Peter LaBarbera Is Not a ‘Homophobe’

First ten questions of the Wright, Adams and Bernat "Homophobia Scale" promoted by PBS. Click to enlarge.

By Peter LaBarbera

Well, I just took the “Homophobia Questionnaire” promoted by PBS’ “Frontline” and it’s official: I am “non-homophobic.” The quiz is called the “Wright, Adams & Bernat Homophobia Scale” and it is — needless to say — biased toward the liberal side on homosexuality. Nevertheless, I “passed” by a comfortable margin — with any score 50 or below registering as “non-homophobic,” and any score 51 or above qualifying as “homophobic.”

Here is Frontline’s description of the test:

In 1996, as part of his study on homophobia, Dr. Henry Adams and his colleagues at the University of Georgia developed their own “Homophobia Scale” by modifying scales used by other researchers in earlier studies. It’s a 25-item questionnaire “designed to measure your thoughts, feelings and behaviors with regards to homosexuality.” The instructions stressed: “It is not a test, so there are no right or wrong answers.”

It should be noted — as we did in reporting pro-family advocates Mat Staver’s and Matt Barber’s “non-homophobic” scores — that we at AFTAH regard the entire concept of “homophobia” as: tendentious; non-scientific; overly-broad, especially due to its ever-expanding application in society (to cover opposition toward rather than irrational fear of homosexuals); subjective; manipulative; and — all too often — a bludgeon with which to demonize and belittle well-meaning opponents of homosexuality (including those motivated by their religion).

The “Homophobia Questionnaire — much like the idea of “homophobia” itself — is flawed. Some of its questions lend themselves toward reliable, straightforward answers (e.g., #12: “Homosexuality is immoral”; or #17: “I have damaged property of a gay person, such as ‘keying’ their car”) — while others are ambiguous and could easily inspire a variety of subjective interpretations. For example, Question 11:

11. It would upset me if I learned that a close friend was homosexual.  [responses range from #1 (Strongly agree to #5 (Strongly disagree)]  

To this question I answered “Strongly Agree” — a response that I assume adds to my “homophobic” quotient. However, even though I would be greatly upset to learn that a good friend or relative considers himself a homosexual (because I believe homosexual practice is sinful and unhealthy), it does not follow that I would reject that person or treat him harshly — or be “fearful” of him, as the term homophobia implies. As I told FOX-Chicago News [see this AFTAH article], if it were one of my children, I would love them as always but would express my opposition to their practice of homosexuality, a sin.

Some questions are vaguely worded, such as #23: “When I see a gay person I think, ‘What a waste.'” 

(The quiz’s creators claim “there are no right or wrong answers” — yet clearly there is a “right” or “favorable” result from the survey: anyone scoring 51 or more is saddled with the “Homophobic” label, which is widely used by LGBT activists and pro-homosexual liberals to discredit those who oppose homosexual activist goals like “same-sex marriage.”)

You can take the “Homophobia Questionnaire” HERE. Send us your results and thoughts regarding its fairness and utility to americansfortruth@gmail.com.