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What is Homosexuality? |
Sexual attraction primarily to members of the same sex.
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Who is a homosexual person? |
A person who has a sexual attraction primarily to members of the same sex is a homosexual
person. A woman who is sexually attracted to primarily women is called a lesbian.
A man who is sexually attracted to men is called a gay man.
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Does having feelings towards members of one's own sex make one a homosexual person? |
No. Many boys and girls during early childhood and adolescence have same-sex sexual
attractions or experiences but are not lesbian or gay. Many adults also have same-sex
sexual attractions or experiences but do not consider themselves lesbians or gay
men.
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What determines a person's sexual orientation? |
It is not known what causes homosexuality or heterosexuality. One theory is that
sexual orientation is determined prenatally. Another theory is that it is determined
after birth by environmental factors. In any case, one's sexual orientation is said
to be established by a very early age.
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Can one's sexual orientation be changed? |
Since homosexuality is merely one of the variations of sexual behavior a better
question might be "Should homosexual people change? If so, why?" Studies have indicated
that attempts to change one's sexual orientation are usually unsuccessful and often
lead to increased depression and suicide. Statistics show that the majority of homosexuals
do not see any reason to change. Some, however, have found that accepting their
sexual orientation has been difficult given the prejudice that lesbians and gay
men have had to deal with. Social Scientists have begun examining the effect of
the distress that arises from this kind of prejudice.
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How many lesbians and gay men are there? |
Although figures vary, studies have estimated that 10% of the population is lesbian
or gay for a significant part of their lives. It is difficult to determine exact
percentages as many of those who are fearful of prejudice hide their sexual orientation.
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Can lesbians and gay men be easily identified? |
While you may be able to identify some lesbians and gay men, most lesbians and gay
men are, contrary to popular belief, indistinguishable from other people. There
is no single lesbian or gay lifestyle. Lesbians and gay men lead diverse lives and
work in all occupations in every part of the country and the world. Lesbians and
gay men are singles and committed couples; intellectuals and jocks; rich, middle
class, and poor; urban, suburban, and rural; black, Latino, Asian-Pacific, and white.
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What kind of jobs do homosexual people hold? |
Lesbians and gay men work in all occupations and are part of a variety of professions.
Many lesbian and gay men take precautions not to reveal their sexual orientation
as even their efficient and effective job performance is no protection from harassment
and prejudice. Therefore, we may not see a great evidence of lesbians or gay men
in so called traditional jobs, as they may not feel safe in being open. For example,
lesbians and gay men are in the military although the armed services have an official
stand discriminating against them. In a number of states it is not illegal to discriminate
on the basis of sexual orientation.
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Do lesbians and gay men experience discrimination? |
Like many other minority groups who are perceived to be "different", lesbian and
gay men experience misunderstanding and prejudice. Name calling, harassment, physical
violence and discrimination in employment and housing are a few of the ways in which
lesbian and gay men are mistreated.
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Is homosexuality a mental illness? |
No. In 1973 the following resolution was passed by The American Psychiatric Association,
Board of Trustees. "Homosexuality, per se implies no impairment in judgment, stability,
reliability, or general social or vocational capabilities. Further, (we) urge all
mental health professionals to take the lead in removing the stigma of mental illness
associated with homosexual orientation." In many societies, homosexuality is considered
quite normal. This was the case in Ancient Greece and Rome (both during their rises
and declines in power), in many Native American cultures (where lesbians and gay
men are influential tribal and religious leaders), and many present-day societies
such as The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Thailand.
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Are homosexual people child molesters? |
Pedophilia, sexual attraction to children, should never be confused with homosexuality.
Many studies have documented that the overwhelming majority of child molesters are
heterosexual men.
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Are homosexual people promiscuous? |
Not necessarily. Many lesbians and gay men are single and many are in long-term
relationships. In a study by Masters and Johnson, the differences in sexual promiscuity
were between men and women regardless of sexual orientation. Lesbians and heterosexual
women were generally more inclined to be emotionally committed before becoming sexually
intimate. Gay and heterosexual men, on the other hand, generally evidence less emotional
involvement before becoming sexually intimate.
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Will close personal relationships between adolescents and adults of the same sex
lead to homosexuality? |
No. This fear of intimate friendships, particularly between males, has had negative
effects on the mental well-being and relationship of men with each other. Displays
of affection between men are customary in many cultures of the world. It is also
very common among men and women who are heterosexual to express love and affection
for members of their same sex.
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Is homosexuality against religion? |
Many of the world's religions do not condemn homosexuality at all. Within the Judeo-Christian
tradition, theologians and biblical scholars continue to differ on the Bible's six
passages that have been used to condemn homosexual behavior. They agree on one thing,
however -- Jesus said absolutely nothing at all about homosexuality. Numerous passages
in the Bible do however condemn various heterosexual behaviors (divorce, premarital
sex, masturbation, and birth control). As knowledge has expanded, religions have
also often expanded their horizons. For example, in the seventeenth century, Galileo
was imprisoned by the Catholic Church for suggesting that the earth was not the
center of the universe. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin was condemned for teaching
the "blasphemous" theory that humans evolved from animals. Before the Civil War,
many churches defended slavery on the basis that it was condoned in the Bible. Today,
many religious organizations support full civil rights for lesbian and gay men,
including the National Council of Churches of Christ, the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Society of Friends (Quakers),
and others. The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is a predominantly
lesbian and gay denomination. In addition, the other denominations are reevaluating
their views on homosexuality.
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Is AIDS a homosexual disease? |
No. AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is not a "homosexually-spread disease."
Rather, it is a disease spread by unprotected, unsafe sexual behavior, homosexual
and heterosexual. (Sharing needles can also spread the virus.) In Africa, unprotected
heterosexual intercourse has been the prime mode of transmission. Lesbians are the
least at risk of infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus associated
with AIDS, of any population group, heterosexual or homosexual.
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