The Development Of Diverse Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation involves an individual’s sexual attraction, identity, arousals, fantasies, and behaviors towards persons of the same sex, other sex, or both sexes (Bell, Weinberg, & Hammersmith, 1981; LeVay & Valente, 2006; LeVay & Baldwin, 2012), and is dynamic (not static) in nature (Klein, Sepekoff, & Wolf, 1985; Berkey, Perelman-Hall, & Kurdek, 1990). Health researchers have proposed that sexual orientation is a multi-dimensional aspect of a person’s identity that consists of at least three dimensions existing on a continuum (Sell, 1997): sexual orientation identity, sexual attraction, and sexual behavior (Sell & Petrulio, 1996; Laumann et al., 1994; Hughes & Eliason, 2002; Solarz, 1999; Savin-Williams, 2006).

Before taking Women’s Study I understood gender being, “...body building up whether male or female or feminine or masculine. Not necessarily just about the body parts.” This definition has evolved and bloomed to a more understood concept. The same is reflected from the definition of sexuality I quoted in my first class assignment, “…person’s preference or attraction. Whether towards male or female or any other identity.” These are concrete definitions I understood, but reading articles of several perspectives allowed me to think through the

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,

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.

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

Over the years there has been many debates and experiments to try to come to the conclusion of whether sexual orientaion is biologically based or choice. Sexual orientation is a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to men, women or both sexes. Sexual orientation is defined in terms of relationships with others since their identity is based off of their attractions. Sexual orientation can be noted through behaviors such as holding hands or kissing, sharing goals and values, mutual support, and ongoing commitments. Sexual orientation can be broken down into three categories heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. While this break down may seem very black and white, there are

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.

When I think about diversity in the world I too think about diversity when it comes to sexual orientation. Sometimes I think -- How is sexual identity developed? What influences who we become sexually? Why is there such diversity in sexual orientation? To be quite frank, there are no correct or incorrect answers to these questions. The idea of sexual orientation and behavior is a very complex one. What was true in the past is certainly different than the norm today. When I researched the various psychological theories and methodologies of measuring one’s sexuality, naturally I came across the work of Dr. Alfred Kinsey, the creator of the Kinsey scale.

Some of the researchers found that the boys have more adjusted problems while some of the researchers found that girls faces. Promptly taking after separation, Kaye found that both young men and young ladies demonstrated poorer execution on accomplishment tests contrasted with kids from in place families. Then again, by the fifth year taking after separation, young men's evaluations and accomplishment tests were antagonistically influenced, while young ladies' were most certainly not. Additionally, Hetherington et al found that, promptly taking after the separation, young men and young ladies encountered some interruption in play circumstances,

The origin and cause of human sexual orientation have been highly debated topics between sociologist and biologists. Most scientists believe sexual orientation is biologically determined while sociologists argue that it is socially constructed. There is a third belief that human sexual orientation is not solely biologically determined or socially constructed. From this belief come theories that combine both arguments, where human sexual orientation contains a biological component and a social component. One of the conjoint theories is that humans are born with a propensity for certain sexual tendencies which are determined biologically, and these tendencies are developed into a complex sexual identity as an adult. This development of sexual tendencies into a sexual identity is influenced by society, and therefore, sexual orientation depends on biological influences as well as society and social influences. There is various evidence and arguments for biological determination and social construction of sexual orientation, as well as a few conjoint theories of sexual orientation, but there are also criticisms of each theory and the validity of these arguments will be explored.

While the expressions "sexual orientation" and "sex" are frequently utilized conversely, the two words have altogether distinctive definitions. One could contend that sex alludes to organic essentialism and the thought that we are who we are a result of our hereditary material. Then again, sex is connected with the social constructionist hypothesis, which contends that the way we are is reliant on our race, class, and sexuality. Since every individual is distinctive in their race, class, and sexuality, their sex turns out to be socially built. To contend that sex is not socially built would be to say that all individuals, for instance, that are naturally female have the same objectives.

Proffering an acceptable answer to the question about sexual identity makes more sense by defining and explaining what exactly sexuality is. It is broadly defined as the summation of a person's sexual interests, behaviors and tendencies. It is can also be defined as one's responsiveness to sexual attractions. These sexual behaviors may live with such person through out such person's lifetime. Moreover, some commentators have defined it as the summation of one's feelings about the person's femininity or masculinity with the consciousness of one's self image in relation to interacting with others. Sexuality has a direct relation with the way one feels. Few of the determinants for sexuality are genetic factors, parental influence, influence of siblings and friends, societal influence and particularly how one feels about oneself.

Since the United States Supreme Court ruled marriages of gay individuals to be legal in all states in June 2015, some segments of society, including individuals, business and churches, continue to discriminate against gay citizens. Many of these discriminatory opinions and actions are based on individual religious beliefs. Many people feel homosexuality is a choice of lifestyle, whereas others feel that biological factors determine a person’s sexual orientation. Homosexuals want the same legal rights as heterosexuals. In addition, if it can be proven that individuals are born gay, then society’s attitude could be favorably altered. Poll data indicates that more and more people believe individuals are born gay (See Table 1). Gays would suffer less discrimination if their sexual orientation can be attributed to genetics and biology. Those who oppose homosexuality would feel their condemnation justified if it can be proven the gay lifestyle is a matter of choice. The sociopolitical implications resulting from further definitive research would be of enormous importance; however, years of research have failed to provide a definite origin of sexual orientation. Much more research is needed to close this knowledge gap.

Autosexual – a person who is attracted to one self, one who prefer masturbating than having sex with another person.

I think sexual orientation is both biological and environmental. The biological part is determined during the fetal stage which is influence by a hormonal balance. The environmental is influence on the development of the human sexual orientation it possess a double message. However, heterosexuality is more biologically because it is more of a sexual attraction between the opposite sex.