Why are so many men Homophobic ( not that women arent) Do they think every gay man wants them?

Most straight men know the amount of ridicule that can come from your masculinity being questioned. They go to great lengths to make sure that no one ever thinks they are anything but heterosexual.

And to answer the second part of your question: yes. I am a bit guilty of stereotyping here, but a vast majority of straight men that I have met seem to think that they need to protect themselves from every gay man around hitting on them. It rarely crosses their mind that a gay man would not be attracted to them.

I have met straight men who are comfortable around gay men and are never worried that we are trying to get them in beg, but they are the exception.

This is just my experience.

There are many individuals, and many individual reasons for homophobia.

Some are repressed self-loathing homosexuals, others are individuals who were the victims of sexual abuse as a child by a same-sex adult, others simply have self-esteem issues revolving around their own sexuality, so feel the need to find someone "inferior" to them to pick on.

On a larger cultural level though, homophobia is directly related to sexism; it is a product of sexism.

Women are inferior, men are superior. Everything about women is inferior to everything about men.

That means for a man to take on any characteristics or role of a woman, that means he is taking a step down, making himself less of a man. He's a sissy, a fagot.

For a woman to take on characteristics or role of a man is not such a bad thing- she is trying to better herself, trying to raise her position. Not that it's appropriate, but it's understandable. She is just a tom boy.

A woman can walk around dressed head to toe in men's clothing, and no one would bat an eye. It's just fashion. For a man to dress in woman's clothing- no, that's wrong.

When two men have sex, seed is spilled. That is a waste of the divine power of life. When two women have sex, nothing is wasted.

Since to be a straight woman is the lowest possible position, they don't feel the need to look down on gays and lesbians.

Since to be a straight man is the highest possible position, they look down on anything less then them.

"Homophobia" (the non-religious kind) is less a true phobia or fear than it is a prejudice. It stems from ridicule taught very early. When we are young, the things we are taught about becoming a man stay with us for a very long time. Homosexuality is often thought of to be the greatest act against masculinity, and to be thought of as a homosexual or even approving of it is looked down upon by peers and usually guardians as well; those very people who we look up to as models of the men we wish to become.
As time goes on and tolerance and education increases, such pointless attitudes will dissipate.

My guess is that these men think about how much they want sex with women(all the time)or think heterosexual thoughts, and then they look at gay men and assume that we think the exact same thing, only homosexual. What they don't realize is that we, like they, have 'types' or certain boundaries of attraction. I think they assume that it is entirely physical, too. Not necessarily. If a guy can't impress me with his thought processes or doesn't have a sense of humor, forget it, I'm SOOOOO outta there. Plus...I'm pretty picky. I'm a package-deal kind of guy...

I am a strictly heterosexual male who has no issues whatsoever with men or women for that matter who are homosexual. People can't help who they are attracted to and who are any of us to stand in judgement of someone just because their lifestyle doesn't fit into our idea of normal.

I for one do not think so highly of myself that I believe every gay man wants me or that I can be the man to turn a woman who has been attracted to other women all or most of her life on to men all of a sudden.

I think the majority of males who are homophobes are so because they think they are all that and a bag of chips that even men can't resist them and the very thought of a man thinking of them in a sexual way disgusts them.

I have had way more men hit on me in my life than women but I have never let it affect me. I just simply smile and say while I am very flattered that you would think enough of me to be attracted to me I simply don't feel what you do and probably never will so it would be best for you to move on to someone you might have a chance with.

Are (so many) men Homophobic?

If you actually look at guys and the stuff they do, some of it gets pretty Gay.
Like in sports, slapping each others asses.
My brother and his co workers all play "the Penis Showing Game" from the Movie Waiting.
Some guys look at others penis in stalls, "Comaparing sizes" so to say.
Wrestling in itself, has some gay moments.
In the olden days when women couldn't be in plays, Guess who played women?
The shit guys do to one another when their drunk. "Hey he's passed out, lets put a Carrot up his ass!"
The Show/Movie Jackass, Im pretty sure alot of straight guys love that, even though some of the stunts and the gayest ive ever seen.

But for some reason men tend to overlook these and other things, simply denying that theses acts have Homo Tendencies

Most straight men are uncomfortable with the thought of another men wanting them. My roommates dad who is sixty years old was very uncomfortable with me. Until my roommate told him that i would not be attracted to him. Once he understood that everything became more normal.. So yes the sixty year old man still thought i would be attracted to him.. LOL All men think everyone wants them

I think it's because they (well we) think about all the masculinity that society put on us.

Because fish fear them and everybody wants them...it says so on their bumper sticker so it must be true.

I don't think its necessarily about them thinking every gay man wants them. I think that homosexuality confuses a number of "straight" people, they find it difficult to comprehend different ideas of gender that they were possibly brought up with... Oh and i've had the displeasure of meeting many homophobic women also :/

There have been some good points presented here... but I have to say, maybe it's more... physical.

For women, sex is a very personal, very INTERNAL thing... not trying to be too graphic, but you understand what I mean. For heterosexual men, it is strictly external - it all comes off in the wash.

Many girls fear sex the first time... why? The idea of someone touching in places you've never seen! It's frightening.

I believe for the homophobic man, the fear is quite the same. Since they will not openly admit to this sort of fear... they project it on others in a "How dare you be okay with this" sort of way.

I completely agree with Jacyn Scanlon. By answering your own question with the suggestion that people only think about sex when it comes to this issue ,only proves the point that homosexuality IS about the sex!!!!