"Hommaseksual"

I've remarked a couple of times about the use of the word "homosexual" by anti-gay bigots and straights who may be well-eaning but ignorant. I was therefore quite interested to read these comments from Out Front Blog.

There are reasons the Christianists use the word "homosexual" and refuse point-blank to call us "gay." Here's one:

[T]he American people react more positively to the term "gay" than to the term "homosexual." And they cite poll numbers from Gallup to back up that contention: apparently Gallup numbers show that approval of "gay" people is more popular than approval of "homosexuals."

Can't have that, now, can we?

This usage is deliberate on their part because "homosexual" as a term to describe a person (i.e., used as a noun rather than an adjective) is demeaning. It has a h istory as a clinical term used to describe a pathology (and that itself was the result of ignorance and prejudice), and that's the image that the Christianists want to perpetuate. They can't admit that gays are in any way normal, even though it's demonstrably true that we are just as normal (and probably more so) than they are. Consequently, any religious front-man who says that "homosexuals" should be accorded the dignity due to any human being has made himself out to be a hypocrite by the very fact that he is using a loaded term to describe us.

That has consequences, and don't tell me the Dobson Gang's not aware of them. From the New York Blade:

Every May since 2001 a Gallup poll asked Americans “In general, do you think homosexuals should or should not have equal rights in terms of job opportunities?”

The yes responses are as follows: 2001: 85 percent; 2002 86 percent; 2003 88 percent; 2004: 89 percent; 2005: 90 percent/87 percent; and 2006: 89 percent.

Note the two percentages given in 2005. That year, Gallup asked half the respondents about equal rights for “gays and lesbians,” resulting in a 3 percent higher approval compared with the Galllup’s typical use of the term “homosexual.”

. . .

Switching the terms “gay” and “homosexual” also influenced the number of people who said they were against equal rights. According to the same Gallup poll mentioned above, in 2005, 7 percent said “gays and lesbians” should not have equal rights in terms of employment. But 11 percent said that “homosexuals” should not have equal rights. That translates to 4 percent change—in favor of LGBT equality—simply because of the terminology.

I've had a couple of brief exchanges about this with Misty Irons at More Musings On, taking exception to her use of the term. Her rationale is that she is dealing with conservative Christians who are stuck in that term. I'm afraid I can't quite accept that one -- the point is to get them unstuck. I will readily grant that on the list of conservative Christians who are sympathetic to gay equality, she's right at the top, but that only points up the problems we still face in breaking down prejudice. Even those who like us just don't get it.

John Aravosis has similar comments on this issue, if not quite so confrontational as mine (and how rare is that?).

There is also the very basic rule of common courtesy here: you call someone by the name they prefer for themselves. I might ask of these people, as I did recently concerning Orson Scott Card, who has quite neatly placed himself in the spotlight as an anti-gay bigot, if they still call African Americans "Negroes," and if not, why not?

The answers should be illuminating.

(Footnote: GLAAD gives the appropriate references from AP, NYT, and WaPo. And yet they seem to ignore their own style sheets with some regularity.)