Historical And Scientific Perspectives On Homosexuality

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Historical and Scientific Perspectives on Homosexuality Patricia Hill Axia College University of Phoenix

Historical and Scientific Perspectives on Homosexuality

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How do you think historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality may have shaped the way gay individuals perceive themselves? I think that historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality may have shaped the way gay individuals perceive themselves in various ways. In the past when people spoke about the homosexuals, it was always discrete, quiet, and as one says in the closet. As time evolves, history also evolves, and history changes. Everywhere you turn there are gay individuals, and couples. Homosexuals are evolving everywhere. In the news, on talk shows, websites, and even competing on dance shows. In the historical perspective, it was just an absolute sin, and so all homosexuals stayed down low. Historical and Scientific Perspectives on Homosexuality has shaped the future of the homosexuals for a very long time. Back in the Western culture over 2,500 years in ancient Greece, for example, men frequently formed sexual relationships with adolescent males. “How can we know anything about the sex lives of Greeks who lived 2,500 years ago?” quips (J. Michael Bailey 2003). In history society spoke about homosexuals as geeks, so this is how they were perceived back in the early century. In the cross cultural perspective, it appeared to be normal, so I think that scientific perspectives on homosexuality may have shaped the way gay individuals perceive them self in a way that it was okay to be gay for certain ages of the male and adolescents. Studies show that male–male sexual behavior has been practiced in many preliterate societies. In their review of the literature on 76 preliterate societies found that in 49 societies (64%), male–male sexual interactions were viewed as normal and deemed socially acceptable for some members of the group. The other 27 societies (36%) had sanctions against male–male sexual behavior.

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Nevertheless, male–male sexual activity persisted. Little is known about female–female sexual activity in non-Western cultures. Evidence of female–female sexual behavior was found by Ford and Beach in only 17 of the 76 societies they studied. Perhaps female sexual behavior in general, not just sexual activity with other females was more likely to be repressed (Bailey 2003). Now I think historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality may have shaped the way gay females individuals perceive themselves because back in history they didn’t experience much of this behavior from females. So today female are definitely stepping up and out because of the repression in the cross -cultural days. The perception of Cross-Species Perspectives is a bit different, because many of us have observed other animals engaging in sexual behaviors that resemble male–male or female–female contacts among humans, such as mounting others of their own sex. So to me the perspective today is somewhat normal. When two animals are having sex, I think that it is normal, because I automatically would think that it is a male and female, but never once thought of them being gay animals. When heterosexuals think about homosexuals, they tend to focus almost exclusively on sexual aspects of male–male and female–female relationships. But the love relationships of homosexuals, like those of heterosexuals, involve more than sex. Homosexuals, like heterosexuals, spend only a small amount of their time in sexual activity. More basic to a gay male or lesbian sexual orientation is the formation of romantic attachments with members of one’s own sex. These attachments, like male–female attachments, provide a framework for love and intimacy (J. Michael Bailey 2003). My analysis in experiencing coming out and adjusting as a gay individual was somewhat difficult. I have never been around gay individuals and neither is

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anyone in my family history that I know of. I was going through a divorce at the time when I met Constance. I am a Nail-Technician and I was struggling with my financial situation, plus my husband had just moved out. So when she introduced herself to me I was so naive, because I never noticed how she was carrying herself. However she said that she and her girlfriend wanted an appointment with me. So when they missed their appointment, of course I called, however she became a close friend. I realized after a six months what s going on and by that time I had fallen in love with her. I didn’t know how to bring this information public with my family; anyway she gave me a birthday party. We invited everyone but my family, but my family showed up and they met her. They liked her so much I guess because they all saw how much she loved me and how happy I was. It was so hard for me in the beginning, because I didn’t want anyone to know, I had a hard time going out in the public with her. Every time we would spend a substantial amount of time together, we would go out of time. Today I have a complete and different perspective on homosexuals, and I, because it does not matter what society thinks, or feel. Finally, how have historical and scientific perspectives reflected on my sexual orientation? I look at every individual in a different perspective, especially a homosexual, because not knowing their lifestyle; I judged them from what I heard and not known facts. Today it doesn’t matter what society’s perspective is of me. I am proud of who I am and I am most definitely proud of who I love.

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References:

Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity, Sixth Edition, by Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus. Published by Allyn and Bacon. Copyright © 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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