We always thought most homophobes were either just ignorant rednecks or severe closet cases. Always working hard to enlighten the masses, The Washington Post informs us that homophobia might actually be a mental illness.

The article highlights one guy with an extreme case of agayaphobia:

The 48-year-old man turned down a job because he feared that a co-worker would be gay. He was upset that gay culture was becoming mainstream and blamed most of his personal, professional and emotional problems on the gay and lesbian movement.

These fixations preoccupied him every day. Articles in magazines about gays made him agitated. He confessed that his fears had left him socially isolated and unemployed for years: A recovering alcoholic, the man even avoided 12-step meetings out of fear he might encounter a gay person.

So the next time a homophobe beats someone up for being gay the real victim isn't the queer with the bruises but the poor guy who has been tortured with Will & Grace and pride parades his entire life? Ok, we get it now.

Psychiatry Ponders Whether Extreme Bias Can Be an Illness [Washington Post]