Internalized homophobia: What is it? And how do you overcome it?

[Behind the Aegis]

“Masc 4 masc”. “No fems”. “Discreet only”. These are phrases you’ll see a lot on hookup apps like Grindr and Scruff. And while most users will chalk it up to a matter of “preference”, some argue that this aversion to outward displays of queerness is a symptom of a much larger problem: internalized homophobia.

But what is internalized homophobia exactly? Why do queer people experience it? And how can you overcome it?

What Is Internalized Homophobia?
Internalized homophobia happens when bisexual men and women, lesbians, and gay men experience negative social attitudes and beliefs towards gay people and the gay community. In turn, they internalize those and develop feelings of self-hatred. This usually manifests as homophobic behavior towards themselves or other people in their community.

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