The rise of homophobia, or more specifically homohysteria, has ravaged straight men’s friendships in particular. Homohysteria describes straight men’s fears of being perceived as gay, and researchers argue that these fears impede emotional intimacy among men. Men who are especially homophobic, one study finds, are less likely to be vulnerable with their straight male friends, which then leads them to have less close and satisfying friendships. Before the nineteenth century, society was not homohysteric, so while sex among men was forbidden, men were vulnerable with each other; just like women
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