Here is a paper I wrote for English class.
Homosexuality: Is It a Choice?
10 July 2008
Abstract
Homosexuality can be traced through ancient literature and references. The attitudes of society have varied from very accepting to the extremely negative. There has been extensive research done on the cause of same sex attraction. Take into consideration the role the media plays in the presentation of homosexual people. There are some groups and individuals that have an extremely negative view of homosexuality. There are others that view homosexuality to be a natural selection in nature. The controversy surrounding this subject will last for years to come.
Homosexuality: Is It a Choice?
Thousands of years ago in ancient Greece and Rome, there were not any words to describe same sex attraction. Some of the greatest philosophers to have ever lived, including Plato, wrote of “sexual relationships between men” (Mondimore, 1996, p. 4). In certain cultures it was a coming of age, a rite of passage for the men of that time. All ranks of society were involved in this practice (Mondimore, 1996, p. 4). Things have changed since then. Homosexuals today face intense prejudice, bigotry, and hatred.
The first European missionaries and explorers in North America observed same-sex relationships in Native American people. The French explorers used the name “berdache” to describe men who took on the traditional female role. They used the same name for the women who took on the traditional male role. These people were integrated and accepted as part of their society. There was not any hatred, fear, or prejudice toward them. They were held in very high regards by the groups that condoned them (Mondimore, 1996, p. 11).
Why is it that gay people are hated and reviled so much in modern times? There are common passages found in the Bible which are used to condemn homosexuality. Religious groups and individuals have been theorizing about what the Bible says for years. Most of the fundamentalist Christian groups say being gay is a sin. This is justified by their interpretation of passages from the Bible. The passages from these texts can be open for elucidation. There are words that may have been interpreted the wrong way. These words may have been taken out of context to validate someone’s own feelings of intolerance. This essentially could be called “homophobia.”
“Homophobia” refers to the fear of homosexuals. According to Gary E. Doupe: Many Christian conservatives have said, regarding homosexuals: “I can accept the sinner but not the sin; for God gives homosexuals the power to be ‘healed’--that is, the power to be changed into heterosexuals. “And if they cannot accept that, they have the option to remain celibate.” This position hardly rests on firm ground. Not only is its basis in Scripture highly questionable, but its connection to the love of Christ is difficult to fathom. What is demanded in the guise of ‘healing’ is nothing less than a massive denial of the structures of feeling and identity that is most integral to the personalities of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Because of the prejudice and discrimination they have experienced, most gay, lesbian, and bisexual people clearly would not have chosen that identity had there been a real choice open to them. (Blumenfeld, 1992, p. 191)
The Bible is open for analysis.
For example, if one looks at the meaning of a passage in Genesis 19; “the sodomites’ ” insisted they wanted “to ‘know’ the angels” (Fone, 2000, p. 77). The verb to “know” should be looked at more closely. According to Byrne Fone, “in the Hebrew text the verb is yadha. Yadha appears some nine-hundred times in the Old Testament” (Fone, 2000, p. 77). This word “almost always… means ‘to become acquainted with’ ” (Fone, 2000, p. 77). The translation of this word has been identified as an “implication of carnal knowledge, or…‘to have intercourse with’ or ‘to abuse’ ” (Fone, 2000, p. 77). Even though the word “yadha” has implications of sex, it has always been in reference to sex between a man and a woman (Fone, 2000, p. 78). There is no doubt that a great majority of people discovering they have feelings of same-sex desire often struggle with guilt and fear. Because of today’s interpretations of these passages, there are many people who try to “correct” or “fix” their sexual identity.
There are several psychologists, individuals, and groups of people that still believe being gay is a mental disorder or a choice. They assign or suggest treatments or “reparative therapy” to the gay person. The APA has issued statements rejecting the use of any treatments designed to change ones sexual identity (Bane, 2007, p. 2). These therapies have made people feel worse, or not cured them at all. Some negative aspects of these therapies can be linked to teen suicides. The stress of not being able to come out or talk about feelings of same-sex attraction can be related to the mainstream idea that same-sex attraction is wrong. “In a study involving over 6,000 adolescent girls and over 5,000 adolescent boys” it was concluded those that are gay are “more than twice as likely to attempt suicide” (Li Kitts, 2005, p. 3). This brings the question to light of how many attempts at suicide, or successful suicides take place without knowledge of sexual orientation.
Moving on to the healthcare field, there has been a study done recently at Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand. It has been revealed that if a healthcare provider assumes the patient is gay and is not comfortable with it, that assumption can have a negative effect on the patients’ recovery (Sexuality Impacts, 2006, p. 1-2). The patient is uncomfortable if the healthcare provider is. This affects the patients’ obedience “to treatment regimes” (Sexuality Impacts, 2006, p. 2). It is a shame that gay people cannot feel comfortable with their own physicians. What is needed is more research on the proof that humans are born gay. More evidence will educate people and eradicate the fear homosexuality. There is concrete evidence of same-sex relationships within other groups of mammals.
There has been extensive research in the animal kingdom on the subject of same-sex relationships. Charles Roselli is a physiologist at Oregon Health and Science University. He has concluded through research “that male sheep exhibit homosexuality at least as often as humans: roughly 8% of rams turn out to have sex exclusively with other rams” (Cloud, 2007, p. 2). He has also discovered “that gay rams have different brain structures from heterosexual ones” (Cloud, 2007, p. 2). This could lead to biologically concrete evidence in humans. Solid evidence is what the gay community needs to help solidify acceptance within society.
Another example of possible biological proof that people are born gay is something called “gaydar” (pronounced like radar). William Lee Adams is a student conducting studies at Harvard College. He has been doing research on what is called “gaydar” in both men and women. When test subjects were observed in “neck-up photos and videos, without jewelry or makeup” (Lawson, 2005, p. 1) Adams found gay people make the most positive identification of other gays. Adams is quoted as saying, “ ‘gays often face isolation, depression and anxiety… Maybe gaydar is a coping mechanism’ ” (Lawson, 2005, p. 2).
The term “gaydar” has only been around for a short time. There is no evidence of history on the term “gaydar”. This is obviously a term invented by the gay community to let other people know when they sense another gay person’s presence.
In other colleges and universities, there seems to be a complacent attitude among young adults about important issues pertaining to gay people. In “a queer studies course at California State University at Northridge,” (Hall, 2006, p. 1) the teacher has noticed this complacency among gay students concerning gay marriage and AIDS. He attributes this to the students being exposed to openly gay characters on television and exposure to gay issues in the news media. The students dangerously perceive AIDS as a manageable disease with medication. Some students also believe the laws on gay marriage will come to fruition without participation (Hall, 2006, p. 2). College age people seem to be more complacent about these subjects.
In contrast, what do the young adults in the military think about homosexuality? What does the military institution itself declare about homosexuality?
Take a look at the military point of view on gays. “The Pentagon has reclassified homosexuality, grouping it with ‘conditions, circumstances, and defects’ ” (Rosenburg, 2006, p.
1). Some of these defects are listed as “allergies to uniforms, repeated bed-wetting, sleepwalking, dyslexia,” and “obesity” (Rosenburg, 2006, p. 2). The APA (American Psychiatric Association) stopped the classification of homosexuality as a disorder in 1973 (Rosenburg, 2006, p. 1). This also makes acceptance even more difficult for gay people in the military. In the British military gay people openly serve. The ban on gay people has been lifted there in 2000 and it has shown great success. “In a recent Zogby poll of troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, 73% said they are comfortable in the presence of gays.
U.S public opinion is also solidly behind the idea of gays serving openly” (Old Prejudice, 2007, p. 1). It is also stated that “gays serve openly in the military in 23 of 26 NATO countries, the United States, Turkey, and Portugal are the exceptions” (Old Prejudice, 2007, p. 1).
Moving along to televisions role in the acceptance of gays in society; gay characters have been utilized more since the “Stonewall Riots in June 1969” (Highleyman, 2007, p. 1). In 1971 a character (“Archie Bunker”) on the television show “All in the Family” dealt with emotional stress and other issues when he learns “an old drinking buddy, a former pro football player, was gay” (Highleyman, 2007, p. 1-2). At the time “then-President Richard Nixon…” was quoted as saying, “ ‘Goddamnit, I don’t think you glorify [homosexuality] on public television’ ” (Highleyman, 2007, p. 2). Television programs have come a long way since then, but some of the public attitudes have not. Cable television shows seem to be the forerunners of gay issues. This is apparent from the shows that are run on cable TV.
The people who remain intolerant of gays, including the U.S. President (past and present) and Congressional leaders, continue to fuel populist’s fears. As more people come out publicly and gain more political power, there will be more acceptance and tolerance. There are more hypocrites being exposed by the news media as well. Take for example, Congressman Mark Foley. The Congressman was involved with propositioning some of his male pages for sex with instant messages (Sullivan, 2006, p. 3). He was also in the closet about his homosexuality. The need to remain in the closet is becoming less necessary. It should never have been a necessity.
With the media characterizations of gay people on television and cable; it would seem as though there is more acceptance by society. “There remains severe social stigma attached to living as an openly queer person in many parts of this country” (Van Buskirk, 2005, p. 1). The loss of “their jobs, their families, and even their lives” (Van Buskirk, 2005, p. 1) continue as some of the problems. Hate is a breeding ground for the harassment and murder of gay people.
There seems to be an acceptance of “ ‘straight acting’ ” gay people. These “SAGs” are men that are gay but not effeminate and women that are gay but not masculine. These people seem to be more socially acceptable. The ridicule of effeminacy in men and masculinity in women is an issue that needs to be addressed. Gay men and women should not have to bargain his or her behavior to be more socially acceptable. For someone to say a person is “ ‘straight acting’… just pits one stereotype against another” (Rice, 2006, p. 1). Accepting diversity within other people is vital to keeping peace within society.
Concluding with a survey on the acceptance of gay people in society in general, a census by “The American Community Survey” has shown a thirty percent increase in “same-sex couples” from the year 2000-2005. The numbers are 600,000 - 777,000 respectively (Out and
Proud Parents, 2007, p. 2). “The American Community Survey” is a survey “in which the Census
Bureau quizzes a statistically representative sample of 1.4m households” (Out and Proud Parents, 2007, p. 2). There is also data that shows fifty-seven percent of the people surveyed approve of gays in society; in 1982 it was thirty-four percent (Out and Proud Parents, 2007, p. 1). Out of all the people surveyed, seventy-five percent of eighteen to thirty-four year olds approve of gays.
Half of the people above the age of fifty-five do not approve of gays (Out and Proud Parents, 2007, p. 1).
As always, the youth are the ones that seem to be the most flexible in the way they
perceive things. When some people age, they sometimes forget what it was like to be open in the
way they thought about things. Change is inevitable and it cannot be avoided. Once people learn to embrace diversity without fear we will see a more peaceful way of living. Only through accepting change can we learn. The more knowledge one has about life, the better life can be. Knowledge is infinite. It seems as though the younger generation will improve things for the gay community. In fact, this will be an improvement for society as a whole.
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