Anti-gay wingnuts always bristle and protest at being called “homophobes.” It bothers them, because “phobes” are scared of things, and Real ‘Murkan Men aren’t scared of things! Amanda Marcotte tackled this the other day in writing about the super crazy positions held by Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle’s erstwhile political party, the Independent American Party:
TPM reported on Sharron Angle’s affiliation with the Independent American Party, which TPM describes as “Christian conservative-cum-libertarian”, which is wingnut-ese for a co-commitment to patriarchy and white domination. Unsurprisingly, these are folks with high level fears of contamination from all sorts of scary Others. And they aren’t afraid to advertise it!
Independent American Party supporters could buy “Homophobia – No | Homonausea – Yes” bumper stickers for the special low price of $1.
To you or I, this may seem like a distinction without difference. But this is a very big deal for the Real American Men of the wingnutteria. To suggest that they experience “homophobia” is to suggest that they experience fear, and that is basically saying they aren’t men, but 6 foot tall vaginas with legs. So that breathless hysteria about homosexuality they express that looks exactly like fear is totally not fear.
To digress a bit, this mentality is basically an inescapable trap. When you fear being exposed as someone who has fears because this makes you less of a man, you’re in a constant state of fear, i.e. non-manhood. Which you have to desperately cover up, which creates more fearful behavior that you have to cover up. It’s a vicious cycle.
Watching homophobic men react to being called “homophobes” is usually pretty funny, actually. They get their backs up and protest just a little bit too much. Meanwhile, witnessing the hysteria over DADT repeal, with wingnuts from all corners screaming “BUT THE SHOWERS!” with their hands over their crotches, has been a pretty good lesson in the very real fears involved in homophobia.
Also revelatory? Lou Engle recounting the nightmares his son had about three story homosexuals. And so on. Of course it’s fear. It’s deranged, cornered, shivering under the covers because the Village People are having a reunion tour in the closet sort of fear.
I just don’t get it, and none of the straight people I know get it either, but then again, we’re all secure in our sexuality. Is it wrong that I find it funny?
