by Lucas Togan

It is interesting and pertinent to note that homosexuality was once viewed as a mental condition. In my part of the world, it is still viewed as such and more often as a spiritual battle lost by gay people. To us, it is the devil – SIMPLE.

Ten months ago, I was a hundred per cent homophobic. Today, I’m less bias. You want to know what happened? I’ll tell you.

I had a gay post last year on this page where I posited that having not taken part in birthing a child, gay people had no right to raise children. Academically, I still hold that position but when the premise is changed and viewed from the angle of the many homeless kids who are getting care and love from these people or the many abusive heterosexual homes who mess these kids up much more than is being perceived by being raised in a gay home, then we have a whole new discussion on our hands.

As the debate raged on and people made their different submissions and comments I started to ask myself “is homophobia nature or nurture?” This thought made me explore the matter.

What is homophobia?
According to Wikipedia, Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being LGBT. It can be expressed as antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion, or hatred, may be based on irrational fear, and is sometimes related to religious beliefs.

Merriam-Webster says “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals”

It is interesting and pertinent to note that homosexuality was once viewed as a mental condition. In my part of the world, it is still viewed as such and more often as a spiritual battle lost by gay people. To us, it is the devil – SIMPLE.

But should this blanket definition suffice? Can this bias stand critical scrutiny? Are we born with gay bias or did we learn to hate them?

In my opinion, which is informed by my limited knowledge of human anatomy, I find that the vagina expands and gets wet in anticipation for the entrance of the penis. I am not sure if the anus is designed to do that as well. But that’s how far I’ve come with logically defending my bias. However, since homosexuality is much more than sex, I realised my argument was weak. So I asked myself these questions:

Am I homophobic by nature or is it my society that shaped my bias?

If I lived in a more gay tolerant society, will my position change overtime?

If my boss was gay, will I quit?

If I had gay team mates, will I quit the team?

If a gay man saved my life, will I be more tolerant?

If I had a gay offspring or sibling, what would I do?

In pondering these, I found that the only reason I still hold any shred of homophobia is because I lack the opportunity to interact with gay people. Being a strong advocate of judging people by contents of their character, I increasingly see the error in hating someone for who they choose to sleep with. I have realised that in this honest self evaluation and assessment, I am better equipped mentally to deal with them when I find myself in a gay tolerant community. I know I’d definitely cringe at my first sight of gay PDA, but I have come to understand that they are human first.
How will you respond to these questions?

SPARK! Let’s change it.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.