Internalized homophobia can be defined as the rejection of one's own homosexuality..
As such, has an emotional component (fear, disgust and other aversive affective states at one's own homosexuality or at the idea of expressing it), other cognitive (the belief that being homosexual is a bad thing) and other behavioral (the tendency to hide one's sexual orientation).
It should be noted that internalized homophobia does not go hand in hand with homosexuality nor is it a component of this., but rather the opposite: is the result ofdecades of discrimination against sexual orientations that are far from heteronormative and, in some cases, including policies and elements of legislation that have contributed to marginalizing homosexuality in many countries around the world.. This idea that “the normal thing” is not to feel attraction towards people of the same sex has contributed to why homosexuality has been pathologized for a time..
From a very young age, we receive information about the world around us without going through any filter that helps us organize it. Although learning is a vital aspect in the development of human beings, It is not up to a certain level of that development that we can select, categorize and "digest" that information in a healthier way. That is why, at an early age, learning is acquired that may be dissident over time from our own identity.. One of these dissidences is internalized homophobia.
in psychotherapy, patients are helped to adapt and understand their own identity through listening, of acceptance and empowerment
In this way, the person is allowed to learn to experience their sexual orientation and sexuality fully., without feeling bad about it or trying to keep your preferences away from your consciousness. As a consequence, Your self-esteem is reinforced and you also gain quality of life by having a more satisfactory social and sexual life., renouncing the intention of modifying one's own sexual orientation so that it fits into heteronormativity and the expectations that it generates.