Sexual Orientations Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Continuum of Sexual Orientations Specific sexual orientations include whether an individual: Engages in sexual behavior with men, women, both, or neither Feels sexual desire for men, women, both, or neither Falls in love with men, women, both, or neither Identifies with a specific sexual orientation Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Continuum of Sexual Orientations (cont’d.) Types of sexual orientations Homosexual: orientation toward same sex Bisexual: orientation toward both same and other sex Heterosexual: orientation toward other sex Asexual: no sexual attraction toward either sex Classroom Discussion Topic: What percentage of people are asexual? Classroom Discussion Topic: What are the difficulties in defining bisexuality? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Kinsey’s Continuum of Sexual Orientation Figure 9.1 Kinsey’s continuum of sexual orientation, based on both feelings of attraction and sexual behavior. Classroom Discussion Topic: How does Kinsey’s continuum measure sexual orientation? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Sexual Fluidity Variability in same-sex and other-sex attraction and involvement at different times and different situations throughout the life span Significantly more women have experimented sexually with the same sex Classroom Discussion Topic: What are the characteristics of sexual fluidity? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Asexuality and Bisexuality Asexuality: someone who does not experience sexual attraction Most asexual people have been their whole lives Bisexuality: people who have the capacity for attraction to more than one sex More women identify as bisexual than men Sometimes judged by heterosexual and homosexual individuals “Performative bisexuality” Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homosexuality Common synonym for homosexual is gay Used to describe homosexual men and women, as well as social and political concerns related to homosexual orientation May also be used as a negative label Acronym LGBTQ: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning Often used in discussions of civil rights for nonheterosexual people Classroom Discussion Topic: Approximately what percentage of men and women are exclusively homosexual? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

What Determines Sexual Orientation? Psychosocial theories Focus on role of life incidences, parenting patterns, or psychological attributes Theories include: “By default” myth: unhappy heterosexual experiences cause a person to become homosexual Seduction myth: young people are seduced and “turned” by older homosexual people Freud’s theory: childhood experiences and relationships with parents result in homosexual or heterosexual development Classroom Discussion Topic: What psychosocial theories have been advanced to explain sexual orientation? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

What Determines Sexual Orientation? (cont’d.) Research into biological factors Genetic factors Identical twin studies Homosexuality and gender nonconformity Variation in research findings between homosexual men and women Causes remain a matter of speculation Implications if biology is destiny May lead to greater acceptance Classroom Discussion Topic: What biological factors may influence sexual orientation? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Societal Attitudes Regarding Homosexuality Cross-cultural attitudes vary greatly Wide spread acceptance has been revealed Some societies require their members to engage in homosexual activities However, basic human rights violations is common around the world Judeo-Christian attitudes towards sexuality Conflicting positions Classroom Discussion Topic: How have Western religious views and the views of medical and psychological professionals changed concerning homosexuality? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Societal Attitudes Regarding Homosexuality (cont’d.) Shift from sin to sickness: early 1900s 1973: American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from list of mental disorders Gay-affirmative therapy: therapy to help homosexual clients cope with negative societal attitudes Conversion therapy/sexual reorientation therapy: therapy to help homosexual men and women change their sexual orientation Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homophobia Antihomosexual attitudes Hate crimes Stigmatize and denigrate any behaviors, identities, relationships, and communities that are not heterosexual Irrational fear or loathing of homosexual feelings in oneself Hate crimes Subject to severer sentences than other crimes Classroom Discussion Topic: What are some of the indications of homophobia? Classroom Discussion Topic: What causes homophobia and hate crimes? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homophobia (cont’d.) Causes of homophobia and hate crimes Lack of acceptance and valuing Traditional gender role stereotypes Extreme manifestation of cultural norms Suppression of homosexual feelings Increasing acceptance Contact has also increased Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

The Gay Rights Movement Began in 1969 with Stonewall incident Police raid on gay bar patrons resulted in a riot Homosexual civil rights: general areas Decriminalization of private sexual behavior Antidiscrimination: employment, military, etc. Legal civil marriage for same-sex couples Classroom Discussion Topic: What was the Stonewall incident, and what impact did it have on the gay community? Classroom Discussion Topic: What are some of the decriminalization, antidiscrimination, and positive rights successes and goals of the gay rights movement? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Countries That Allow Gay Marriage Table 9.4 Countries That Allow Gay Marriage (as of July 2015) Source: (Pew Research, 2014c) Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Public Approval Of Gay Marriage Figure 9.3 Changes over time in public approval of gay marriage. Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homosexuality and the Media Effects of increasing exposure Greater familiarity and understanding Portrayal of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals in a more positive light In 2014-2015, the five broadcast networks had 32 regular gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender characters; mainstream cable had approximately 64 LGBT recurring characters Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Coming Out Acknowledging, accepting, and openly expressing one’s homosexuality Self-acknowledgement Self-acceptance Disclosure Passing: risks and benefits Telling family Involvement in the gay community Classroom Discussion Topic: What steps are involved in coming out as a lesbian or a gay man? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homosexual Relationships in Context “Lifestyles” are as varied as heterosexuals Representing all social classes, occupations, races, religions, and political persuasions Comparison of gay and straight relationships Similar relationship satisfaction Differences in handling disagreements Lesbians have higher partner expectations and more frequency of orgasm Classroom Discussion Topic: What is the “gay lifestyle”? Classroom Discussion Topic: How are gay and straight relationships the same? How are they different? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Homosexual Relationships in Context (cont’d.) Differences between gay men and lesbians in sexual attitude and behavior Lesbians are likely to have had far fewer sexual partners and associate emotional closeness with sex more than gay men Family life Many forms exist in contemporary society Most laws about adoption by homosexual parents are ambiguous Classroom Discussion Topic: Does research find more interpersonal strengths in homosexual or in heterosexual couples? Classroom Discussion Topic: What has research shown to be the effects on children of being reared by lesbian mothers? Classroom Discussion Topic: What effects on children do gay parents have compared to heterosexual parents? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Summary A number of psychosocial and biological theories have attempted to explain the development of homosexuality Sexual orientation, regardless of where it falls on the continuum, seems to form through a composite of factors unique to each person Cross-cultural attitudes toward homosexuality range from condemnation to acceptance United States acceptance continues to increase Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.