Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation

1. Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation For use with Human Sexuality Today (4th Ed.) Bruce King Slides prepared by: Traci Craig

2. Chapter Overview • Prevalence • Defining sexual orientation • Origins of sexual orientation • Biological Explanations • History and Attitudes about Homosexuality • Coming out • Lifestyles and Relations • Marriage and Parenthood • Media • Can (Should) sexual orientation be changed?

3. Prevalence • Recent national cross-sectional survey • 22% of men and 17% of women have had same-sex sexual experiences • 9% of men and 5% of women: frequently or ongoing • Parade magazine: men 3% homosexual, 3% bisexual; women 1% homosexual, .4% bisexual.

4. Defining Sexual Orientation • Behavior? Psychological? Fantasy? Self-identification? • 5.5% of women and 5% of men said the idea of having a same-sex sexual experience was appealing • Sexual Orientation: distinct preferences consistently made after adolescence in the presence of clear alternatives.

5. Defining Sexual Orientation • Kinsey’s scale better than dichotomy. • Still does not distinguish psychology from behavior.

6. Bisexuality • Some hetero and homosexuals believe that bisexuals are just ‘not out of the closet’ • Bisexual individuals may change their self-identity over time. HomosexualBisexual or BisexualHomosexual • Is it behavior? Feeling? Identity? • People do not seem to use just behavior when defining sexual orientation for themselves.

7. Bisexuality • A person can enjoy and engage in sexual activity with members of both sexes, or recognizes a desire to do so. • Distinct from heterosexuality or homosexuality, an independent construct not a weaker orientation.

8. Sexual Orientation,Gender Identity, and Gender Roles • Gender identity: is similar for homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual individuals • Gender dysphoria is neither a result, associate, nor cause of sexual orientation. • Homosexuality and Bisexuality not associated with reversed or atypical gender roles.

9. Origins • Psychoanalytic Explanations—Resolution of the Oedipus complex, fixation in this stage homosexuality • Boys with domineering, rejecting mother and turned to father/men for love. • Girls continue to have penis envy and this leads to masculine identification • Research does not support this theoretical view.

10. Psychosocial Explanations • Social learning theory—learned behaviors • Same-sex relations rewardinghomosexuality • Cross-sex relations rewardingheterosexuality • Research—not an attractiveness issue, not lack of rewards associated with cross-sex contact. • Initial experiences have some influence.

11. Demographics • Homsexual men tend to have a later birth order • More older brothers then more effeminate homosexuality • Not true for women • Birth order effects not present in adopted families • Biology must be part of the answer.

12. Biological Explanations • Genetic Factors: Twin studies—high concordance in identical twins, but support is varied • Anatomical Factors: • Brain—homosexual men have larger hypothalamus than heterosexual men. • Inner ear—homosexual women identical structure to heterosexual men • Biological component—but not clear evidence as female homosexuals do not always follow pattern.

13. Biological Explanations • Hormonal Factors: Anatomical differences influenced by hormones during infancy. • Levels of testosterone in adult homosexual and heterosexual males do not differ. • Effects of hormones occur early on: prenatally or by the age of two.

14. Origins Conclusions • Both biological and social factors contribute to the development of sexual orientation. • The relationship is complex. • Perhaps biology causes a predisposition, that is then influenced by social factors. • Consequences of conclusiveness about origin.

15. History and Attitudes • Ancient Greecepederasty: adult men and boys engaging in same sex behaviors. • Roman EmpireSame sex marriage legal in the upper class and pederasty common. • Jewish culturefemale homosexuality: no spillage of seed. • St. Augustine: procreation only

16. History and Attitudes • Late 1800s—homosexuality/mental illness • Frontal lobotomies, forced castration or hysterectomy, ECT, hormone injections • 1960s—no psychological differences • 1973—APA removed homosexuality as a mental illness from the DSM • 18 states have laws against oral & anal sex. • Stonewall—1969 Gay Rights Movement

17. History and Attitudes • Catholic Church—the behavior is a sin • Southern Baptists—sinners can receive forgiveness through personal faith • Anglican Church—loved by god, but incompatible with scripture • US Military: ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ • 1999this policy is a failure

18. Sexual Prejudice • 1990s: 60% of Americanssame sex is always wrong • 2000: only 46%homosexuality is a sin • 80%deserve job protection • 78%equal rights in housing • NYC “Children of the Rainbow” • Victims of hate crimes: at least 1,000 per year reported • 1998: Matthew Shepard

19. Sexual Prejudice • 90% of gay men have been verbally abused or threatened • 33% of men at a liberal and tolerant college had used physical violence of name-calling directed at homosexuals. • Homosexual teens have a suicide rate and depression rate of about 18-28%

20. Sexual Prejudice • Homophobia: negative attitudes due to irrational fear • Sexual prejudice: socially reinforced and also includes negative attitudes • Men are more sexual prejudiced than women. Also more directed toward gay men than toward lesbians.

21. Sexual Prejudice • Enforcing morality then why aren’t lesbians also targeted • Homophobic men show arousal when shown male homosexual videos. • Affirmation of manhood via overt acts of sexual prejudice • Other cultures accept same-sex affection among friends and family, but not so in America

22. Coming Out • Stages to disclosing one’s homosexuality • First—Self-recognition of homosexuality • Second—Getting to know others to end isolation • Third—Telling friends and family • PFLAG • Fourth—complete openness about one’s homosexuality

23. Lifestyles and Relations • Gay community: typically well-educated, professional careers, and openly homosexual. • Urban areas • 60% of gay men with partners live in one of 20 cities.

24. Lifestyles and Relations • 5 categories or lifestyles • Close-coupled1 partner and happy being gay • Open-coupledprimary partner and also dating and happy being gay • Functionalmultiple partners, date, enjoy independence, and comfortable with being gay • Dysfunctionalsexually active but not happy • Asexualsingle few partners and not interested in partners.

25. Lifestyles and Relations • No differences between homosexual and heterosexual couples in satisfaction and commitment. • Few role models for young homosexuals about how to be in relationships • Similar to heterosexual couples in behavior • Kiss, caress, oral-genital sex, and (for men) anal sex. • Lesbian couples spend more time touching and caressing than heterosexual couples where the male is present and goal oriented.

26. Homosexuals and Marriage • 25% of gay men and 40% of lesbians have been married to heterosexual partners. • Desire for family, societal pressure, negative feelings about homosexuality, affection for partner. • Few partners know, low chance of monogamy • When partners find outdeceived, painful emotionally

27. Homosexuals and Marriage • Purpose of marriage? Procreation? –Ban marriage for infertile couples too? • Defense of Marriage Act—union of a man and a woman • 32 states have banned same sex marriage • Vermont ‘civil unions’

28. Homosexuals as Parents • 27% of the homosexual community have children • 39% of Americans are in favor of adoption rights for homosexual parents • Children do not show gender identity conflicts, nor adjustment problems, and are not more likely to be gay. • Harassment by peers in school. • APA: Sexual orientation should not be a basis for custody.

29. Media Portrayal • Birdcage vs. Philadelphia • Portraying the stereotype • In & Out vs. Ellen • Will & Grace; Queer as Folk • Slowly changing depictions of gay and lesbian characters on TV and in movies. • Becoming more inclusive

30. Can (should) sexual orientation be changed? • 50% of American believe that willpower, therapy, or religion can change sexual orientation • 11% of gays and lesbians also believe this • Exodus International—long term success? • Experts agree it is simply not possible to change someone’s sexual orientation • APA: “reparative therapy” is harmful