Homophobia is a social attitude, which is characterized by hostile, hateful and full of prejudice behavior against the representatives of sexual minorities, with particular reference to homosexuals.
Initially, this term also expressed an anxiety disorder, which object would be people with different sexual orientation (phobos is Greek for “fear”). However, this interpretation today leaves in the shade. Homophobia is most often an open view. In some areas is considered as normative. Reveals not only the offensive behavior, but also manifests own, homophobic views, and in extreme cases, violence.
The causes of homophobia are unclear, but there are three main factors distinguished:
• The first is ignorance. Research shows that most homophobes do not personally know any gay or lesbian, making knowledge of these types of people minimal and based on speculation, and often false stereotypes.
• To this phenomenon contributes, unfortunately, traditional, religious upbringing, which strongly condemns homosexual behavior.
• Further reasons are: the uncertainty of their own sexuality and latent own homosexuality. Paradoxically, often somebody with very strong homophobic views is the same person uncertain of his sexuality, or even suspecting himself of homosexuality. However, the environment and upbringing will not allow him to reveal it, so by cutting off from the outward environment of gays is trying to mask or hide his desires.
Although public opinion is divided as to homophobia, more often the term “homophobic” is pejorative, and the person so defined could be faced with the social ostracism.