How to Tackle Homophobia

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Homophobia is wrong. Sexism is wrong. Racism is wrong. It is a sign of progress that these statements now seem drawn from the school of the bleeding obvious, but increasingly they seem to be used in competition with each other. For many it is tempting to use someone else's perceived homophobia or sexism as justification for subjecting them to racism. I guess the argument goes that if I believe you to be sexist or a homophobe then the gloves are off and I am allowed to be racist towards you. But no one can win in a race to the bottom of this type. Mehdi Hasan highlighted the vitriolic abuse he receives when he seeks to address issues of anti-Muslim discrimination on the basis that he is homophobic – well he must be, he is a Muslim after all and everyone "knows" Muslims are homophobes. Presumed guilty, he is asked to prove his liberal credentials before his reasonable arguments are even given a hearing. The comments below the line reflect not just the willingness of people to argue that the right to live free from racism is conditional, but also the view people from some ethnic and religious minorities are somehow less worthy of rights and require higher levels of sanctions. On no account do I seek to justify the narrow-minded and scurrilous activities of some in our communities, black, white or Asian, who seek to perpetuate disadvantage on the basis of sexual identity, ethnic background or gender. I've long been a supporter of work to challenge homophobia in black communities such as the excellent Say My Name and UK Black Pride. Few would argue that because homophobia remains a problem in black communities that we should not tackle the racism that contributes to the fact that there will be three times as many young black men in prison this year than in Russell Group universities. Yet this seems to be the argument used in both coded and blatant forms about

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