homofília

Homofília is a term derived from the Greek roots homo-, meaning "same," and philia, meaning "love" or "affinity." It is used in academic and sociolinguistic contexts to refer to a specific type of sexual and emotional attraction between members of the same sex or gender. The concept emerged in the late twentieth century as scholars sought terminology that could encompass both romantic and broader forms of same-sex attraction without implying a pathological or deviant status.

In psychology and queer studies, homofília is distinguished from other terms that focus on identity or community affiliation, such as homossexuality or homosexual. The term emphasizes the experiential and relational aspects of attraction rather than self-identification alone. It is frequently used in cross-cultural research, where diverse societies describe same-sex attraction in ways that do not align with Western categories. Homofília can thus serve as a more inclusive linguistic tool.

The usage of homofília has been noted in the literature on sexual minority rights in non-Western contexts. By focusing on attraction rather than identity, the term can help reduce stigma in cultures where labels like "homosexual" carry negative connotations. Critics argue that the term may still be ambiguous and that a single word cannot capture the full diversity of same-sex experiences. Nonetheless, homofília remains a useful descriptor in comparative studies of sexuality, providing a neutral linguistic framework for discussing same-sex attraction across different societies.