[philwelch]

Homophobia doesn't just mean "bigotry against gay people", it refers more literally to a literal fear of being in a homosexual situation[1]. This fear, or discomfort if you put it more charitably, underpins a lot of attempts at humor, including the OP.

As a bisexual spooning enthusiast and also a developer, I personally don't mind; I think it's totally valid, and potentially pretty funny, to feel apprehensive about that kind of thing. I understand that feeling because that's how I feel about paired programming much of the time ;)

[1] The connection to bigotry comes from the notion that bigotry against gays is motivated by the psychological fear that gays will try to have sex with you; hence someone who seeks to oppress gay people is motivated by homophobia in the more literal sense. No comment on the validity of that notion.

[Confusion]

Upvoted this thread, because I think this is an important discussion. However, I think your analysis focuses on the wrong point. Interestingly, you and seanmcq engage in stereotyping by making this situation of male-male intimacy about homosexuality.

To me, the joke here isn't that spooning with a male would be uncomfortable. The joke is that you are spooning with a colleague, in the office. It's a transgression of the relationship you have with colleagues and a transgression of the normal activities that happen in an office environment. That's what makes it uncomfortable and thus funny. That the colleague is usually male is besides the point: it is even funny to gays that feel uncomfortable when thinking about spooning with a colleague in the office.

So you are completely right that a feeling of discomfort underpins this humor. I just disagree with the source of the discomfort.

[philwelch]

> Interestingly, you and seanmcq engage in stereotyping by making this situation of male-male intimacy about homosexuality.

It's not a stereotype; the whole point of literal homophobia is that male-male intimacy does border uncomfortably on the homosexual.

In any case, your interpretation of the joke is probably more on target; I was just explaining how it could be seen as homophobic.