DROWNING IN HOMOPHOBIA!

I spend a lot of my time thinking about homophobia. The poisonous effects it has on both the gay and straight community, the way its reinforced by those who suffer from it, and the many parallels between it and other forms of hatred.

Earlier today I was having a conversation about homophobia and someone brought up a really good point concerning it. They compared fighting conditioned hatred to learning how to swim and I think that comparison is very adept. Homophobia is a lot like drowning. Its a painful and slow death of the psychological self. The years of self loathing, self denial, and self hatred slowly eat away at ones authentic self until you are left in a state of insanity, unable to recognize who you are and what you are. So many gay men are drowning, drowning in the torturous waters of homophobia.

Like many drowning deaths can be prevented by knowing how to swim, homophobia can be challenged and changed by rejecting self hate. If gay men just had the courage to learn how to swim, to learn to love themselves unconditionally we wouldn’t have so many deaths from homophobia drowning as we do.

I understand it’s a lot easier said than done sometimes, but one must consider that it’s free to love yourself for who you are and know your worth as a gay man, but the price of internalized homophobia is very expensive and will leave you with an over drafted life.

There are many gay men like myself living our lives authentically and open who are willing to teach our fellow gay brothers how to swim as well as support them on their journey.

So, to my gay brothers grappling with internalized homophobia, learn how to swim! It might just save you frown drowning.

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