Bigotry Is Not a Phobia
Using phobia as a suffix lets bigots off the hook. It needs to change.
We need to stop adding phobia to words when we are describing bigotry and hate. A phobia is a mental disorder that can lead people to never leaving their homes. It can severely damage a person’s life and is not something they can control. It often has roots in deep trauma. We should not be tying prejudice, bigotry and outright hatred to this word.
If you spend a significant time on the internet, especially social media, you probably see the words homophobia and transphobia daily. They have become words to describe anyone exhibiting a prejudice against LGBTQ+ people. These cases are horrible and I can only hope I live to see the day when it is something in the distant past. Until then, we need to make a correction.
I am not saying we don’t need words to describe these bigots. We absolutely do, and they should not be kind. However, using phobia to describe these people is unfair to those that suffer from what is a severe anxiety disorder. It is not voluntary and some people cannot leave their homes. It destroys their lives.
One of the worst things we have done in society is downplay the severity of mental illness. We tell people with depression that they should just smile or go for a walk. We tell people with anxiety that they should just calm down. We tell…
