Origins of homophobia in males. Psychosexual vulnerabilities and defense development.
OBJECTIVE
To better understand the origins of homophobia among males.


METHODS
Literature review and clinical illustration.


RESULTS
Data suggest that there is a range of homophobic attitudes.


CONCLUSIONS
We illustrate how homophobic attitudes can be associated with a hierarchy of defensive styles. We propose that these defensive styles are used to manage a range of psychosexual developmental anxieties in boys and men.
Lock
J
J
Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA.
Kleis
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005239:Fear; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male