Chapter Eleven Sexual Orientation Agenda Clarify Terms. Discuss Facts/Trends Associated with Sexual Orientation Why Are There Different Sexual Orientations? Homosexuality & Heterosexuality.
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Transcript Chapter Eleven Sexual Orientation Agenda Clarify Terms. Discuss Facts/Trends Associated with Sexual Orientation Why Are There Different Sexual Orientations? Homosexuality & Heterosexuality.
Chapter Eleven
Sexual Orientation
Agenda
Clarify Terms.
Discuss Facts/Trends Associated with Sexual
Orientation
Why Are There Different Sexual Orientations?
Homosexuality & Heterosexuality in Other Times
& Places
Gays, Lesbians, & Bisexuals Throughout the Life
Cycle
Homophobia and Heterosexism
Differences Among Homosexual Groups
Homosexuality in Religion and the Law
Video: Trying Not to Be Gay
Discuss Video
Did this man want to be gay?
Discuss the negative attitudes he
experienced about being gay.
Terms/Definitions
Concepts Associated with Sexual
Orientation
Sexual orientation – the gender(s) that a
person is attracted to emotionally, physically,
sexually, and romantically
Heterosexual – predominantly attracted to
members of the other sex
Homosexual – predominantly attracted to
members of the same sex
Bisexual – attracted to both men and women
Continued …
More Terms Associated with Sexual
Orientation
Gay – typically a homosexual male
Lesbian – homosexual female
GLBTQ – gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered, or questioning
Other Relevant Terms
Homophobia – strongly negative attitudes
toward homosexuals and homosexuality
Heterosexism – a presumption of
heterosexuality in society
A lack of awareness, not necessarily active
discrimination
Facts/Trends Associated
with Sexual Orientation
Distinguishing Between
Experimentation and Orientation
People vary greatly in sexual behavior,
fantasies, self-concepts, and emotional
attachments – each contributes to sexual
orientation
Sexual experimentation and sexual
orientation are two different things
Conceptualizing Sexual Orientation
Kinsey continuum: 7-point scale from exclusively
heterosexual behavior to exclusively homosexual
behavior
First scale to suggest sexual orientation is a
continuous variable
It emphasized behavior
It is static in time
Klein sexual orientation grid (KSOG) – expanded
Kinsey’s continuum
7 dimensions: attraction, behavior, fantasy,
emotional preference, social preference, selfidentification, lifestyle
Each dimension is measured for the past, present,
and ideal
Trends: Historical Perspective
Kinsey et al’s statistics (1948):
37% men, 13% women had at least one
adult homosexual experience
4% men, 3% women were lifelong
homosexuals
10% of white men were mostly
homosexual for at least 3 years between
16 & 55
Contemporary Trends
Laumann et al’s statistics (1994):
4% of women had sex with a woman as an
adult
Less than 2% of women had sex with
another woman within a year
9% of men had sex with a man since
puberty
5% of men had sex with a man as an adult
2% had sex with a man within a year
International Trends
Internationally, same-sex behavior has been
found in 1-3% of men, and slightly lower rates
in women
Same-sex behavior has remained constant in
the U.S. over the years
Most believe 3-4% of males and 1.5-2% of
females are predominantly homosexual, and
2-5% of the population are bisexual
Why Are There Different
Sexual Orientations?
Overview
Current research has not found any
significant nonneurological physical
differences related to sexual orientation
2 types of theories:
Essentialism – homosexuality is due to
biological or developmental processes
Constructionism – homosexuality is a
social role
Most theories neglect bisexuality
Theoretical Approaches
Biological Theories: Differences Are Innate
Developmental Theories: Differences Are
Learned
Sociological Theories: Social Forces at Work
Interactional Theory: Biology and Sociology
Biological Theories: Differences Are
Innate
Genetics
Homosexual males: 52% of identical twins,
22% of fraternal twins, 11% of adoptive
brothers were also homosexuals
Homosexual females: 48% of identical
twins, 16% of fraternal twins, 6% of
adoptive siblings were also lesbians
Closer genetic relatedness in siblings, the
more likely they shared sexual orientation
Biological Theories: Differences Are
Innate
Genetics
Homosexual males tend to have more
maternal homosexual relatives
Gay men have more gay brothers than
lesbian sisters
Lesbian sisters have more lesbian sisters
than gay brothers
Some evidence of “gay” gene on the X
chromosome, but no “lesbian” gene
Biological Theories: Differences Are
Innate
Hormones
Prenatal Factors
Stress during pregnancy increased
chances of homosexual children
Evidence of prenatal hormones
influencing homosexuality is weak
Adult Hormone Levels
Current research does not support an
effect of adult hormone levels
Biological Theories: Differences Are
Innate
Birth Order
Gay men
tend to be born later than siblings
have older brothers, but not older
sisters
Placental cells may influence later
pregnancies; later borns could develop an
immune response that influences gene
expression during brain development
No related finding for lesbians
Biological Theories: Differences Are
Innate
Physiology
Portion of the hypothalamus may be larger
or smaller in homosexual men, compared
to heterosexual men
Some differences in auditory brain regions
related to sexual orientation in women
Findings are inconsistent and often weak
Sexual orientation is due to a combination
of genetics, biology, and social influences
Developmental Theories: Differences
Are Learned
Freud and the Psychoanalytic School
All of us are naturally bisexual
Male homosexuality is from an unresolved
Oedipal complex; after puberty, desire for
mother becomes identification with her
Lesbians cannot have their father & reject
him & all men; less understood than males
Bieber – gay men had intimate & seductive
mothers, and absent or hostile fathers
Developmental Theories: Differences
Are Learned
Gender-Role Nonconformity
Boys who have cross-gender traits are
more likely to be gay as an adult
Girls who display male-typical behaviors
are more likely to be lesbians as an adult
These are correlational findings
Many gay men were not effeminate
children, & not all effeminate boys are gay
as adults
Developmental Theories: Differences
Are Learned
Peer Group Interaction
Children who develop early become
sexually aroused while still primarily with
same-sex peers
Homosexuals tend to report earlier sexual
contacts than heterosexuals
However, Sambian boys, who live with
other boys and have sex with them until
adults, are primarily heterosexual
Developmental Theories: Differences
Are Learned
Behaviorist Theories
Homosexuality is due to reinforcement of
homosexual tendencies and/or punishing
of heterosexual tendencies
However, society does not provide
reinforcement for homosexual behavior
Sociological Theories: Social Forces at
Work
We learn how our culture thinks about
sexuality, and apply it to ourselves
The idea of homosexuality differs in time and
culture
Individuals come to identify with one type of
model
Effeminate boys may be labeled
homosexual as children and adopt that role
Interactional Theory: Biology and
Sociology
Biology (genetics, hormones, neuroanatomy)
create childhood temperaments that influence
preferences for sex-typical or atypical
behaviors
Gender conforming kids prefer the other sex
Non-conforming children prefer the same sex
“Exotic-becomes-erotic” – more arousal with
the sex viewed as more different than the self
Not a lot of empirical support
Homosexuality and
Heterosexuality in Other
Times and Places
Homosexuality in History
Homosexuality in Other Cultures
Homosexuality in History
Views of homosexuality have differed
throughout history
The Ancient World
Homosexuality was common
Sodomy & buggery were considered
crimes
Lesbianism was a mystery
Little religious concern over homosexuality
Homosexuality in History
The Middle Ages
Little Church interest through the 13th
century
After the 13th century, homosexuality was
punishable by death
This view has influenced the western view
of homosexuality to the present day
Homosexuality in History
The Modern Era
Many periods of tolerance, & many of
harsh oppression
The U.S., of Puritan origins, is more
disapproving than Europe
In the 19th & early 20th centuries, passing
women operated as men in U.S. society
Physicians viewed homosexuality as an
illness until 1973
Homosexuality in Other Cultures
In many societies, same-sex sexual activity is
a normal part of life
Same-sex sexual behavior is in every culture
and in the same prevalence rate, regardless
of the society’s tolerance
In the U.S., Hispanic & Asian homosexuals
are more likely to cross gender boundaries
Homosexuality in Other Cultures
Latin American Countries
Thoughts are focused on masculinity &
femininity, not homosexuality &
heterosexuality
Not homosexual if taking the active,
penetrating role, regardless of who is being
penetrated
Men that allow themselves to be
penetrated are looked down upon
Homosexuality in Other Cultures
Arabic Cultures
Sex is based on power & dominance
Male homosexuality is taboo
Little is known about Arabic lesbians
Asian Countries
China viewed homosexuality as a “western
social disease”
Buddhism does not condemn
homosexuality
Homosexuality in Other Cultures
Sambia, of Papua New Guinea
Mother’s milk is replaced by man’s milk
(semen) to aid a boy in reaching puberty
At 7, Sambian boys move to a communal
hut where they perform oral sex on
postpubescent boys & swallow the semen
After puberty, the boy changes roles and
provides the semen to the younger boys
After 18 years, marries & is heterosexual
Gays, Lesbians, and
Bisexuals Throughout the
Life Cycle
Growing Up Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual
Coming Out to Self and Others
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual
Organizations
Growing Up Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual
Few models are applicable to homosexual
youth
The societal message is a negative one
Atypical gender behavior, especially in boys,
can create anxiety in family, school, & peers
This anxiety may lead them to pressure the
child that can cause psychosocial problems
Coming Out to Self and Others
Coming out – establishing a personal identity
and communicating that to others
First need to recognize sexual orientation
within oneself, then tell family, friends, public
Sexual orientation awareness usually occurs
between 8 and 9, although coming out to
others is typically at 18 for women & men
Continued …
Coming Out to Self and Others
Coming out is difficult & there is a lot of
anxiety over possible rejection
Many have positive coming out experiences
Positive coming out experiences are related
to higher self-concepts, lower depression
rates, and healthier psychological adjustment
Families also have a coming out process
Continued …
Coming Out to Self and Others
Parental rejection increases isolation,
loneliness, depression, suicide,
homelessness, prostitution, and STIs among
non-heterosexual youth
About 26% are forced to leave home
25%+ of street youth are not heterosexual
29-42% of non-heterosexual youth have
attempted suicide, 48-76% have suicidal
thoughts, much higher than heterosexuals
Continued …
Coming Out to Self and Others
About 14-25% of gay men and about 33% of
lesbians marry the other sex at some point
May be before they recognize their sexual
orientation, or because they want to try to fit
in as heterosexual
Discuss “Coming Out” and Identity
Development
Identity development is an important task for
adolescents.
How would the coming out process influence
identity development?
Discuss family reactions
Discuss reactions from close friends
Discuss peer homophobia
GLBT youth who are out of the closet
experience harassment and assault. What
can be done to protect them?
Coming Out in the Workplace
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Looking for Partners
Many use the internet to search for a
partner
Clubs, support groups, organizations, &
meeting areas are ways to meet people
Gay magazines contain personal ads and
other services
Partners are often introduced by mutual
friends
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Same-Sex Couples
Often homosexual couples are as satisfied
as heterosexual couples, although they
face some intolerance from society
Homosexual couples tend to have greater
flexibility in their roles, more equal
partnerships, less sexual jealousy
Higher satisfaction among lesbian couple
Gay couples have more harmful behaviors
Gays, Lesbians, & Bisexuals
Throughout the Life Cycle
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Same-Sex Couples
Limited number of partners available
Homosexuals are more connected to expartners than heterosexuals after a break
up
Most Americans support some same-sex
relationship recognition
American Psychiatric Association supports
legal recognition of same-sex marriage
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay and Lesbian Sexuality
No physiological differences in arousal or
orgasm based on sexual orientation
Homosexuals tend to have slower, more
relaxed, less demanding sexual sessions
More time is spent caressing and sexually
teasing each other
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay and Lesbian Parents
Many gay and lesbian couples want to
become parents, and for the same reasons
as heterosexual parents
No significant differences in sexual
orientation for the offspring of homosexual
and heterosexual mothers
Lesbians may find sperm donors
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay and Lesbian Parents
Homosexuals can’t adopt in FL, MS, & UT
Other states make adoption difficult for
homosexuals
Some gay men find surrogate mothers
Same Sex Marriage
Discuss Video
What are your reactions to this video?
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay and Lesbian Seniors
1-3 million of U.S. seniors are not
heterosexual
They face a number of issues: survivor
benefits, lack of health insurance, Social
Security, assisted living needs
Specialized retirement homes are being
formed for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered seniors
Life Issues: Partnering, Sexuality,
Parenthood, and Aging
Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual – Specific Problems
Pressures of living in a discriminating society
lead to a number of problems for nonheterosexual youth and adults:
substance abuse
truancy
homelessness
sexual abuse
lower earning wages
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual
Organizations
Social services, political, medical,
entertainment, and religious organizations
have been formed to meet the needs of the
homosexual and bisexual population
Harvey Milk School in NYC is the first public
school for GLBTQ youth
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual media includes
magazines (The Advocate) and newspapers
Homophobia &
Heterosexism
Hate Crimes against Gay, Lesbian, and
Bisexual Persons
Hate crimes are motivated by hatred of
someone’s religion, sex, race, sexual
orientation, disability, or ethnic group
The most socially acceptable form of hate
crime is against homosexuals
Homosexuals are victims 4x more than the
average American
Verbal and physical abuse may create
psychological distress
Why Are People Homophobic?
May be due to
personality type; anything that is not
“correct” is not tolerated
Suppressed homosexual desires
Insecurity about own masculinity or
femininity
ignorance
Hating People for the People They
Love
How Can We Combat Homophobia and
Heterosexism?
Laws
22 states and DC punish hate crimes
against sexual orientation
Punishment varies according to state
Some states may monitor hate crimes, but
lack efforts to enforce or prevent
How Can We Combat Homophobia and
Heterosexism?
The Media
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual media
representation is increasing
TV shows portray positive characters
Movies/Plays
Fiction and nonfiction works
Education
Much opposition to teaching sexuality,
including homosexuality, in schools
Differences Among
Homosexual Groups
Lesbians: Sexism Plus Homophobia
Bisexuals: Just a Trendy Myth?
Minority Homosexuals: Culture Shock?
Same-Sex Behavior in Prison
Lesbians: Sexism Plus Homophobia
Lack lesbian research, compared to gay men
Lesbian & bisexual women tend to have
poorer health conditions than heterosexual
women
Parental acceptance is very important; its lack
is implicated in the poorer health conditions
Lesbian workers earn more than
heterosexual women in comparable careers
Bisexual
Often first identified as heterosexuals; selfidentification as bisexual usually occurs later
in life than gay or lesbian identification
Viewed by homosexuals as becoming
homosexual or playing both sides
Viewed by heterosexuals as homosexuals
Some claim it is a myth, denial of
homosexuality, identity confusion, or an
attempt to be trendy
Bisexual
Biphobia – suggested to exist in straight, gay,
and lesbian communities
Sequential bisexuality – sex solely with one
gender, followed by sex solely with the other
Contemporaneous bisexuality – having
sexual partners of both sexes during the
same period
Minority Homosexuals: Culture Shock?
Many ethnic groups don’t accept
homosexuality
The homosexual community doesn’t readily
accommodate expressions of ethnic identity
Can create a feeling of being between two
communities, rather than part of any one
Same-Sex Behavior in Prison
Sexual contact between inmates is prohibited
in prisons
Majority of inmate sexual contact is
consensual; few men are raped in prison
Majority are not homosexuals and return to
heterosexuality upon release
Situational homosexuality – found when men
spend long periods of time together
Homosexuality in Religion
and the Law
Homosexuality and Religions
Homosexuality and the Law
Homosexuality and Religions
Historically, Judaism and Christianity have
opposed homosexuality
Welcoming Christian religions: United Church
of Christ, Unitarian Universalist Association
Liberal & conservative views are in
Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran,
Episcopalian churches
The more conservative views tend to be
from older members, southern churches
Homosexuality and Religions
Homosexuality is a sin in Catholic, Southern
Baptist, and Assembly of God churches
Reform Jews are most accepting in Judaism
Orthodox Jews see homosexuality as
forbidden
No concrete stance in Buddhism
Homosexuality and the Law
All 50 states outlawed homosexual behaviors
until 1961
Homosexuals face discrimination on the job,
in housing, health care benefits, tax breaks,
Social Security, benefits, rights of inheritance
Some have legally adopted their partners in
order to procure some of these legal rights