if "Gay Panic" is ABSURD. then no one is Homo-Phobic

[NomadPatriot]

NY lawmakers vote to ban 'gay panic' defense in murder cases

New York state lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill to ban the use of "gay panic" or "trans panic" defenses in murder cases.

In such defenses, defendants justify their crimes by saying the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity caused an extreme emotional reaction. The new legislation aims to make it so that "a non-violent sexual advance or the discovery of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity does not constitute a 'reasonable explanation or excuse'" to commit a crime.



https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ny-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-gay-panic-defense-in-murder-cases/ar-AAD7YMK

Phobia

NOUN
. an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.

( I do not agree that this is a viable defense in a murder case.. but if someone was Homophobic.. then they would experience a Gay Panic.. because their 'phobia' would cause an uncontrollable reaction... saying 'gay panic' isn't a real thing is saying Homophobia isn't a real thing.. so no one is Homophobic... thanks NYC!! )

[mrswdk]

This doesn't say 'gay panic is not a real thing'. It says 'gay panic is not an excuse to commit a crime'.

[NomadPatriot]

This doesn't say 'gay panic is not a real thing'. It says 'gay panic is not an excuse to commit a crime'.

I guess you are correct in that they do not say 'gay panic' ISN'T a real thing..

the article notes
" "I think it sends a strong message that homophobia isn't tolerated, not just in our society but also in our courtrooms," said Hoylman

it's just strange that they say ' Homophobia will not be tolerated.'
for someone to have an uncontrollable fear of something.. which is what homo-phobia would be.. if you genuinely fear something.. like legit fear it.. your body will react in a fight or flight response in order to escape that thing your fearful of... in this case .. it would be referred to as 'gay panic'...

let's use arachnophobia as a substitute.. if you were an arachnophobe & someone was getting ready to dump a box full of spiders on you.. you might uncontrollably assault them in order to prevent the spiders from getting dumped on you... you might not mean to hurt the person.. but your knee-jerk fear reaction might be to assault them to stop them...

so if homophobia is real.. then gay panic is real.. & as with any phobia.. uncontrollable actions might happen to prevent yourself from facing that fear..

like I said.. I do not endorse this course of action.. but I see why it could be used as a defense.. it sounds like a legit reason for actions that transpired... if no other option was available..

you have to remember.. a phobia is a fear of something.. not a hatred of something

[mrswdk]

I don't know why homophobia is called 'phobia'. It isn't actually defined as a phobia:

dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people.

It's a catch-all term covering any sort of intolerance or prejudice, rather than an actual phobia.

[mrswdk]

if you were an arachnophobe & someone was getting ready to dump a box full of spiders on you.. you might uncontrollably assault them in order to prevent the spiders from getting dumped on you...

I think the normal first response is to say 'no' and see if they stop.

[Dukasaur]

I don't know why homophobia is called 'phobia'. It isn't actually defined as a phobia:

dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people.

It's a catch-all term covering any sort of intolerance or prejudice, rather than an actual phobia.

The term was invented by a psychiatrist in the sixties. He was trying to explain why people have such a strong revulsion to something that really can't hurt them. The theory he came up with was that people acted as if it was a contagious condition. People feared contact with homosexuals in much the same way that they fear contact with a leper or a consumptive. Homosexual panic was a synonym right from the start.

In the seventies, some went further. They argued that everyone has a gay corner somewhere in their psyche, and when you attack outwardly gay people you're overcompensating, fearing a revelation of your own gay corner. Gradually that became the more popular explanation, probably because it could be weaponized in social interactions, but it was neither the actual origin of the term nor did it have any real scientific backing.