What is Internalised Homophobia?
- 23 May, 2007 - 11:40
- Category:
Internalised homophobia is when a LGBT person has learned to accept heterosexuality as the norm and as the correct way to be. Hearing and seeing negative depictions of LGBT often leads LGBT to internalise these negative notions. Some LGBT suffer from mental distress as a result.
A general sense of personal worth and also a positive view of your sexual orientation are critical for your mental health. You, like many gay and bisexual men, may have hidden your sexuality for a long time. YouthNet's research revealed that the average age for men to realise their sexual orientation was 12, yet the average age they actually confided in someone was 17. It is during these formative years when people are coming to terms with their sexuality that internalised homophobia can really affect a person.
Internalised homophobia manifests itself in varying ways that can be linked to mental health. These are listed below.
* Denial of your sexual orientation to yourself and others.
* Attempts to alter or change your sexual your orientation.
* Feeling you are never good enough.
* Engaging in obsessive thinking and/or compulsive behaviours.
* Under-acheivement or even over-acheivement as a bid for acceptance.
* Low self esteem, negative body image.
* Contempt for the more open or obvious members of the LGBT community.
* Contempt for those at earlier stages of the coming out process.
* Denial that homophobia, hetersosexism, biphobia or sexism are serious social problems.
* Contempt for those that are not like ourselves or contempt for those who seem like ourselves. Sometimes distancing by engaging in homophobic behaviours - ridicule, harassment, verbal or physical attacks on other LGB people.
* Projection of prejudice onto another target group.
* Becoming psychologically abused or abusive or remaining in an abusive relationship.
* Attempts to pass as heterosexual, sometimes marrying someone of the other sex to gain social approval or in hope of 'being cured'.
* Increased fear and withdrawal from friend and relatives.
* Shame or depression; defensiveness; anger or bitterness.
* School truancy or dropping out of school. Also, work place absenteeism or reduced productivity.
* Continual self-monitoring of one's behaviours, mannerisms, beliefs, and ideas.
* Clowning as a way of acting out society's negative stereotypes.
* Mistrust and destructive criticism of LGBT community leaders.
* Reluctance to be around or have concern for children for fear of being seen as a paedophile.
* Conflicts with the law.
* Unsafe sexual practices and other destructive risk-taking behaviours-including risk for HIV and other STIs.
* Separating sex and love, or fear of intimacy. Sometimes low or lack of sexual drive or celibacy.
* Substance abuse, including drink and drugs.
* Thinking about suicide, attempting suicide, committing suicide.
