How the Word "Homophobia" Hijacks Genuine Dialogue

I hate, hate, HATE the word "homophobia." It's a misnomer, at best, but a blatant, close-minded, hateful attack most of the times it's used.

Wikipedia defines "phobia" this way:
In clinical psychology, a phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational. In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will endure the situation or object with marked distress and significant interference in social or occupational activities.

I also looked up common phobias here: The Phobia List

So the word "homophobia," according to these two sources, actually means: An anxiety disorder manifesting in a persistent, irrational fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual, from which the person experiences marked distress and a significant interference with social and/or occupational activities to a degree disproportional to the actual danger posed.

Here's a question for you: Do you actually know ANYONE who fits this description?

I sure don't. And I know a lot of people, several of which could be considered pretty caustic and cruel toward homosexuals. However, their cruelty is in no way an indication that they have a clinical anxiety disorder. The one thing does not equal the other. Sometimes people are just mean. Other times they just disagree. Neither situation, though, means they have some kind of mental illness that should be medicated.

So, why is the word "homophobia" used so much? Why is it slung around like a bag of crap at the head of anyone who dares breathe a conservative word about marriage and family?

Because it's a conversation stopper. It's a way to get what you want, not through logical, charitable discourse, but through name-calling. It's an intimidation tactic used by people who want to avoid genuine dialogue. Because, if genuine, open, charitable dialogue did take place, they might discover their arguments to be lacking. So, why test them at all? Let's just demand what we want, ignore the scientific and social and political and historical and biological and medical and spiritual arguments, and call anyone who dares stand in our way a "homophobe." That should stop them.

You see, calling someone a "homophobe" is the same as calling him/her clinically irrational. Naturally, anyone who is clinically irrational can't possibly have anything of value to add to the conversation. We shouldn't listen to them at all. That's the upshot of what is happening in just about ANY conversation in which the words "homophobia" and/or "homophobe" are used. The speaker of this word has his/her ears and mind closed. They're done listening. They're done thinking. They're done caring what anyone but themselves has to say. The arguments don't matter. The evidence doesn't matter. The relationships don't matter.

And that is why I hate that word.