homohysteria en · NOUN
Etymology
From homo- (“pertaining to homosexuality”) + hysteria.
Meanings
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(uncountable) A cultural aversion to being perceived as homosexual (thus causing men to avoid stereotypically gay behaviours).
Men have been taught to avoid behaviors that get them labeled as "gay," a phenomenon called homohysteria. To make friends, however, men must transcend homohysteria. For example, Billy reached out to a friend he hadn't spoken to in a while, Rory, only to realize Rory moved to Vienna while enduring a breakup. In a radical gesture typically confined to couples in romantic comedies, Billy flew to Vienna to rekindle the friendship and support Rory.
2021 April 30, Marisa G. Franco, “How Men Can Make Friends”, in Psychology Today, New York, N.Y.: Sussex Publishers, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2023: