Heterophobia

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Heterophobia is a neologism constructed by certain conservative websites to delegitimize the gay rights movement's campaign for equal treatment and an end to anti-gay bigotry.

The term implies that, rather than reacting to anti-gay rhetoric, homosexuals and gay rights advocates are in fact speaking out against heterosexuality and heterosexuals. This phraseology attempts to equate the fight against bigotry with bigotry itself. (However, since in the Greek heterophobia can be translated as "fear of difference", it is somewhat ironic that the anti-gay position should in fact be called heterophobic.)

The same logic would suggest that a Ku Klux Klansman is not racist; rather, African Americans are racist for despising their "white pride."

Persecution Complex

Usage of the term "heterophobic" or "heterophobia" by anti-gay groups falls into the wider pattern of the persecution complex, in which groups criticized for their tendency to create hate and discrimination react by reframing their discriminatory tendencies as some value-neutral idea, and then suggesting that criticism of this reframed idea constitutes discrimination.

Thus, racism becomes "white pride," and the marginalized racist claims that his "heritage" is being sidelined unjustly. Similarly, homophobia is simply a deeply-held fundamentalist Christian value, and disrespecting this value by granting equal rights to homosexuals constitutes religious discrimination.

Deconstructing the Persecution Complex: What Are Individual Rights?

The misunderstanding inherent in this use of the persecution complex goes to the basic definition of the rights of the individual. While equally-situated individuals have the right to be treated equally (the antidiscrimination principle), no-one has a right to institutionalize legal discrimination against an innocent group, no matter how much they want to, and no matter what "values" this goal of discrimination is based upon. Thus, "persecution" of discriminators is justified.

Put another way, the individual has the right to do anything that does not infringe upon the rights of others. Unjust discrimination infringes upon another's rights, and is thus not a right that should be valued. Justly, it is acceptable to oppose Islamic beliefs that is acceptable to persecute a people for choosing to live conversely to their religion.

Separatist feminism

A few lesbian feminists might be referred to as heterophobic, as they are overtly opposed to joining the at-large heterosexual society (at least as long as it is "male-supremacist") on the grounds that women who engage in any familial or working relations with men "betray their lesbian sisters."