JB wrote:
"Interesting. I've been pronouncing it in my head as Wha-keem."

Interesting indeed. Never heard that version before. An english guy I studied with way back used to pronounce it sort of like "Jow-kim" and others have come up with others (which is probably why I'm called Kim or JJ by a lot English speakers), but "Wha-keem" is a new one.

Marc wrote:
"I had a professor in college who preferred the term 'heterosexist'."

Sounds like a better term, though it misses out on the phobia and as such loses some of the punch. I'd think a person could be quite heterosexist before reaching the levels of fullblown "homophobia".

...that they are 100% REAL. 

Yes -- 100% real FOAM.  Sorry, man, unless he was on a TON of steroids...

More, they were painfully out of proportion to the rest of Ricardo's build.

As I've said before Don, most of my friends are straight.  But perhaps I should ammend that.  Most of my friends are SECURE straights, comfortable with their orientation and not threatened by anyone else's. 

But it plays both ways.  I have seen gays treat straights with disdain and contempt, as if fashion and design sense were exclusive to queer orientation, and straights weren't capable of sensitivity and understanding.

"Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids."

I have a friend who says, "Silly Rabbit, Trix are for tweaks."

Don:

Right on man! I had a similar experience.  I think a lot of straight guys fear gay guys because they assume that every gay dude wants to fuck them, which is ridiculous and impossibly egotistical.  I'd imagine, based on conversations with gay friends, that they aren't interested in sex with someone who's not into it.  Besides, I'm pretty sure most gay men find me as sexually unattractive as the vast majority of women I've met.*

*In college I was shocked to learn how many smoking hot girls were lesbians.  They must have been right? Because they didn't want to have sex with me so they must be gay, right?

Tom wrote:
"'Heterosexist' sounds to me like someone who has issues with straight folks, not gays."

I think I've heard the term used, more or less, about people who are heteronormative in their thinking, which I guess is true of "homophobes" in the extreme.

Donald wrote:
"I don't fear women who may be attracted to me, why would I fear a man that was attracted to me?"

Exactly. And in the instnaces where there may be something to fear, I think that it's less to do with the person being gay, and more to with the individual in question being a jerk, and that could still apply to a heterosexual woman, so...

But hey, maybe it's the fear that they (the "homophobes") won't be able to withstand the temptation of an actual mutual attraction. Might be what Kevin mentioned upthread about "homophobes" potentially being gays in denial.

I think a lot of straight guys fear gay guys because they assume that every gay dude wants to fuck them, which is ridiculous and impossibly egotistical.

Or maybe they're just really afraid that the gay guys DON'T.

...they aren't interested in sex with someone who's not into it.

Oh, now, there are PLENTY of guys who turn my head.  That doesn't mean I can't have fantasy-sex with them...

Oh, now, there are PLENTY of guys who turn my head.  That doesn't mean I can't have fantasy-sex with them...

But in that fantasy I'd wager those fellas are into it.

But in that fantasy I'd wager those fellas are into it

Depends on the fantasy...

Sorry, Geoff.  Easy opening.

Okay boys, off to the gym -- legs today.  ugh...

Back on in a couple of hours.  Keep the party going.