Word: homophobia
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...students have pointed out, they are consistently made to feel unwelcome in this community, as well as in the world outside Harvard. Everything, from the common language such as "straight" to acceptable forms of behavior, implies that homosexuality is abnormal. There is no question that homophobia exists on this campus, and that it must be replaced by tolerance...
...when gay students tabled in dining halls, asking students to sign a petition and answer questionnaires about attitudes on campus, they received several highly homophobic and even hateful responses. One student was even reported as saying, "I wouldn't sign the petition because I'm all in favor of homophobia on campus...
THIS implication of abnormality has pervaded the Harvard community's reaction to the events in Mather House. Many students who do not want to discuss the larger question of homophobia on campus have insisted on debating only what occurred in the initial harassment case...
...Sunday night meeting the Undergraduate Council amended a resolution calling on house masters to hold discussions about homophobia to include the topic of "rights of heterosexual students" and sexual harassment in the resolution's introduction. The amendment clearly dilutes the original intent of these discussions as a way of continuing across campus the important discussions prompted by the events at Mather House...
...word homophobia implies fear of homosexuality, and it is definitely fear--combined with ignorance--that has characterized many students' reactions thus far. But gay students deserve to be treated with respect, not with fear or hatred. And it is only through true tolerance, exchange of ideas and open-minded acceptance of the validity of other lifestyles that this fear can ever be dispelled in this community...