Homosexuality can be described as a persistent and predominant sexual attraction to persons of one’s own sex (Family Doctor, 2010). Yet, homosexuality means different things for different people. Some individuals have same-sex attractions and consider themselves to be homosexuals. Whereas others may have unwanted same-sex attractions, yet refuse to identify as homosexual due to fears or strong religious convictions. Some individuals who identify as homosexual claim to have always known that they’ve been different. They feel abnormal, like they do not fit into the heterosexual world. There are other individuals who may not discover that they are homosexual until they have married and had children. There are four aspects to consider in homosexuality: feelings, behavior, identity, and way of life. The onset of same sex-attractions happen at different times for each individual. Some claim to have experienced it early in life, early adulthood, or during a mid-life crisis (Exodus Global Alliance, 2016). Many young individuals struggle to hide their sexuality and is coined “being in the closet”. Coming out is when an individual decides to tell family members and friends about their true sexuality. The strength of these attractions are also varied, some claiming to have strong feelings or weak feelings. Others claim they’ve always had same-sex attractions believing they were “born gay”, however there is no solid scientific evidence to support this claim (Worthen, 2016).
The gay personality may be determined during a child’s early years of development or throughout the individual’s life. A lesbian or gay individual like heterosexual individuals are influenced by family, peers, and society. Family structure, social factors, and cognition and conditioning help the development of sexual identity (Kwiatkowski, 2010). The child while living with the parents, adopt many of the customs and values the parents emphasize. The parents may stress the importance of gender roles in the household which the child may learn to
The topic of sexual orientation is both sensitive and controversial. This is evident in events, such as the Pride Parade, and also in media, where authoritative figures preach against it and speak of its “sinful nature” (Emmanuele, Blanchard, Camperio-Ciani, & Bancroft, 2010). Sexual orientation exists in various forms, it differs in the way it is viewed by different cultures, and researchers propose different perspectives to explain the emergence of an individual 's sexual orientation. In the discourse of sexual orientation,
A highly debated issue concerning homosexuality is whether sexual-orientation is biologically determined or if it is a socially learned behavior. One case study done about this topic gathered that “the homosexual desire seems in most cases to be implanted in those who develop an unusually strong attachment for one parent” (Cory 1951:67). This seems to suggest that homosexuality can be influenced by family structure or other sociological elements. On the other side of this argument, there is the belief that people are born either gay or straight. Even though there is no scientific or genetic evidence to prove this, there have been many studies done and most homosexuals interviewed take this view-point. McIntosh states, “[homosexuality] is still commonly seen as a condition characterizing certain persons in the way that birthplace or deformity might characterize them” (1968:182). To support their cause and to fight for acceptance in society, it would be beneficial to convince people that sexual orientation is biologically determined. “Research indicates that people who believe that homosexuality is a choice are more likely to condemn it than are those who believe gays and lesbians are born that way”
Downing provides a great viewpoint on the meaning of homosexuality throughout this article. I never thought too much about homosexuality and how individuals in this group might feel in their position, but this article gave me an introductory understanding on the origin and how it came to be over the years. Homosexuality is still an unstable topic even in today’s society. Many people have varying views on the matter and conflicting opinions clash on a daily basis. I remember having many gay or lesbian friends in high school, but I never treated them any differently from anybody else. I think everyone has a right to choose the gender or person they are interested in, but this does not work out so easily in reality. Many people are afraid of coming out due to the
Throughout the history of humans, people have been having sex. It’s obviously necessary for the continuation of humans as a species. But it definitely hasn’t been for just reproductive purposes. People have been engaging in same-gender sex for probably as long as humans have been around. However, the terms we think of today when we think of different sexual orientations didn’t get coined until the 19th and 20th centuries. And with these terms came huge stigma that still exists today. There are many different sexual orientations that people identify as (including heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, as well as many others); the orientations that do not coincide with what people viewed as normal were originally given classification as mental disorders.
Greenan & Tunnel (2003) posit that the societal marginalization exerted on same-sex couples, translates into internalization of an inferior status (as cited in Wetcher & Bigner, 2012). Herdt (1989) describes the process of coming out as the process of introducing an individual’s sexual orientation to broader circles of people, commencing with the self. The fear of coming out is often associated with fears of emotional rejection by family members, or internal belief of disappointing one’s parents. To cope with this fear, often gay men resort to concealment of their identity (Herdt, 1989; Ramirez & Brown, 2010). The social construct of belonging to a minority community, the avoidant attachment style and the threat of conflict within the family of origin system acts as the reagent that evokes Steve’s emotional distress which he regulates by withholding disclosure. Brain’s feeling of insecurity and wanting reassurance could be attributed to the vast discrepancy between the interactions he has experienced with his family of origin and current family system he shares with Steve.
Sexual orientation can be considered as one of America’s most controversial topics. Although the rationale and choice differs from person to person, and is considered to be a private matter of personal preference, many people have experienced negative backlash and harsh criticism due to their individual likings. In general, sexual orientation is defined as: a person 's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted; the fact of being heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. While the definition seems to be straightforward and concise, the subject of sexual orientation encompasses much more than just the intensity of emotional and erotic attraction and response to members of the opposite sex, the same sex, or both
Have you ever thought about whether homosexuality is a choice or if it is biologically based? To most people, homosexuality is a choice that the person themselves chooses to like the same sex instead of being born that way. However, some people also like to bring religion into the topic saying it is wrong and what not, but I believe it should be the person’s choice to like and date whichever sex they want to. I mean as long as it is not being forced on them they should not really care what that person does with their life. Also, another question to think about as you read this paper is, do you think people are born this way or they choose to like the same sex? I mean look at it this way, do you think someone would choose to like the same sex
Sexual orientation refers to the emotional, sexual, and romantic attraction to men, women, or both genders. It also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions. In the early years, to be labeled as a gay, lesbian, or bisexual was known to be a mental illness. In recent years, it has been determined that it is a normal aspect of sexuality. Determining how one has this specific trait is up in the air. With homosexuality growing, sexual orientation has been a major discussion in the world throughout the last decade. Some have argued that it has to do with genetics, and some say that it has to do with the environment. This is known as the long-term controversy of nature versus nurture. The controversy discusses which side of the argument affects our behavior, intelligence, development, and personality. Scientists have been investigating and experimenting to find the answer to this debate. There has not been evidence that says one side is 100% the answer.
Homosexuality is most commonly described as being physically, or sexually attracted to the same sex. Varying from person to person, some people believe homosexuality is natural and others say it is a choice to be made. Homosexuality is not a choice, it is natural and it is caused by hormonal changes, DNA epi-mark alterations, and brain physicality. Studies completed in universities around the world like Mercer, and Cambridge have helped strengthen the case of homosexuality being natural.
“Coming out” is a means of identifying one’s sexual orientation as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. At its most basic, “coming out of the closet,” means being honest with those around you—friends, family, colleagues, and so forth—about your sexual orientation, about whom you are. It also means acknowledging one’s sexual orientation to self. Such disclosure is an ongoing, lifelong process rather than a one-time event. New personal, social, and professional situations require gay men and lesbians to make decisions about the degree to which they can be open about their sexual orientation (Morrow, 1996).
Not advocating one over the other as an open-minded individual, I remained indifferent towards the sentiment of sexual orientation as time has proceeded to evolve the social stigmatization enveloping one's sexual preference. As a young child, often overseen by a late family friend who I did not recognize was gay until after his departure, I did not conceptualize a severance between one's favored gender as a sexual partner and their own sexual identity. Never being one to distinguish one by labels or preconceived perceptions, I distanced myself from societal norms that most of the population seems to abide. By validating my impersonal attitudes concerning one's sexual orientation, I sustained my conscious
Sexuality is the whole of a person, including all aspects of a boy or a girl, a man or a woman, and a lifelong change. Sexuality reflects the human personality, not just sexuality. As a general expression of personality, sexuality involves the biological, psychological, social, spiritual and cultural factors of life. These factors affect the development of personality and the relationship between people and consequently the impact on society. Through sexuality, homosexuality is considered as a sexual orientation, a tendency for intimate, unconditional love, for people of the same gender. There are two kinds of homosexuality in society such as gay and lesbian that have feelings with the same gender. According to Module 9 – Slide 20, professor Aguilera points out, “Heterosexism- society reinforces heterosexuality and marginalizes anyone who does not conform to this norm” (Aguilera 2017:20). Moreover, heterosexism is the love or sexual relationship with people who have the different gender or normal sexual relationship between a man and a woman. By definition, people easily distinguish between homosexuality and heterosexism. The homosexuality is the love between people who have the same gender, and the heterosexism is the love between people who have the different gender. The emotional relationship between a man and a woman is a natural relationship and everyone knows and accepts in the last
Sometimes the feelings of one or more of the various forms of attraction to someone of the same sex appear with sexual experience and encounters that one may have, but most commonly these feelings emerge without any previous sexual experience and this fact leads us to believe that being gay is most-likely not a choice (“Sexual Orientation and homosexuality” 1). The question, “How did you know you’re gay?” will typically result in the same answer every time, “I just know.” However, when an LGBT person is asking this question they can turn it around and ask the same question to someone who straight, “How did you know you were straight?” As a result, it is shown that being gay is like any other characteristics and is something that goes unanswered as to why it is the way it is.
The sexual orientation identity development is a theoretical model that conceptualized the resolution of internal conflict related to the formation of individual sexual identity. For sexual minority people, it is commonly known as the coming-out process (Bilodeau & Renn 2005). There have been many different models elaborated to explain such process. All of them share similar stages: awareness, crisis, and acceptance (Loiacano 1989). When individuals become aware of their queer feelings and attraction, they try to block these homosexual feelings by constantly denying and minimizing them. This mechanism of defense leaves negative sequelae in their overall psychosocial well-being (Bilodeau & Renn 2005). Individuals tend to pass by a