Homophobia is the fear to associate with those who have a strong sexual feeling towards people of the same sex. Sexism is the discrimination directed towards a group based on their sex preference. Places of work, social avenues and academic institutions discriminate people based on their sex. Sexism has become a part of life beginning at a tender teenage age where teenagers call each other ‘sissy’ or ‘tomboy’. Feminists (bisexuals, gay and lesbian) are coming up with ways to overcome homophobia. Suzanne Pharr’s Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism gives a practical solution to recognize and eradicate it.
Pharr argues that sexism is the system meant to undermine women and make them subordinate to men. Homophobia, along with violence and economics, perpetuates sexism by introducing choices coercing gender identities and roles keeping intact the idea of compulsory heterosexuality. She clearly states that women should address homophobia within themselves and in their organizations to dismantle sexism. She illustrates the consequences of living in a heterosexist world which keeps the machinery of sexism in order.
Pharr links sexism to homophobia that for the latter to work effectively as a weapon of sexism, it works together with heterosexism. Heterosexism assumes a world where there are only heterosexuals. It displays its power and privilege as a norm. Heterosexism is the display of homophobia in institutes of society. Heterosexism together with homophobia work to enforce heterosexuality having a basis on a nuclear family. This is the main cause of failure in the liberation of women. The attack has been on women’s control of their own body, their self-determination and equality in a sexism world seeing that their empowerment will damage what the society views as its crucial institution, the nuclear family.
Van Der Gaag’s No-nonsense Guide as the name suggests, is a guide to women’s rights. She sees the need to educate the women all over the world to empower them. Feminism was once fashionable, and Gaag wants to restore this phenomenon. In order to eliminate homophobia/heterosexism, women in their women-groups should lead campaigns to put their rights on the national agenda. The campaigns should be based against sexist advertising, for equality among individuals, and against domestic violence.
References
Gaag, V. D. (2004). The no-nonsense guide to women's rights. London: Verso.
Pharr, S. (1988). Homophobia:A weapon of sexism. Inverness, CA: Chardon Press.
