ArchivedHomosexuality: Questions
*********************************************** The term homosexuality, like heterosexuality can refer either to: feelings of sexual attraction to another person, or to practices of a sexual nature. During discussions of sexual orientation, a person may switch between these two meanings. This causes much confusion and misunderstanding. We recommend that the terms homosexual or heterosexual never be used in isolation, but always followed by either feeling or practices or suitable synonyms. What is the Nature of Homosexuality? There are many different beliefs. However, most people hold one of the following concepts: 1. Homosexual Feelings as a Choice: Homosexuality is an evil, unnatural and sinful lifestyle. It is a matter of choice that can be changed at any time. Keeping children ignorant of homosexuality will assure that they will grow upheterosexual. To grant homosexuals the same protection under law as is granted to other minorities is to give them "special privileges". 2. Homosexual Feelings as a Fixed Orientation: Homosexuality is a natural orientation for a minority of people. Like other sexual orientations, it is determined early in life, perhaps at conception. Most children grow up heterosexuals; the orientation of their parents and friends have little influence. Since Gays and lesbians are extensively discriminated against, they need the same protections as are granted to other minorities. Types of Sexual Orientations Some people believe that there are only two sexual orientations (feelings ofsexual attraction): * Heterosexual - a person who is sexually attracted only to members ofthe opposite gender, or * Homosexual - a person who is sexually attracted only to members of thesame gender. This is not a useful model, because it ignores two minorities: * Asexuals - people who have no feelings of sexual attraction to neithergender * Bisexuals - people who are attracted (perhaps to different degrees) to both genders Most researchers into human sexuality look upon sexual orientation as a continuum: * Those with solely heterosexual feelings form one extreme; they are free to select celibacy, or to seek sexual activity with members of the opposite sex. * Those with solely homosexual feelings form the other extreme; they can be celibate or enter into relationships with members of their own gender * In the middle are bisexuals. Being sexually attracted to both genders they can choose: only heterosexual relationships only homosexual relationships relationships with both men and women celibacy Most researchers believe that one's orientation is fixed and unchangeable. Prayer, counselling, psychotherapy, electric shocks, castration, frontal lobotomies, etc have all been used to try to change a person's orientation. None have succeeded. These "therapies" can persuade homosexuals to be celibate. They can persuade bisexuals to confine their sexual activities to members of the opposite sex. But they cannot change one's feelings (one's sexual orientation). What Determines a Person's Sexual Orientation? As described above, there are two schools of thought: 1. Orientation is a decision made perhaps at puberty and can be changed at any time by prayer and effort 2. Orientation is fixed early, at least by the time the child reaches school age. It may occur before birth; perhaps at conception; the cause is outside of a person's control. The vast bulk of evidence favors the second belief: * The National Institute of Health (a US Federal Government agency) reported that about 30% of youth suicides are by gays and lesbians who recognize that they are homosexual and realize that they cannot change their sexual orientation - they are stuck being gay or lesbian for the rest of their life. These young people who commit suicide may have been taught to hate or reject homosexuality by their families, religious institutions, schools etc. If they had any hope of changing their orientation, they obviously would seek counselling instead of killing themselves. Their deaths are one more price that society must pay for its homophobia. * Suppose that every heterosexual asked themselves two simple questions: 1. what would it take for me to be attracted to a person of the same gender and want to enter into a sexual relationship with her/him? The answer is that it is impossible to create such feelings of sexual attraction where they do not exist. This test would be a good indicator of the fixed nature of sexual orientation. 2. At what age did I choose my sexual orientation? The answer is that, as far back as a person can remember, they were either asexual or heterosexual. * Bishop Benjamin Tutu of South Africa once pointed out that homosexuality cannot be a matter of choice. Who would select a life style that would bring such hatred, abuse and discrimination against them? * One important type of study involves determining the sexual orientation of identical twins who were separated at birth and raised in different homes. If sexual orientation is decided genetically at conception, then if one twin is gay or lesbian, the other would be as well. If sexual orientation is determined by life experiences, then if one twin is gay or lesbian, the other would have only about a 5% chance of being homosexual. This type of study has been performed and replicated. In most cases, the identical twin of a homosexual was found to be also homosexual. * Simon LeVay, a Neuroanatomist at the Salk Institute in California published a study which examined the brains of men who had died of AIDS. He found that the INAH 3 (a structure within the hypothalamus) differed in size between heterosexual and homosexual men. This suggested to the researcher that "sexual orientation has a biological substrate". * Psychologist Michael Bailey of Northwestern University and Psychiatrist Richard Pillard of Boston University studied the sexual orientation of siblings raised together. If one person was homosexual then the chance of their sibling being homosexual was: 52% for their identical twin 22% for their non-identical twin about 10% for adopted or non-twin brothers. This would point to a strong genetic factor at the time of conception. This type of study tends to have the same serious flaws as in the identical twin studies described above. One sibling may have come to terms with his/her sexual orientation and realized that they are homosexual; the other might also be gay or lesbian but has not come to terms with their sexual orientation. One sibling could be bisexual and identify themselves to the interviewer as heterosexual; the other could also be bisexual and be behaving homosexually. J.A.Y. Hall and D. Kumura at the University of Western Ontario at London ON Canada found a relationship between the number of fingertip ridges on men and their sexual orientation. (1) They compared the number of ridges on the index finger and thumb of the left hand with the number on the corresponding fingers of the right hand. They found that 30% of the homosexuals tested had a surplus of ridges on their left hand, whereas only 14% of the heterosexuals did. This is a particularly interesting finding, because fingerprints are fully determined in a fetus before the 17th week of pregnancy, and do not change thereafter. This would seem to prove that for some adult homosexuals, their orientation was pre-determined before birth, perhaps at conception. Children who grow up to become homosexuals often engage in "gender inappropriate play" in early childhood. This indicates that the factor which determines sexual orientation takes effect very early in one's life (perhaps before birth). Gays and Lesbians do not appear to be any less common in societies which condemn homosexuality; they do not seem to be any more common in accepting societies. This would argue against sexual orientation being learned. Almost all children raised in families headed by two Gays or two Lesbians grow up heterosexual. The sexual orientation of one's parents appear to have little influence over the matter. Researcher Dean Hamer, and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute studied over 100 gay men and found that many of their uncles and male cousins were also gay. This suggested that a genetic effect was determining sexual orientation. They compared the DNA of 40 pairs of homosexual brothers and found that almost all shared genetic markers in the Xq28 region of the X chromosome (one of the two sex chromosomes). The "gay gene" has yet to be isolated precisely; however, they have found its approximate location. The DNA of 36 pairs of lesbian sisters were also studied; nocorresponding pattern has yet been found. Can a Person Change their Sexual Orientation? There is general agreement among researchers into human sexuality that one's sexual orientation are unchangeable in adulthood. In terms of behaviour by sexually active adults: Heterosexuals (over 90% of the adult population) can chose to enter into sexual relationships with members of the opposite sex, or be celibate. Homosexuals (less than 10%) can chose to become involved with members of the same gender or be celibate Bisexuals (less than 10%) can become involved with members of either gender or be celibate Researchers have attempted to change people's sexual orientation using counselling, psychotherapy, electric shock treatments, castration and frontal lobotomies (cutting away of brain tissue) without success. Some homosexuals have tried to deny their sexual orientation and marry people of the opposite sex. This usually results in disaster for both spouses. Many Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians disagree. Some ministries specialize in attempting to change homosexuals and bisexuals into heterosexuals. Their long-term successes appear to be in two areas: 1) convincing bisexuals to restrict their sexual activities to members of the opposite sex 2) convincing homosexuals to be celibate. As knowledge of sexual orientation increases, it is expected that conservative Christians will change their focus towards convincing homosexuals to abstain from sexual activity. Is Homosexual Behaviour Normal and Natural? This of course depends upon your definition of "normal". Homosexual behaviour certainly does not feel normal or natural for heterosexuals; they usually have strong feelings of revulsion towards the idea. Similarly, heterosexual behavior does not feel natural for homosexuals. Both homosexual and bisexual behaviour feels natural to persons with bisexual orientation. Homosexual behaviour is natural in the sense that it is found in nature. It has been observed in: antelopes, boars, bulls, chimpanzees, cows, ducks, cats, dogs, fruit flies, geese, gorillas, gulls, horses, humans, langurs, rams, sheep, macaques, monkeys, turkeys and vervets. Reference Used 1. J.A.Y. Hall & D. Kimura, "Dermatoglyphic Asymmetry and Sexual Orientation in Men", Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol. 108 #6, 1994-DEC, P.1203-1206. |
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