by Dr. R. A. R. Perera
The term homophobia often is used to denote the irrational and persistent hatred of homosexuals. Many heterosexuals characterize homosexuals as being sick and dangerous. Because many people’s reactions to homosexuals have been so extreme, psychologists suspect that these reactions are phobic that is, that they are based on a fear beyond the realm of rational.

Deviating from a community’s sexual norms often has resulted in punishment for those persons who so deviate and who are discovered. Homosexuals, especially males, have been subjected to ridicule, exclusion, and physical abuse over the years. When someone is identified as a homosexual, people often avoid being near him or her.

When a group is told that a male group member is homosexual, that individual often becomes one of the least popular members of the group — even if he had been one of the most popular group members before being labelled. Further a man who is being labelled as homosexual is evaluated as being less honest, unfair, unhealthy, unstable, and with a low intellectual ability.

Psychologists have offered a variety of explanations for homophobia. Sex role training that places a strong emphasis on being either male or female is one possible causal factor. Boys learn at an early age, that displaying feminine characteristics expose them to ridicule.

Some western countries are less rigid in the rules of sex-appropriate behaviour and they are less homophobic. Some psychologists believe that homophobia may have its origins in individual’s doubts about their own sexual preferences. By directing hostility towards homosexuals, an individual may convince him that he is not homosexual. A heterosexual who finds that he may have characteristics similar to those of a homosexual become particularly negative in their evaluations of homosexuals.

People tend to dislike those people who are different and this dislike can form a basis for prejudice. At times even the slightest indication that another person is different may be enough to produce prejudice and discrimination. Why do people have such discrminatory reactions? One reason is that a dissimilar person can be a threat to one’s self-esteem. The difference in beliefs calls an individual’s own belief into question. Prejudice persists and is expressed if sustaining mechanisms are present to support and maintain it from one situation to the next. Without sustaining mechanisms an individual’s attitudes and actions may change as circumstances change.

The persistence of prejudice depends largely on the social support that the prejudices receive. If expressing prejudices elicit acts of 0friendship, then prejudiced attitudes are hard to give up. These individuals possess highly traditional views about family, women and religion. Majority of them believes that families should have a dominant father, a submissive wife and obedient children, and they often are fundamentalist in their religious beliefs.

In Sri Lanka the attitude towards homosexuality is generally negative. But the magnitude of this ‘problem’ is seen in school hostels, training camps, prisons, arm forces, etc. Even with rigid rules and regulations the prevalence is substantial. Sometimes in schools in a homosexual relationship, the dominant partner is regarded as a hero among other school children, and they would like to be associated with the dominant partner specially if he is a popular personality. This might lead to a situation where homosexuality becomes an accepted behaviour among some of the students.

Members of men or women’s groups that concentrate on problems of intimacy, communication and friendship have become accepting of homosexuality.