Overview

This volume attempts to pathologize most forms of homophobia, and to view homophobia as a symptom of an emotional disorder. Homophobia is studied from a developmental perspective, showing how it originates in the homophobe's early relationships. With a scientifically-based eclectic treatment approach, this work seeks to use psychodynamic, interpersonal, existential, cognitive/behavioural and supportive techniques to treat homophobes and to help gays and lesbians who are the recipients of the manifestations of this emotional disorder.

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9780275955304

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Reviews

Kantor's book is a logical next step in theory and practice on homophobia. Between the 1960s and the late 1990s, psychologists have shifted perspectives from the belief that gay people are mentally well adjusted, to the notion that homophobia as a form of emotional disorder in anyone who expresses it. Kantor lays out the last important step in this progression. The book clearly shows the models of homophobia and the outcomes for gay men and lesbians. The author relates specific aspects of homophobia to types of emotional disorders. For instance, he describes homophobia as linked to mood disorders, phobic/avoidant disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and various personality disorders. Kantor emphasizes, perhaps a little strongly, the psychoanalytic approach to understanding the causes of homophobia. He also provides a good description of clinical approaches to treating homophobia and excellent suggestions for how to combat homophobia on an interpersonal level. Although his book focuses on homophobia, its applicability to other types of bias, discrimination, and bigotry is unmistakable and compelling. All levels. -Choice An important and timely attempt to fill a recognized gap....The major strength of this book is that it opens up for psychoanalysis a topic neglected for too long. For students of psychiatry, it provides an excellent basis for a discussion of traditional homophobic assumptions and practices within the field....I found the book insightful and interesting. I recommend it for all psychodynamically-trained analysts as one of very few texts that use psychodynamic constructs to confront this critical issue in psychiatry. While few may agree with all of Dr. Kantor's insights, analysts should benefit from a critical reading of this important work so that, ultimately, the homophobia present in so many of our patients is no longer ignored. -Journal of Sex Research ?An important and timely attempt to fill a recognized gap....The major strength of this book is that it opens up for psychoanalysis a topic neglected for too long. For students of psychiatry, it provides an excellent basis for a discussion of traditional homophobic assumptions and practices within the field....I found the book insightful and interesting. I recommend it for all psychodynamically-trained analysts as one of very few texts that use psychodynamic constructs to confront this critical issue in psychiatry. While few may agree with all of Dr. Kantor's insights, analysts should benefit from a critical reading of this important work so that, ultimately, the homophobia present in so many of our patients is no longer ignored.?-Journal of Sex Research ?Kantor's book is a logical next step in theory and practice on homophobia. Between the 1960s and the late 1990s, psychologists have shifted perspectives from the belief that gay people are mentally well adjusted, to the notion that homophobia as a form of emotional disorder in anyone who expresses it. Kantor lays out the last important step in this progression. The book clearly shows the models of homophobia and the outcomes for gay men and lesbians. The author relates specific aspects of homophobia to types of emotional disorders. For instance, he describes homophobia as linked to mood disorders, phobic/avoidant disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and various personality disorders. Kantor emphasizes, perhaps a little strongly, the psychoanalytic approach to understanding the causes of homophobia. He also provides a good description of clinical approaches to treating homophobia and excellent suggestions for how to combat homophobia on an interpersonal level. Although his book focuses on homophobia, its applicability to other types of bias, discrimination, and bigotry is unmistakable and compelling. All levels.?-Choice

?Kantor's book is a logical next step in theory and practice on homophobia. Between the 1960s and the late 1990s, psychologists have shifted perspectives from the belief that gay people are mentally well adjusted, to the notion that homophobia as a form of emotional disorder in anyone who expresses it. Kantor lays out the last important step in this progression. The book clearly shows the models of homophobia and the outcomes for gay men and lesbians. The author relates specific aspects of homophobia to types of emotional disorders. For instance, he describes homophobia as linked to mood disorders, phobic/avoidant disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and various personality disorders. Kantor emphasizes, perhaps a little strongly, the psychoanalytic approach to understanding the causes of homophobia. He also provides a good description of clinical approaches to treating homophobia and excellent suggestions for how to combat homophobia on an interpersonal level. Although his book focuses on homophobia, its applicability to other types of bias, discrimination, and bigotry is unmistakable and compelling. All levels.?-Choice

Author Information

Martin Kantor, MD is a Harvard psychiatrist who has been in full private practice in Boston and New York City, and active in residency training programs at several hospitals, including Massachusetts General and Beth Israel in New York. He also served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical School and as Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey—New Jersey Medical School. He is currently a full-time medical author, the author of more than a dozen other books, including Homophobia, Second Edition (Praeger 2009); Uncle Sam’s Shame: Inside the Veteran’s Administration (Praeger 2008); Lifting the Weight: Understanding Depression in Men: Its Causes and Solutions (Praeger 2007); The Psychopathy of Everyday Life: How Antisocial Personality Disorder Affects All of Us (Praeger, 2006); Understanding Paranoia: A Guide for Professional, Families, and Sufferers (Praeger 2004); Distancing: Avoidant Personality Disorder, Revised and Expanded (Praeger, 2003), Passive-Aggression: A Guide for the Therapist, the Patient, and the Victim (Praeger, 2002), Treating Emotional Disorder in Gay Men (Praeger, 1999), and Homophobia (Praeger, 1998).

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