Human Sexuality And Sexual Orientation

It was not until the twelfth century that homosexuality started to be condemned. This condemnation proved to live through then until now. Due to the fact that America incorporated these early views into its early laws, even the most bland of today's sex acts were seen as unlawful (“Homosexuality and Mental Health”). Since then, these laws have changed, however, there is still a primarily negative connotation on homosexuals when coming from a church or legal standpoint concerning the masses of America.

In the past ten years, the nonstop discussion and stress has been over the question of homosexuality. Are homosexuals to be excluded from the community of faith? Article writers, Richard B. Hays and Walter Wink explain their perspective and answer the ongoing talk.

Cahill’s second authority is experience, particularly those accounts of humanity that can be supported by empirical evidence. One contribution of science, the concept of a homosexual orientation distinct from individual homosexual acts, is particularly relevant to her argument, because it creates a difference in cultural contexts between biblical times and modernity (69). This strengthens her argument that Scripture should be read with the historical context always in mind. Though she mentions studies about the frequency of homosexuality across cultures, she does not find this point particularly useful because there is not, and probably never can be, an agreed upon way of defining what statistical frequency makes a behavior normal (69). As an

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,

Same-sex couples are becoming increasingly popular in our society and advocates have been pushing for social justice to abolish sexual discrimination. America has been misled by opponents of the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts who claim a business' right to religious freedom to turn away gay customers is discrimination and bigotry, and we need to return to the biblical view of homosexuality as what it really is: sin. This paper will cover religious freedom and the advancement of gay rights in society today as it pertains to the opposing arguments of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed recently in Indiana.

The way people ultimately view homosexuality, whether in religion, politics or modern popular culture, is all determined by traditional or changing points of view. This essay will discuss mainly liberal and conservative Christian interpretations of the Bible, including many verses that may support or condemn homosexuality. It will also discuss the political views and laws against same-sex marriage and the social activism in the homosexual community. This is all about view points and it has many conflicting views and arguments.

The most common sexual orientation, regardless of culture, is heterosexuality. This is defined as a sexual orientation in which an individual is generally sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex. A Centers for Disease Control national survey “reported that the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as heterosexual was 90 percent for men and women” (King, 2011, p. 363). This orientation is also considered by many people, cultures and religion throughout history and into the present as being the “normal” and “natural” orientation, with the idea that any deviation from heterosexuality is unnatural, a choice, and a thing that needs to be corrected. This belief,

In the Religious Right, there is an intense political passion that binds the community together to promote the collective moral agenda. This “resonance” is created by familiarization; children are raised to act and think a certain way, making the preferred views of the group seem natural and normal to its members. In the past, religious myths and symbols were crucial to this process of familiarization, as they allowed for the promotion of “correct” sexual values. Christianity, for example, condemned all forms of queer sexuality as sinful and unnatural. Of course, this heterosexist perspective has led the Western world to hold a secular point of view; sodomy and gay marriage were completely illegal up until recently, and homosexuality was once

The impetus of religion and church leaders that drives the acceptance or non-acceptance of nontraditional relationships sexual orientations helps to create within many communities shame and guilt for LGBT individuals. “Beyond the legal restrictions, many communities perceived nontraditional sexuality as something abnormal

Moreover, the article “A History of Gay Marriage” goes on explaining that it was not until the rise of Christianity and the dominance of Church that negative attitudes towards same-sex relationships became introduced. The idea that marriage was based on procreation became to dislike and became the main focus in many

Sexual orientation, term used to describe patterns of attraction, aids in the discovery of an individual’s sense of self and social identity. Sexual orientation, also understood as more than sexual behaviors, includes emotional preference as well as an intensity of a spiritual connection with another person. Those who fall on the continuum closer to being attracted to those of the opposite sex, which accounts for the majority, are commonly known as straight or heterosexual. Before answering, “Is it a choice,” an individual must first understand the trial and tribulations of the LGBTQ community. According to the American Psychiatric Association, until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, gender identity refers to a person’s internal sense of being male, female or something else. Educators note, “While the inclusion of transgendered issues in the lesbian, gay, and bisexual movement is controversial to some, gender and sexual orientation intersect in inseparable ways,” (Fraynd 1). The growing awareness of sexual orientation and gender identity sparked from the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 and the implementation of gender-neutral bathrooms. The main arguments attempt to govern whether sexual orientation and gender identity are determined from nature or nurture. These two viewpoints have a common

Throughout history there has been speculation about what influences sexuality in men and woman. Is sexual orientation biological or cultural in nature? There is a common misconception that sexual identity operate in parallel with gender roles( Sell, 2005 as cited in Wilkinson & Roys, 2005, p.65). Scholars have not came to an agreement regarding what actually comprise a person’s sexual orientation, however a sexual orientation has been deemed a cumulative experience and interaction of emotional and sexual feelings towards one or both genders (Wilkinson & Roys, 2005, p.65). The paper provides provides some clues as to what factors influence sexual orientation in men and woman.

Homosexuality is defined or characterized as attraction towards the same gender either male or female. It came from the Greek language, where “homo” means the same or similar, hence referring to the attraction between two beings of the same sex. Homosexuality is also referred as a clinical term. Most male homosexuals generally prefer to be called "gay men" and most homosexual women generally prefer to be called "lesbians." Homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation, alongside bisexual and heterosexual. The longstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality is an example of normal and positive variation in human sexual

The realization of the homosexuality in the modern western world as a cultural, sexual and a social category has been a result of complex power relations that surround sexuality and gender. The acceptance of homosexuality in the society has met its fair share of resistance and skepticism. The view that homosexuality can be in the same league as heterosexual has led it to be viewed as a normal behavioral and moral standard (Gallagher & Baker, 2006). Inasmuch as the skeptics may not want to accept the existence of homosexuality studies show that the habit is rampant today with many gay people coming out in the open. Of interest is the political acceptance of homosexuality with passing gay rights so that it can be recognized by law. This move has given homosexuals the ability to engage in legal entities like marriage (Gallagher & Baker, 2006).

The two individuals I interviewed are homosexual males that differ from me in their sexual orientation and gender. I met my first interviewee for an hour on Wednesday, September 21st, and I met my second interviewee for an hour on Wednesday, September 28th. Through these interviews, I learned a great deal about each individual and it allowed me to gain insight into each of their lives.