Are there degrees of homophobia?

Complaints are beginning to brew over Fosters latest beer ad. In the ad a guy is asking for advice on how to apply sunscreen to a mates back and the following advice ensues, “Remember Deano, the following things are not permitted: eye contact, scented candles, power ballads, and do not apply if he’s wearing budgie smugglers.”

In our fervor to stamp out discrimination and fight for the right of the GLBTI community are we sometimes over sensitive to things that offend us? Do we find homophobia where there is none?

The problem is that where there is smoke there is usually fire.

Even something that is humorous can still be distasteful or do damage even where it is unintended. We are dealing with cultural trends that are hard to break.

I can remember hanging out with mates and listening to them calling each other buttfuckers and poofters. They knew I was gay and was in the room. The problem was that they were not being deliberately homophobic but were simply throwing insults at each other. To them they could have just as easily called each other a dickhead. The meaning to them was the same.

Although their homophobia was unintended their comments were still insensitive and distasteful, and they still stung.

This advertisement is precisely a symptom of this problem in the wider community. These kinds of memes (a cultural idea or value or pattern of behavior that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means, as by imitation) are much harder to break than discriminatory legislation.

Personally I find the ad itself rather harmless. It seems to be to be taking the piss out of the hetro-macho culture and Aussies more than anything else. We are not dealing with hate speech here or violent homophobia. What I do find damaging though is the advertisers immediately resorting to a stereotype that has branded Gay men for decades and thinly disguised it with humor before washing it's hands and assuming a "don't be so sensitive" attitude.

What do you think? I have posted the ad below. Leave a comment and let us know your opinion.