Aporophobia
A term coined by philosopher Adela Cortina, meaning the fear, aversion, and hostility directed specifically toward poor people and poverty itself. It is distinct from classism or economic inequality; it is the visceral disdain for the state of being poor and for those who embody it. Aporophobia is the sentiment behind blaming the poor for their circumstances, viewing them as lazy, dirty, or morally suspect, and justifying their neglect or punishment. It is the emotional engine that drives policies which criminalize homelessness, cut social safety nets, and design public spaces to be hostile to the unhoused.
Example: A city council passes an ordinance making it illegal to sit or lie on downtown sidewalks, installs benches with anti-homeless armrests, and advocates say this is about "public cleanliness and safety." The underlying motivation is aporophobia: a desire to remove the visible evidence and human presence of poverty from the sight of the wealthy, not to solve poverty. The poor person is treated not as a citizen in need, but as an aesthetic and moral pollutant.
Aporophobia by Dumuabzu January 25, 2026
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