[NozeCandy]

A study that appears to reveal a major cause of homophobia was completed at the University of Georgia in 1996. It involved 64 white men between the ages of 18 and 31, none of whom had engaged in homosexual acts during their lifetime. Their sexual fantasies involved only women. 35 of them were rated homophobic; 29 non-homophobic.

For the purpose of this study, "homophobia" was defined as a negative emotional reaction (e.g., fear, anxiety, anger, discomfort) to male homosexuality. It was measured by a questionnaire called the Index of Homophobia. Each was shown three types of X rated videotapes: heterosexual, homosexual female and homosexual male. A device measured the circumference of their penis as a gauge of sexual arousal.

The two groups exhibited similar arousal when they viewed 4 minute samples taken from one heterosexual and one homosexual female movie. But they responded differently to the male homosexual clip:

Homophobic men: Insignificant 20%, Moderate 26%, Definite 54%
Total aroused: 80%

Non-homophobic men: Insignificant 66%, Moderate 10%, Definite 24%
Total aroused: 34%

Although the plethysmograph doesn't lie, the homophobic subjects did, denying to the researchers (and perhaps themselves) that they were aroused. The researchers concluded that these data are consistent with the belief that most homophobic men have repressed homosexual desires.