Advice

Homophobia is a fear or negative attitude towards gay people and it can be hurtful. Get clued-up about homophobia here plus advice on how to deal with it...

What is it?

The word homophobia comes from the Greek 'homo' (meaning 'same') and 'phobia' (meaning 'fear'). It is used to describe a fear or a negative attitude towards gay people.

It can take many forms including insults, discrimination or more extreme levels of intimidation and even violence.

Homophobia can be subtle. You may feel you're being ignored or treated with less respect than your peers, or it can be very obvious.

It's not nice but if you're gay, you may encounter homophobia at some point. Being picked on for your sexuality can be upsetting and embarrassing but remember you're not the problem, they are.

It may be comforting to know that the majority of homophobes act out of ignorance and fear. Often it's a question of immaturity. Take pride in the fact that you're smarter and more grown up than them.

Talk about it

Like bullies, homophobes get satisfaction and power from seeing you upset.

You could try taking the wind out of their sails by refusing to rise to the insult, e.g. "Yes, I'm gay. So what?"

As with bullying, you shouldn't suffer in silence. Secrecy is likely to empower them in their mistaken belief that being gay is something to keep quiet about.

Seek out support from anyone you trust and let them know what's going on. They may be able to intervene or just help you feel supported.

Be confident

It's not always as easy to ignore or laugh off verbal insults as some might suggest. But do try.

If you act with confidence the average homophobic bully will get bored of trying to annoy you and give up.