Definition
Homophobia and transphobia are two terms that refer to negative attitudes toward homosexual and transsexual people, although these expressions may spark the idea of an irrational fear (fobos) of homosexual and gender-nonconforming people. These terms are related to a wide range of conditions of negative attitudes and behavior toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, “ranging from casual use of pejorative language to aggressive personal attack” (Taylor & Peter, 2011, p. 277). This phenomenon thus involves different aspects: psychological, behavioral, cultural, social, and moral components (Rollè, Garbarini, Gerino, Marino, & Brustia, 2010).
Thus, homophobia and transphobia are both phenomena directed against people who challenge the sexual stereotypes commonly accepted by society: In fact, Herek (2004) proposed the use of the expression sexual prejudice, which...
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Rollè, L., Brustia, P., Caldarera, A. (2014). Homophobia and Transphobia. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_4205
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