Sexual Orientation In Today?S Society Essay, Research Paper

Sexual Orientation in Today?s Society

In Today?s spciety, we can brag about our sexual orientation. There are many role

models today who are centerpieces for the gay community. These leaders helped get

homosexual people to the level that they are on today. ?Taboo? was the word that was

used for any discussion on this matter. Thirty years ago, it was unheard of to have a gay

character on television, or in politics or even as your co-worker. Now within the last

fifteen to twenty years. People have accepted homosexuals even more due to the

understanding and severity of the AIDS virus. When the AIDS virus was discovered in

1981, people labeled it as ?Gay Man?s Disease?. This is not the case. True, gay men are

a percentage of the growing population of america?s AIDS patients. But included in it are

drug users and unfortunate blood transfusions. In this paper, I will elaborate on the many

theories why people are homosexual and the predjusies that they endure.

A main idea for the reason why people are gay is the Nurture vs Nature theory. It

is one of the ways of thinking that have been thrown up in the air for a while. It tries to

prove that since birth that there has been a growing chemical inbalance in the person

growing up in society. This of course is not a fashionable notion today. The

overwhelming message of the popular culture, which a thousand films and ten thousand

love songs drill into us, is that to find a full life we must seek adventure, drink the cup of

passion, follow our heart. “Loving you can’t be wrong,” the voice croons, “because it feels

so right.” They want to believe this. They may even get a vicarious thrill from watching it

work out happily ever after on the silver screen. But in their better moments, they know

otherwise. They know, even without Scripture to tell us, that “the heart is devious above

all else” (Jer 17:9), that positive experiences and strong desires can never legitimize

immorality. They know it when a pedophile describes his nurturing relationships with

children. They know it when an adulterous wife complains of her boring husband. They

know it when a pornographer proclaims his rights of free speech. They know it when a

stripper rationalizes her exploitation. They feel so strongly on their pride and will do

anything to uphold it.

They face a certain problem where there is little or less understanding on their

culture and the way that they live. ?Gay-Bashing? has become a serious problem in

todays society. Just last year in Michigan a young man was tied up and beaten to death

all because of his sexual orientation. This is a quote from a gay basher who has his own

website: ? When I was young, I remember working in a Pizza Hut and a homo grabbed

my ass, I turned around to punch him in the face and quickly realized I’d be fired if I did. I

stormed off to the back of the restaurant until he left. After complaining to a few thugs

who also worked there, they told me that I would be great to join them for their little

hobby in Harrisburg. They said they’d go to River street where queers hang out, pick one

up, beat the crap out of him and steal his wallet. They proposed that I’d be good for

helping to “roll queers”, and they had yet to find one with less than 50 bucks. At first I

thought “yeah, that would be fun”, especially because I was still really ticked?. In SoHo,

many homosexuals work along with the neighborhood police to help wipe out this

problem. According to ?Rainbow Stew?, a outrach organization to help every gay person.

?This is a serious problem that our people are faced with every day now. It is not looked

at as serioulsly as religious persecution but it should be.? We have to understand that

they are people to and even though we might not agree with the way they live their lives.

We must respect them, the same way that they show respect to us.

The main type of discrimination against the homoselual people is Homophobia.

This is the fear of gay people. This is not an argument to criminalize or imprison

homosexuals, but an analogy to the relation between strong inclinations and moral

responsibility. We could easily apply the “Just that way” defense to a number of social

problems that may involve deeply ingrained (even biological) causes — violence,

substance abuse, racism, schizophrenia, pedophilia — but we do not, because we

recognize that an explanation for the behavior is not a justification for the behavior. This

is the worst everyday social problem for the openly gay person on a daily basis. Many

people would not hire a gay person based on the thought that he can interupt office peace

or cause many problems and tensions between the peoples.

Definitions Which May Be Helpful

HOMOSEXUAL:

A person that is primarily attracted (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) to persons of the same sex.

GAY:

Usually refers to a homosexual male, but can also refer to a homosexual female, as well as the gay

community in general.

LESBIAN:

A gay female.

BISEXUAL:

A person who is more or less attracted (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) to persons of either sex.

Some believe that we are all bisexual to a certain degree.

HETEROSEXUAL:

A person that is primarily attracted (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) to persons of the opposite sex.

STRAIGHT:

Another term for heterosexual.

TRANSGENDER:

Relating to transsexuals, transvestites, cross-dressers, or anyone who tends to blur traditional gender

boundries.

TRANSSEXUAL:

A person who strongly identifies with the opposite gender, usually includes a desire to actually be the

opposite sex. Most often refers to a person who has had a sex change operation.

TRANSVESTITE:

Someone who derives sexual pleasure from dressing in clothing generally identified with the opposite sex.

While the terms homosexual and transvestite have been used synonymously, they are in fact two different

terms. The majority of transvestites are heterosexuals. Crossdressing that does not include any sexual

charge is usually referred to as DRAG.

HETEROSEXISM:

The societal assumption that everyone is heterosexual, and that heterosexuality is somehow superior to

homosexuality.

HOMOPHOBIA:

An unrealistic or irrational fear of homosexuality. Homophobia is perpetuated by the negative stereotypes

and misconceptions that surround the subject of homosexuality. Homophobia can lead to hatred,

discrimination, and violence against homosexuals. .

LOVER:

Many gay and lesbian people use the term lover (for lack of a better word) to refer to their spouse or

partner, much like a heterosexual would use the term husband or wife. The term lover can be misleading

however, since the many heterosexuals reserve the term lover to describe an exclusively sexual relationship,

affair, or fling.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER & PARTNER are also commonly used.

Begley S.; Hager M. (July 26, 1993) Newsweek. Vol. 122 Issue 4 Does DNA Make Some

Men Gay? P59 2/3p, 1c

Burr C. (Dec 16, 1996) Weekly Standard. Suppose There Is a Gay Gene? What Then? P

22-26

John, H. (Nov 95). Scientific American, Vol. 273 Issue 5, Gay Genes, Revisited p26,

5/6p, 1c

Kangas S. (1999) Homosexuality Is Biologically Determined. Homosexuality: Opposing

Viewpoints. Mary E. Williams, Greenhaven Press. 17-21 ?

Gay Bashing page, (1999)

http://srd.yahoo.com/goo/gay+bashing/2/*http://www.phact.org/e/gay-bash.htm

Rainbow Stew, (1998).

http://srd.yahoo.com/goo/gay+bashing/11/*http://members.aol.com/sueblair2/rainbowste

w.html