What does it mean to be homophobic? Please read below before answering.

It depends how you define it. Homophobic, technically, means that you fear homosexuals. I certainly don't. I just hate them.

they're just selective with who they want to hang around with because that may not be their type of person

The only way to really know that is to know if they ever befriended a homosexual but didn't know it. They are not always obvious...they are just like everyone else. If they did but then rejected them when they found out then yes they would be homophobic.

we can all choose who we want to spend our time with without getting labelled, as i do not have any gay friends, does that mean i'm homophobic, i would think not.....

It is like any other phobia take agoraphobia for example, just because these people cannot handle being out in public places doesn't mean that want any harm to come to the public.
Besides what do these people do when they meet someone. Do they ask them if they are homosexual before anything else? Or do they ask after a good conversation before exchanging numbers or hanging out again and then say oh sorry I can't hang out with you anymore? Or are they fake and pretend that it is okay they blow them off? Or do they just drop them as a friend later when they find out?
Everyone is entitled to be selective about their friends but if their being homosexual is the sole basis of not being their friend then they also have to live with the fact that they are at least somewhat homophobic whether they like it or not.

My country isn't really that free but I get your poiint

If they don't want to even know someone who is gay then that's homophobia. They are discriminating against them based solely on their sexual preference. Just because they don't support violent action against them doesn't mean they are not homophobes.

If they just don't like gay people, they're not homophobic. If they actively discriminate and hate them, they are. If you don't like people outside your ethnic group, in the same way, it doesn't make you racist.

its a wrong word, means ignorance in both parts

No such thing as homophobia.
Perhaps we should discuss heterophobia.

pho·bi·a/ˈfōbēə/
Noun:
An extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something: "he had a phobia about being under water"; "a phobia of germs".

It depends on the person who you're talking too's definition of a phobia.

Most people are.

Choosing to not be around somebody just because they are homosexual, not taking anything else into account, such as their personality and character is homophobic. Phobia doesn't mean you intend harm. Plenty of people have phobia's or fears of something and do not want to harm that thing at all.

unless they're afraid of homosexual people inappropriately touching them or holding them down and having their way with them (which they don't do) then i wouldn't call them homophobic, just selective for whatever reason they don't want to hang around them. Maybe they say derogatory things that are in reference to gay people among their friends just messing around and they don't want to offend gay people. so they'll just choose not to be their friends. I have both homosexual and heterosexual friends and i pretty much act the say same way around them. i think in order for someone to be truly homophobic, they would have to go as far as only dating virgins knowing they've never been with anyone else before. I'm not one for labels, but anyone that's considered "homophobic" might have some issues to work out.

It's not fair to label anyone as "homophobic." That's because there is no such thing as homophobia.

"Homophobia" and "homophobe" are made-up terms, designed to demean and silence anyone who dares to disagree with homosexuality or any aspect of it.

These labels do not describe real conditions. They are only meant to bully people into accepting and "tolerating" homosexuality.

It's basically a form of thought control -- more politically correct bullsheet.

So what would you call the men who beat and killed Matthew Sheppard, just because he was gay??

a douchebag

Obviously. But looking at the motivation??

i still say it was his douchebaggery! ;) *LOL*

You are 100% accurate!! Thank You for explaining it properly.

labels hurt people's feelings and just because they feel a certain way doesnt mean they have a phobia of it. the definition of a phobia is extreme unnatural fear of something. like arachnophobia for example. people with that usually will have more extreme reactions of fear when around a spider than a person who just either does like spiders or would just rather not have them around. same thing with homophobia. one must be screaming, shivering in cold sweats, and/or running the opposite way of a homosexual just to escape them to be homophobic. however anyone who just isnt a fan of having them around isnt homophobic. whoever labels the person that is misinformed or they are just immature people who feel the need to label those who dont agree with their views (me personally i dont mind anyone who wants to be in my friend group just as long as they arent a murderer...or Justin Bieber XP )

There are a lot of personality types that I distance my self from, for instance I don't hang out people who drink heavely and smoke dope all the time, guess that makes me Partywhoreaphobic, huh.

They are just not militant homophobic.

You don't have to want to hurt gays to be a homophobic douche.

Not wanting someone in your life based on their sexuality is a type of phobia to me. Something about them gets to you that much. ?? Weird to me.

People are who they are and you either accept for that or not. it is not any more complicated then that.

I don't much like the overused accusations, because I find them counter-productive. Judging another person, on anything other than individual traits, is bigoted. I generally would not choose to be friends with someone who condemns another simply because of race, homosexuality, religion.........I wonder if that makes me a bigot; oh MY........

A phobia is a fear, so if that means that homophobics actually 'fear' homosexuals, then it makes no sense.

I don't hate/fear/or have any other 'complex' regarding homosexuals. I simply regard them as individuals who 'nature'-if you want to call it that- has 'got it wrong' with. Just as some children, sadly,are born with physical or mental imperfections-entirely through no fault of their own-so is it that homosexuals have been born with desires that the vast majority of us consider to be unnatural.

Is a person considered prejudiced if he hates everybody?

No. You could say SUCH a person was impartial! LOL!!

they must be afraid of turning gay.....

To me when i hear the word homophobic, i tend to think of individuals who cross that boundary into action that is negative ... such as name calling, doing them physical harm just because they are homosexual ... not wanting to be friends with someone is a personal choice so no, it's not fair to label these personal choices as homophobic.

All that matters is that no one violates anyone else's rights. That nobody commits aggression or initiates force against the other. Everything else will work itself out. Maybe in your situation the person is showing a homophobic attitude, but even then ..it doesn't mean they hate homosexuals and they aren't doing anything "immoral" by choosing to only associate with people they feel the most comfortable with.

Doesn't anyone find it odd, that if you don't agree with someone's personal activities or beliefs then there is something wrong with YOU? I think it is bassakwards that if people find an act perverse or disgusting they are the one labeled with a psychological disorder of a phobia. Isn't that akin to saying if you don't support the death penalty, then you love murderers and rapists? It is a completely ridiculous thought process to give someone a hateful label, simply because they don't agree with your choices. Why is it so necessary that everyone agree? Why is it such a big deal that people find gays disgusting, morally bankrupt, perverts, miscreants, and a plague on our society? After all, they have been seen that way for centuries, why break tradition?

exactly. let people see people as they do just as long as they dont go too far and try to force their beliefs down someone's throat. and no one asked anyone who didnt agree with the views about gayness to be friends with someone who did. so whats the big deal? dislikers of gays can stay away from likers of gays and visa versa and all is right and even if the world with that situation.

"Doesnt anyone find it odd, that if you dont agree with someones personal activities or beliefs then there is something wrong with YOU?" Yes! I find this attitude rampant among Christians.