Homophobia

I'll just put this right out there. I don't like being around gay people. It makes me extremely uncomfortable.

And having said that, I have just identified myself as a "homophobe" which, if I'm reading the societal barometer correctly, is one of the worst things you can be, a notch below "capitalist" and a notch above "child molester."

I don't really care about all this. I find it ironic that the only thing that we don't tolerate in this country is an intolerance for certain behaviors, but now I'm getting off point.

What I don't like is the term "homophobe." It's not that I'm afraid of homosexuals. I don't fear that they'll sodomize me or something. I'm not scared of anything. I just don't like being around gay people, and I'm not going to apologize for that. And I shouldn't have to defend it. But telling someone that in a social setting often bounds you into a confrontational discussion which ends with you being painted as a bad person.

Calling someone a homophobe is too strong in most cases. It's inaccurate, implying some kind of sickness or mental disorder. And I'll stop now, before I write something really offensive.