In Russia homophobia reigns – as it does in most other backward countries. If we take a look at Russia, we certainly wonder why it is that so many countries, so many people are deeply homophobic. Looking at Russia we’ll soon notice the close ties that Russia’s government has with the Orthodox Church. When we then survey other homophobic countries, we’ll see all these countries are also very religious. It would be simple to conclude that religion causes homophobia.

It would also be wrong.

Homophobia is not something caused by religion. Although the Abrahamic religions are doubtlessly homophobic, they merely amplify, not cause this irrationality. The cause for homophobia is actually quite simple:

Men.

There are two unrelated but significant traits in men that fuel this fear:

• Men know deep down that they are sexual predators. If society and their own restraint didn’t exist, they would rape women.
• Men think very highly of themselves, and most believe that they are nearly irresistibly attractive, that their looks and demeanor are almost godlike.

As a result men are afraid that their good looks and attractiveness makes them prime targets to gay sexual predators. That is why a ‘straight’ man usually has no problems with lesbians – most get turned on watching lesbian porn. But the thought of a gay man immediately evokes strong fears of being raped. Homophobic men are afraid of having to face an uninhibited, unrestrained, gay version of themselves; they are afraid of becoming sexual prey.

Homophobic men are deathly afraid of having to live through a situation that every woman walking a street today calls ‘normal’.