I found a very interesting idea from Gene Robinson’s book that I thought others would be interested. I have copied the following –
“The problem, though, isn’t exactly ‘homophobia’. That surely exists, but it’s always a conversation stopper. Some claim they’re not afraid of homosexuals so they’re ‘not guilty’ of homophobia. But the further sin our society is guilty of is ‘heterosexism’.
Everyone knows what an ‘ism’ is: a set of prejudices and values and judgements backed up with the power to enforce those prejudices in society. Racism isn’t just fear and loathing of non-white people; it’s the systemic network of laws, customs, and beliefs that perpetuate prejudicial treatment of people of colour. I benefit every day from being white in this culture. I don’t have to hate anyone, or call anyone a hateful name, or do any harm to a person of colour to benefit from a racist society. I just have to sit back and reap the rewards of a system set up to benefit me. I can even be tolerant, open-minded, and multi-culturally sensitive. But as long as I’m not working to dismantle the system, I am racist.
Similarly, sexism isn’t just the denigration and devaluation of women; it’s the myriad ways the system is set up to benefit men over women. It takes no hateful behaviour on my part to reap the rewards given to men at the expense of women. But to choose not to work for the full equality of women in this culture is to be sexist.
So the sin we’re fighting now, within the secular sphere, is the sin of heterosexism. More and more people are feeling kindly toward gay and lesbian people, but that will never be enough. More important is the dismantling of the system that rewards heterosexuals at the expense of homosexuals. That’s why equal marriage rights are so important. That’s why ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is such a failure and such a painful thing for gay and lesbian people, even those who have no desire to serve in the military. These are ever-present reminders that our identities our lives, and our relationships are second class – because the very system of laws that govern us discriminates against us and denigrates our lives.
At their root, heterosexism and homophobia are expressions of misogyny, the hatred of women. If you doubt the currency of this misogynistic attitude, go to the video store and rent any movie with a football storyline. At some point, in just about every one of these movies, when the team is about to lose the big game and the players need to be pumped up, the coach will belittle, anger, and presumably empower the team by calling them a bunch of girls. Why does that work? Because no insult could be worse!
But heterosexism, like sexism, is beginning to erode in society and in the church. For a very long time, most of the decisions affecting the world have been made by white, heterosexual, educated, Western men. Ever so gradually, though, people of colour were invited to the conversation; then women; and now gay and lesbian people. And things are never the same when the oppressed claim – and receive – their voice. It’s no wonder the resistance is so fierce, given that we’re changing a system that’s been in place almost forever.
(copied without permission from ‘In the Eye of the Storm Swept to the Center by God’ Gene Robinson pages 24 – 25. I hope he doesn’t mind).
Gene Robinson featured in the recent DVD “For the Bible Tells Me So”.
Will be interested to know what others’ thoughts are on this.
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