The Undertones of Homophobia As a society in North America, we have progressed tremendously when compared to other social stratifications, specifically looking at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights under a government. Various laws have been put in place that protect our LGBT citizens from prejudice and discrimination. Some may even argue that homophobia has almost entirely disintegrated in Canada, but when looking closely at various phrases used in everyday conversations, it is evident that the subtle and almost covert prejudices still exist in our society.
Canada has been internationally recognized as a leader of the LGBT rights movement, from same sex marriage being deemed constitutional in 2004, to enumerable gay rights activists spearheading an all inclusive mindset into Canadian society. Canada is renowned as being culturally, ethically, religiously and sexually diverse. However, its citizens very rarely model this recognition by using various homophobic slurs such as “that’s so gay”, “no homo” or “faggot”.
If you were to walk the hallways of any Canadian high school, or walk down any Canadian street, it is easy for one to notice these derogatory terms. For example, one may exclaim “that’s so gay” when something appears to be dumb or stupid. Often times, a male student may be coined or called gay for joining various female-dominated recreational activities, which in turn, shows that being gay is still viewed negatively in our society despite our advancements in civil rights.
The use of these derogatory slurs are almost always not intentionally offensive, it may even be meant to be humorous, but the negative connotation can be incredibly damaging to individuals who identify with an LGBT lifestyle. Various websites can be used to follow the number of homophobic slurs on social media websites, such as www.nohomophobes.com. If you look at the all time