Quote

Homophobia is manufactured in high schools, so it's probably useful to keep in mind that it really does bother people.

A huge part of what animates homophobia among young people is paranoia and fear of their own capacity to be gay themselves.

Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.

I have watched as a people and as a country and a culture over the course of my teenage-into-adulthood life, and I do still think there is a tremendous amount of homophobia that exists.

I used to be homophobic, but as I got older, I realized that wasn't the way to do things. I don't discriminate against anybody for their sexual preference, for their skin color... that's immature.

There's still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It's regrettable, it's stupid, it's heartless, and it's immoral, but there it is.

Unlike people of my generation, my children and my grandchildren have grown up living with, knowing, people who were outwardly gay and lesbian. And they have learned that they're just like us... And when you see that they're just like us, the rationale for discrimination melts away.

Homophobia is just that: a phobia.

I think as a whole America is dealing with the issue of homophobia. We got to be really honest about whether we believe in civil rights for all people or not. As Black people we need to remember the moment that we say it's okay to disenfranchise one segment of society, we're opening the door to move backward on ourselves.

When you hear someone say something homophobic, it really ages them. It sounds old-fashioned.