(no subject)

[nny]

Curious thought: discussion of *isms doesn't include homosexuality, because it's not an *ism it's a *phobia, apparently. It kind of institutionally excuses it, doesn't it? Can't be helped, can't do anything about an irrational phobia, that's why it's irrational.

Comments

[thingswithwings]

This is one of the many reasons why I tend to say "heterosexism" instead - it also gets us away from bullshit like the "panic defense."

[nny]

Yeah, absolutely, and I appreciate that that's a valid term; as I said above, it's a word I'd use to discuss the way the national curriculum guidelines for sex education kind of fail massively, for instance, but it's not a word that I could use to check the kids I work with, who are perfectly happy to be considered homophobic.

And I can't even handle the fact that the panic defense exists as a concept. Ugh.

[thingswithwings]

:) See, I use it to check the kids I work with, but I work mostly with 18 year olds who would NOT be happy to be considered homophobic, so. I'm lucky in that regard. I think it can be used on an individual level as well as an institutional level - we just have to get used to it and get it into the common language. But I appreciate how that doesn't help you NOW.