Projection: Holding Hands with Homophobia

· Have you ever wondered if someone that strongly expresses homophobic attitudes might be hiding something?

· Have you ever been puzzled by the phenomenon of “the pot calling the kettle black.”

An answer to these questions lies in the psychological phenomenon of Projection!

All of us project!

In benign forms, projection is the cornerstone for empathy!

Entailing a permeable boundary between oneself and others/the world, it allows us to place ourselves in someone else’s shoes.

When projection is understood as a psychological defense mechanism, some intolerable aspect of the self, whether it be an attitude, emotion, or identity, is seen as coming from outside the self.

This can lead to interpersonal strife and conflict, particularly the more a projection distorts, or does not “fit” onto, whom it is being projected.

Psychoanalytically, frequent use of projection is thought to underscore “paranoia.”

This is commonly referenced in the literature in regard to anger.

If one’s feelings of anger or destructive fantasies are experienced or felt as intolerable, one might project those feelings onto others and then become on guard, or “paranoid,” about the intentions and motivations of others.

In fact, in regard to homophobia, studies have demonstrated that individuals that self-reported negative attitudes towards homosexual individuals, became aroused when shown homoerotic imagery.

This corroborates the psychoanalytic understanding of homophobia that entails, in part, the process of projection.

Projection was the inspiration for this Jumpsuit!

The garment, envisioned with textural fabrics like velvet or brocade, aims to visually embody the concept of projection, with elements that figuratively 'stick out' to reflect the process itself.

The buttons leading up to the neckline, is metaphorical of one “keeping things close to their chest.” A potential result of frequent use of projection that may lead to "paranoia."

An ombre of red, orange, and black further symbolizes the process of projection.

The choice of red symbolizes anger or aggression, visible at the outer edges as anger, or other intolerable/negative states, are projected externally.

The middle portion of the garment is orange, a secondary color to red, to symbolize the transmuting process of anger. Starting internally as it is projected outwards.

The black delineates a stark change in the emotion, attitude, or state, breaking up the color, the internal and external.

References

Adams, H. E., Wright Jr, L. W., & Lohr, B. A. (1996). Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal?. Journal of abnormal psychology, 105(3), 440.

Braddock, L. (2023). ‘What it is like to be me’: from paranoia and projection to sympathy and self-knowledge. Philosophical Explorations, 26(2), 254-275.

McWilliams, N. (2011). Psychoanalytic diagnosis: Understanding personality structure in the clinical process. Guilford Press.

*Photos enhanced and rendered by the app "Fotor"*