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I completely FREAK OUT when I see a spider, as do many of my gay friends. Do you think certain fears are more/less likely to occur in homosexuals than in heterosexuals?

Exactly. It's all personal preference. The ironic thing is my sister, the ex-tomboy of the family, can't stand anything that isn't furry and cute, or human. I end up setting them free, while she just backs away.

It's not as if it's terribly dangerous or poisonous (most aren't), so what is there to be afraid of? I'm one to talk, damn my glossophobia*.

*Fear of public speaking.

LOL. So if I said most spider like closets, you'd be scared of closets too? Just kidding*.

That's why you do the geeky thing and find out if there are any poisonous or potentially dangerous spiders in your area. That way you know which to freak out about, and which are just everyday harmless ones. It's very strange for spider venom to be lethal to humans, there's just too little to do any real harm.

*The example I was going to involved axe murderers , but I thought it was safer to keep with the topic. xp

Peter! How are ya?

I'm afraid of spiders and most bugs. My bf's family doesn't understand it and keep showing me 'interesting' bugs.

But one thing I think Gay people are more afraid of is Gay bashing. Yep.

I just make my boyfriends dispatch them razz
that or the vacuum cleaner.

I wonder if it's an actual common phobia, or we just associate them with negative aspects. Spiders are associated with lurking, abandonment, age, and the unkempt. That and the very thought of having more than four limbs and more than a pair of eyes frightens people. Do all things that lack a familiar appearance automatically frighten us?

Edit: Excuse my babble. sweatdrop

Babble excused...I don't like spiders simply because they've got too many legs, and they're small enough that you never know where they could be, but big enough to pose a "threat." ((Plus, when you kill them by smooshing them, they sometimes make a crunching sound....eeeewww)) I know they're harmless, but... Come to think of it, I really don't like any bugs at all. A beetle was in my room the other day, so I slept downstairs until I knew it was gone. sweatdrop

I think that way too. I screamed bloody murder until my mom came and tried to kill it. She failed the first time. So I slept downstairs. I cautiously came back up to get on the computer, and I heard it bussing near the window. Again, screamed bloody murder, Mom came and killed it..but it's only a matter of time before the eggs hatch..*looks around suspiciously*

Ooh! Fun spider story: I was brushing my teeth, and left the water on in the sink for 2 minutes. After I turn it off, I continue getting ready. A few seconds later, I look down into the sink, and I see a long, furry leg sticking out of the drain. I just think, "Oh crap. I pissed something off, and now it's here to exact revenge." Scared, I keep watching as more legs and a body emerge. It looked like a lil tarantula...I'm not sure what it was, but it was furry. And bigger than your average spider. It went to go attack whatever had disturbed it...so ferociously threw itself at my cup holder. I was petrified until that moment, and finally free, I ran faster than I've ever run and screamed louder and higher than I've ever screamed, until I was safely across the house under a blankie, and my mom was in my bathroom, battling the evil thing. *shudder* I wouldn't use my bathroom until all the drains had been unclogged with acid... redface

Those pictures make me want to cry. crying