe in a person’s right to hold personal beliefs without persecution. It is the only way to maintain progressive discussion. But it is important to understand the machinery that operates our discussion and beliefs. Specifically that a debate on homosexuality includes not only straight and queer, but men and women. Homophobia attacks not only sexuality, but the way men and women behave generally, and that makes this discussion all the more relevant and pressing.

Daniel Rudd