People who use the Word "Homophobe" are Retarded

[PhaedraMcSpiffy]

Quote:

pho·bi·a (fō'bē-ə) Pronunciation Key
n.
1. A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.
2. A strong fear, dislike, or aversion.

[From -phobia.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

[Source]

I can't believe we got to the fifth page without this being posted. Shame on you, ED!

paranoid paramecium

Just because someone doesn't run screaming and crying doesn't mean they aren't afraid. Homophobic people are afraid of what will happen to "the sanctity of marriage" if gays are allowed to marry. Homophobic people are afraid of what will happen to kids raised in an environment with two gay parents. Their hate is fueled by fear and ignorance.

Exactly. People can dissaprove of something, but that's not typically a reason for them to want to make something illegal. Most mature, intelligent human beings understand that they can't legislate the private lives of others. What really helped Proposition 8 succeed in my state was the fear-mongering. Every day I saw commercials saying that the failure of Prop. 8 would somehow harm kids and destroy heterosexual marriages. They lied constantly, saying that if Prop. 8 didn't pass people would be able to sue churches for not marrying them or for hate speech or that kids would be forced to learn about gay marriage in school. They made people afraid of gays and lesbians!

[Oh, and great job of not only bashing gays and supporters of equality, but the mentally/developmentally disabled as well! That takes class. rolleyes ]

[Calchas]

zman0305

Homosexual and your other examples do not expressly exclude the logical extension of their meaning, while homophobia does (explicitly referring to people who fear gays rather than disapprove of them).

Similarly, colloquialism does not exclude informality and in fact hints at it, since speaking together implies common expression.

I would agree with your last point. However, in all other psychological uses of the suffix phobia, it is taken to signify fear, as in arachnophobia and claustrophobia. Since the ENGLISH definition is fear, it is stupid to use it in a way that does not conform to this definition.

Not all. If you want to make that argument, go learn the definition of every single phobia first.
Photophobia - an abnormal sensitivity to or intolerance of light, as in iritis.
Yes, that one can also mean fear of light, but its most common usage is as a symptom in which one experiences abnormal sensitivity to light. Sensitivity is not a fear. Phobia is usually used as a suffix signifying fear. That does not mean that is its only definition. Most English words have several definitions. If you don't like it, just stop speaking the language and learn one that follows all the little rules you believe a language should. :3

[Yoshpet]

Language evolves. The term homophobe stems from the idea that gay-bashing is caused by a fear of difference. People use it now for people who hate homosexuals for any reason, but unless you have a problem with every word used outside of its original context, you really don't have a case.

[Beautrix]

c0nn3ct th3 d0ts

ho·mo·pho·bi·a (hm-fb-)
n.
1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.
2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Therefore people who show contempt for homosexuals would qualify as being homophobic despite not fearing it.

[Disastrous Catastrophe]

Are you saying this in the hopes of coming off as intelligent?

Why does it matter?

Maybe you never read the memo, but words do not "come" with definitions. They do not appear in nature. They are not super glued together. As in, we can change or alter the meaning(s) we give it at any time. It will eventually end up in the dictionary and I guess all fruits like you can do is cry and complain about it.

I'd say, if everyone understands what is being said but you, it's a pretty good definition.

Oh, and GTFO.
-DisasCatas

[Siphilis]

zman0305

c0nn3ct th3 d0ts

ho·mo·pho·bi·a (hm-fb-)
n.
1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.
2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Therefore people who show contempt for homosexuals would qualify as being homophobic despite not fearing it.

Just because a word is commonly used and therefore defined with the colloquial definition does not mean that the usage is correct. Take "ain't" for example.

Homophobe is an over used term and should be corrected.

Aww that's cute. You use the word "retarded" as an insult but get butthurt when someone says "homophobe". Hahaha.

[TechSonic]

Major Kusanagi

zman0305

c0nn3ct th3 d0ts

ho·mo·pho·bi·a (hm-fb-)
n.
1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.
2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Therefore people who show contempt for homosexuals would qualify as being homophobic despite not fearing it.

Just because a word is commonly used and therefore defined with the colloquial definition does not mean that the usage is correct. Take "ain't" for example.

Homophobe is an over used term and should be corrected.

Based on what, exactly? Your opinion?

Based on fact.

Also, words do evolve, but they only get new meanings because of memes, memes come from dip shits and dip shits are people who argue this.


Gay used to mean "Happy" not homosexual. Now look at it.

[Griffins Guardian]

TechSonic

Major Kusanagi

zman0305

c0nn3ct th3 d0ts

ho·mo·pho·bi·a (hm-fb-)
n.
1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.
2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Therefore people who show contempt for homosexuals would qualify as being homophobic despite not fearing it.

Just because a word is commonly used and therefore defined with the colloquial definition does not mean that the usage is correct. Take "ain't" for example.

Homophobe is an over used term and should be corrected.

Based on what, exactly? Your opinion?

Based on fact.

This one made me LOL.

Right now the use of the word "Homophobe" to describe someone who has a dislike of homosexuals or homosexuality is correct. The word is how it is as defined by the dictionary.

You argue that we should change the meaning of the word to match its roots. There are plenty of words that currently have a different meaning than what the words they came from meant. That doesn't mean they should be changed. You could, of course, but there's no reason to.

[muletok1]

Soaked_In_Octane

Actually homophobe has two meanings. Fear of homosexuald or Extreme hate of homosexuals.
As for myself, I'm the latter.
Most of the time people think homophobe is a negative thing. I however find it as a neutral word, much like hateing spinach or ketchup.

What kind of freak hates ketchup?

Or gays, for that matter?

[Eromreven]

zman0305

c0nn3ct th3 d0ts

ho·mo·pho·bi·a (hm-fb-)
n.
1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.
2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Therefore people who show contempt for homosexuals would qualify as being homophobic despite not fearing it.

Just because a word is commonly used and therefore defined with the colloquial definition does not mean that the usage is correct. Take "ain't" for example.

that is exactly what it means.

you do not understand english

[Haru the demon]

There are literally people who are afraid of gay people. And while I don't claim this to be completely true and applicable to everyone, it seems as though people I know who disapprove of homosexuals have a deep-rooted fear of gays, and use that to disapprove of them. Is it wrong to use "homophobe" to describe them?

[DrCongressmanPHD]

zman0305

I am not making a statement either in support or against gay marriage or other issues. However, I am alarmed by the rampant stupidity in American society, typified by the use of the word "Homophobe."

The suffix phobe means "fear." Thus, homophobe indicates that the persons described fear homosexuals. Any idiot can see this is not the case in the vast majority of so called "homophobes." Most of these people do not fear homosexuals, but rather disapprove of their actions.

Calling people who disapprove of homosexual actions homophobes is like saying Germans feared the Jews. They did not fear them, they hated them and wanted to exploit them.

Please stop labeling yourself as a retard and use correct English.

You disagree with homosexual behavior because you are ignorant how about that?

[iMystere]

{Jesus is the Savior of my soul};;

Usually people who have homophobia are afraid of someone of the same gender liking them. Honestly, I really think that's the biggest thing in the phobia. »»

† For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. †

[~.Marmalade.Skies.~]

Funny thing is, fear is often the catalyst for anti-homosexual tendencies.
Some straight guys are afraid of a gay guys hitting on them.
Some people are afraid of what will happen to "the sanctity of marriage" if gays are allowed to marry.
Some people are afraid of what will happen to "national moral values" if gays are considered "normal."
Etc.

A lot of deep hatred/aversions come from fear. And fear isn't always "running away and hiding."

Another note: You picked a heck of a language to nitpick. Good luck with that.

[nadineiam]

Everyone contributes to the usage and power of the word gay by the continuous comparison to "retarded"... "people who use gay are retarded" has the same affect as "you're ****ing stupid" ... connect the dots, make the change ... and let's all be gay, what say you ol' feller?