HETEROGENEITY

Language-related divagations lead to a dead end. It's pragmatics upon semantics upon pseudo-intellectual overinterpretations upon total mayhem. Or maybe the other way around. Anyhow, add the possible number of possible points of view and die trying to get your flawed head around. Take the word homophobia, the basic meaning of which is groundless fear and hatred towards gays in general, combined with active expressing of it in speech and deed. Phobia is a neurotic fear, that's what it is commonly known as, at least. Homo is derived from the Greek word meaning alike. Accordingly and logically, homophobist means neurotically afraid of the same, whereas homophobia in its traditional meaning is aimed against the different not the same. Shouldn't homophobia be called heterophobia, really? That would make sense, a bias against the different. If so, it'd include gays hating straights and the name heterophobia would fit right, both in the literal and the proposed understanding. Apply the traditional name, however, and it makes gays homophobes, in a way. Wheels within wheels. But why not, on the other hand? Homophobia, according to my earlier nomenclature would be all about straights fearing straights and gays fearing gays (again, gays happen to be homophobist, if so). It transpires, you see. It hasn't been properly labeled though. The gauntlet was thrown down, now pick it up.