By Erich Vieth on February 06th, 2009
To what extent are homophobic men attracted to other men?
In this age of Ted Haggard, the question is an obvious one: To what extent are homophobic sexually attracted to other men? This January 2009 Scientific American article explores the research regarding these two variables. There appears to be a correlation.
The one hangup, of course, is that fear/discomfort can also create some physiological responses that look a lot like arousal. I’d love to think that homophobes are all closet cases- and certainly some are- but the evidence has proven pretty difficult to tease apart, I think.
Either way, the finding provides us with insight. Whether by their own secret arousal or by a deep disgust, these homophobes do respond to homosexuality in a viscerally different way than the typical nonhomophobe. I think it lends support to the notion that the fear of gays comes not from religion, but from an “ick” factor that causes homophobes to use religion as an excuse. Of course, religious indoctrination could set men up for stronger reactions to homosexuality. So difficult to pull a definite answer out of something as complex and vexing as human sexuality!