A series of studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology show that homophobic men usually have same sex attraction, but often deflect those feelings by attacking gay people.
"In many cases these are people who are at war with themselves and they are turning this internal conflict outward."
Netta Weinstein, the study's lead author said, "Individuals who identify as straight but in psychological tests show a strong attraction to the same sex may be threatened by gays and lesbians because homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves."
Psychology Today link:
[psychologytoday.com]
I've often wondered if this sort of thing was true of many of the most anti-gay Repubs, and sometimes it has turned out to be the case with some Repubs who got exposed as actually being gay. Now we know why some Repubs act like they hate gays in their political speech and policies, besides the other reason, which is that it raises money for them and fires up their supporters.
Powerful study of how self-phobia (attraction to same sex) becomes homophobia.