homophobia

homophobia is just one aspect of a culture's (or an individual's) erotophobia--distaste for sex.

monotheistic religions view all nonprocreative sex as sin.

but the sacred writings contain much that even some ardent believers ignore--such as certain dietary restrictions or prohibitions against touching the diseased or the dead.

even other forms of sex for pleasure--masturbation + oral sex--are not preached against as much as they once were.

people who have strong feelings against homosexuality tend also to have outdated feelings on race + gender, too, though most no longer feel comfortable in stating these other sentiments forthrightly. therefore, taking a stand against queers may sometimes be taken as code for taking other, even less defendable positions against expansion of civil rights.

the "silent" majority tends to be passively (not ideologically) conservative, opposing change less for clear reasons than for a vague dislike of having to adapt to changes.

male privilege has been hard for some men to give up, + some blame feminists + homosexuals for this loss.

politically, the gay vote is weak, so even liberal politicians offer only carefully measured support for gay rights. most liberals + moderate liberals feel reasonably assured of the gay vote, small as it is, without doing much to court it.

liberals are not prone to use homophobia to appeal to voters' emotions or values.

however, liberals do not see homosexuality's potential (or that of the pleasure principle in general) as a tool for positive social change (as did homosexual rights pioneers like edward carpenter + magnus hirschfeld).

typically, liberals prefer to see homosexuals as victims in need of sympathy + tolerance.

the liberal view is at best condescension + at worst a kinder, gentler form of homophobia.