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Dr. Ray Noonan’s 1999
Conference Presentations


Heterophobia: The Evolution of an Idea


Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor, Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY)
Director, SexQuest/The Sex Institute, NYC

E-mail: rjnoonan@SexQuest.com


The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) and the
American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)


1999 Joint Annual Meeting

Saturday, November 6, 1999, 2:15-4:45pm
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at Union Station, St. Louis, MO


Short Program Abstract:

The term heterophobia is, perhaps, only less than two decades old-a much shorter period than its more familiar sibling, homophobia, which dates to 1958. Still, the value of heterophobia as a concept appears to be largely unrecognized among many, if not most, sexologists today as we prepare to bring sexual science and philosophy into the new millennium. Is heterophobia just another example of the me-too victimology that continues to grow and flourish in contemporary America? Or is there more to it that can help us work better with our students and clients and help society deal with sexuality more effectively? This workshop, which will combine lecture and small group discussions, will trace the history of the idea, as well as the ways in which heterophobia may intrude on our work. We will also focus on ways to minimize its negative impact on our selves, clients, and society.

Long Abstract:

The term heterophobia is, perhaps, only less than two decades old—a much shorter period than its more familiar sibling, homophobia, which Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary dates to 1958. Still, the value of heterophobia as a concept appears to be largely unrecognized among many, if not most, sexologists today as we prepare to bring sexual science and philosophy into the new millennium. Is heterophobia just another example of the me-too victimology that continues to grow and flourish in contemporary America? Or is there more to it that can help us work better with our students and clients and help all of us in society deal with our sexuality more effectively?

Webster’s defines homophobia simply as the irrational fear of homosexuality or homosexuals; the term heterophobia, however, does not appear at all. It does appear in Francoeur’s 1995 Dictionary of Sexuality, where he defines it similarly as a fear of heterosexuals, although he does not use the "irrational" component. Heterophobia also appears among the myriad other terms for various phobias in some of the comprehensive lists of phobias published on the World Wide Web.

In the sexological literature, heterophobia first seems to have appeared in print in the controversial 1990 book by Eichel, Kinsey, Sex and Fraud, in which he devoted a chapter to the "new" concept of "heterophobia," although I recall having heard and thought about it in the early 1980s. Eichel defined it similarly to Francoeur’s definition in his Dictionary. In 1996, Noonan referred to the term in his book, Does Anyone Still Remember When Sex Was Fun?, in which he equated it more with the generalized sex-negativity that exists in American society. In that book, he also introduced the concept of internalized heterophobia. In a chapter in a later book, he suggested that homophobia was, in fact, partially enabled and empowered by heterophobia, as noted above, and he argued that a systems approach was needed in sexology to help us elucidate the factors that influence our sexual attitudes and behavior.

In late 1998, however, heterophobia appeared for the first time in the title of a book- the first comprehensive treatment of the subject by anyone inside or outside of sexology. In Heterophobia: Sexual Harassment and the Future of Feminism, Daphne Patai tied the concept to what she called the Sexual Harassment Industry (SHI), which was being used, she argued, to separate men and women for often personal or political gain or self-interest.

The term is confusing for some people for several reasons. On the one hand, some look at it as just another of the many me-too social constructions that have arisen in the pseudoscience of victimology in recent decades. (Many of us recall John Money’s 1995 criticism of the ascendancy of victimology and its negative impact on sexual science.) Others look at the parallelism between heterophobia and homophobia, and suggest that the former trivializes the latter. Yet heterophobia may be one of the root contributors in the etiology of homophobia, as Noonan argued in 1998. For others, it is merely a curiosity or parallel-construction word game. But for others still, it is part of both the recognition and politicization of heterosexuals’ cultural interests in contrast to those of gays—particularly where those interests are perceived to clash.

This workshop, which will combine lecture and small group discussions, will trace the history of the idea, as well as brainstorm about the ways in which heterophobia may intrude in our work. We will also focus on ways to minimize its negative impact on our selves, clients, and society.

To protect everyone from harm or embarrassment, no participants will be required to reveal personal information about themselves, or to participate in anything in which they feel uncomfortable.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

  1. Describe heterophobia and the differences and similarities between it and related phobias, such as homophobia, biphobia, sexophobia, and erotophobia.
  2. Recognize the impact of heterophobia on our individual and collective sexual health and the role it may play in the etiology of homophobia and other sex-negative attitudes.
  3. Understand the concept of internalized heterophobia and the impact it has on sexual attitudes and behavior.
  4. Identify potential actions that may begin to resolve the problems associated with heterophobia.

 


Healthy Sexuality in the 21st Century

Full Conference Information


From Columbine to Fashion to Virtual Reality:
Toward a Holistic Sexual Ecology I & II

Dr. Noonan’s Abstracts


Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor, Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY)
Director, SexQuest/The Sex Institute, NYC


An AASECT New York City Metro Section Conference
at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT/SUNY) in New York City

Saturday, October 16, 1999
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT/SUNY)
227 W. 27th Street, New York City


For information, e-mail rjnoonan@SexQuest.com at SexQuest.

 

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Check Out These Recent Books of Note with Contributions by Dr. Ray Noonan

 Click on the amazon.com button to buy it!  Click here to buy it!  New! Volume 4 of the International Encyclopedia of Sexuality (IES4), including 17 new countries and places, Robert T. Francoeur, Ph.D., Editor, and Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D., Associate Editor, published in May 2001 by Continuum International Publishing Group: Includes my chapter on “Outer Space,” which highlights cross-cultural sexuality issues that will have an impact on the human future in space, based partly on my dissertation. For the table of contents or more information, see the IES4 Web site: http://www.SexQuest.com/IES4/, including supplemental chapters available only on the Web. Order from amazon.com!


 Click on the amazon.com button to buy it!  Click here to buy it! “The Impact of AIDS on Our Perception of Sexuality” and “Sex Surrogates: The Continuing Controversy,” in Robert T. Francoeur’s Sexuality in America: Understanding Our Sexual Values and Behavior, published in August 1998 by Continuum Publishing Co. This new book contains an updated version of the chapter on the United States contained in the International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, Vol. 3 (in the set below). Now available in paperback at amazon.com!


 Click on the amazon.com button to buy it!  Click here to buy it! Two articles in Robert T. Francoeur’s International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, published in August 1997 by Continuum Publishing Co.: “The Impact of AIDS on Our Perception of Sexuality” and “Sex Surrogates: The Continuing Controversy” in the United States chapter in volume 3, and additional comments (with Sandra Almeida) in the chapter on Brazil in volume 1. Encourage your library to purchase this three-volume, 1737-page set—the most comprehensive cross-cultural survey of sexuality in 33 countries ever published. Order from amazon.com.


 Click on the amazon.com button to buy it!  Click here to buy it! “The Psychology of Sex: A Mirror from the Internet,” in Jayne Gackenbach’s Psychology and the Internet: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal and Transpersonal Implications, published by Academic Press in October 1998. Visit the publisher to see the table of contents and more information, then come back here and order it from amazon.com.


 Click on the amazon.com button to buy it!  Click here to buy it! The third edition of the book, Does Anyone Still Remember When Sex Was Fun? Positive Sexuality in the Age of AIDS, 3rd edition, edited by Peter B. Anderson, Diane de Mauro, & Raymond J. Noonan, published by Kendall/Hunt in September 1996. Click here for more information about the book.

The latest on positive sexuality from the first book to address the issue: For anyone concerned about the increasingly negative ways in which sex is being portrayed in public life—and who wants to do something positive about it.

Now out of print, but available soon in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format! However, used copies might be available at amazon.com.
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Contact Info:

Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D.
Director
SexQuest/The Sex Institute
P.O. Box 20166
West Village Station
New York, NY 10014


E-mail: rjnoonan@SexQuest.com
Phone: (212) 217-7460

Inquiries Welcome on Teaching, Speaking, and Writing Assignments


Dr. Ray Noonan’s Dissertation Information Pages:
[Abstract] [Table of Contents] [Preface] [AsMA 2000 Presentation Abstract]

SexQuest’s Web Index for Sexual Health
(The SexQuest WISH List)

Your first source for sexuality information on the Web

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First published on the Web on September 5, 1999
This page was last changed March 15, 2002; Ver. 4a
Copyright © 1999-2002 Raymond J. Noonan, Ph.D., and SexQuest/The Sex Institute, NYC

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