It’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, helping to raise awareness of LGBTQA+ rights around the world.
Each year, the LGBTQA+ community continues to make strides towards greater tolerance, inclusion and diversity in society.
However, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia still exists.
Some of these terms may be familiar, while others are not, but they all can cause real distress and emotional pain for people.
Understanding these sexualities can help understand what leads to the forms they can take and how to challenge them.
What is homophobia?
Homophobia is the dislike or prejudice against gay people.
It encompasses a wide variety of negative attitudes and feelings towards homosexuality or people who are perceived as being gay or lesbian. Homophobic abuse also includes violence.
The forms this can take range from the joking to harsh comments, such as:
- Jokes such as ‘that’s so gay’
- Assuming people are heterosexual when you meet them
- Suggesting LGBTQA+ people are sexually ‘deviant’
What is biphobia?
Biphobia is the dislike or prejudice against bisexual people.
One of the most common forms of biphobia is refusing to acknowledge bisexuality as a genuine sexual orientation.
It can also include negative stereotypes, and other forms of hate such as:
- Saying ‘it’s just a phase’ to someone who has come out as bisexual
- Saying ‘you’re just too embarrassed to say you’re gay’
- Saying ‘you can’t be bisexual because you only date one gender’
What is transphobia?
Transphobia is the dislike or prejudice against transsexual or transgender people.
This can take the form of negative attitudes or feelings towards the trans community, or negative actions against members of it.
Misgendering people deliberately is one of the simplest forms of transphobia, but it also takes forms such as:
- Refusing service to a trans person to services appropriate to their gender identity
- Claiming a trans man/woman isn’t a ‘real’ woman
- Saying ‘you don’t look trans’ to a trans person as an intended compliment
If you are suffering from any of the above, LGBTQA+ organisation stonewall.org.uk can help provide support.
They also have a helpline open 9:30am – 4.30pm on 08000 50 20 20
