Sexual Orientation

Definitions Sexual Orientation Sexual Identity Whom we are sexually attracted to Capable of falling in love with Sexual Identity Ones’ self identity Usually seen as a dichotomy Homosexual Heterosexual Bisexual

Definitions The scientific study of homosexuality Frequency Who is? Need a definition Self-label Behaviour How often? When? Tea room men, Indonesian men Causes

Definitions Kinsey 1 – 10% of the population 37% of all males had at least one same sex experience to orgasm in adulthood 1 – 10% of the population Canadian Community Health Survey National Health and Life Styles Survey Twice as many men as women

Definitions Asexual category: Not attracted to either sex Non-existent sex drive Hormonal deficiency Central nervous system misconnection Possible early trauma

Definitions Bisexuality 33% - if based on one encounter Higher sex drive More sexual activity in general, including masturbation. More high risk behaviour Majority married (heterorole) Sexual pleasure oriented Few cultural images

Definitions Danger Adolescent males Difficulty 71% of bisexual men do not tell their female partners STDs – AIDS Adolescent males Very common transitional stage Difficulty Rejected by both hetero and homo Called fence-sitters, some feel pressured to go in either direction Many gays reject the concept, saying that bi’s are misguided homosexuals

Attitudes Heterosexism Homophobia Homonegativity Heterosexual = normal Homophobia Strong, irrational fears of homosexuals Homonegativity Negative attitudes and behaviors toward homosexuals Cultural attitude based on religious teachings

Attitudes Same sex marriage Equal rights Minority group Stereotypes Many negative consequences Assault Rejection Discrimination Suicide

Attitudes Same-sex sexual activity illegal in Canada Decriminalized in 1969 Criminal code still discriminates Age of consent for anal sex is 18 (14 for vaginal) Charter of Human Rights Sexual orientation prohibited ground for discrimination

Research Adams, Wright and Lohr (1996) gave test to measure homophobia to male college students Group 1: high scores Group 2: low scores All participants were hooked to plethysmograph that measured erection They all watched film clips of hetero, gay and lesbian sex Group 1: 54% had increased penile errection Group 2: 24% had increased penile circumference

Gender Differences In an experiment heterosexual and homosexual males and females watched videos of Heterosexual sex Male gay sex Lesbian sex Nude males Nude females Bonobos having sex The participants were hooked to a plethysmograph and were asked to report verbally when they were aroused

Gender Differences Heterosexual males became aroused when watching Heterosexual sex Lesbian sex Nude females Homosexual males became aroused when watching Male homosexual sex Nude males 100% concordance between plethysmograph results and self report

Gender Differences Both heterosexual and homosexual women were aroused by all the videos according to the plethysmograph Self reports were at odds with objective data Women are not aware when they are aroused Another gender difference: More women self-label bisexual than males More women switch sexual orientation over their life times

Development of Sexual Orientation Several possible ways to acquire sexual orientation Basic human needs shared by all Sensual/sexual fulfillment Socio-emotional connection

Development of Sexual Orientation Possible variables involved Genes Hormones in utero Subtle intrauterine interactions Brain: timing Early influences Identity problems Social stereotypes, prejudice

Development of Sexual Orientation Cannot look for THE cause INTERACTIONS Individual differences in etiology Circumstances: Jail, boarding school Cross-cultural evidence: Prescribed homosexuality at certain age-stage Definition found in many cultures: gay man is the one that is penetrated

Development of Sexual Orientation Genetic: Twin Studies Monozygotic Dizygotic Adopted Genetic Similarity 100% 50% 0% Concordance Rate 52% 22% 11%

Development of Sexual Orientation Prenatal factors Sexual differentiation and innappropriate hormones Severe maternal stress (animal studies) Maternal stress is retrospective No tally of stressed expectant mothers who had heterosexual children

Development of Sexual Orientation Prenatal factors Very high levels of estrogen Lesbian offspring Birth order (Canadian): Males with several older brothers 2D:4D finger-length ratio Handedness No agreement in different studies, contradictory data

Development of Sexual Orientation Brain differences Hypothalamus Small sample Non-comparable Cause of death Difference due to orientation or to disease and its treatment? Other differences found, but all in adults after the fact (chicken/egg) Endocrine imbalance No differences found

Development of Sexual Orientation Learning: Possible in some cases Polymorphously Perverse Personal negative experience could override social reinforcement patterns Also, peer group can provide more reinforcement than society at large.

Development of Sexual Orientation Sociological theories: Importance of labels Labels affect perception Perception affects behaviour This can influence self-perception Leading to self-labelling.

Development of Sexual Orientation Reiss Negative pathway Rigidly polarized societies have higher incidence of male-male sex High maternal involvement; Low paternal Little opportunity to learn Positive pathway Very permissive societies Experimentation OK.

Bem: The Exotic Becomes Erotic Boys more active and aggressive Different = exotic

Bem’s Theory – Criticisms There is NO abundant evidence of inborn aggression and activity levels by gender Contaminated by culture. Homosocial activities are mostly a cultural phenomenon. Children who don’t fit the gender stereotypes are clearly told they are odd and wrong.

Bem’s Theory – Criticisms Many gays are “gender typical” in their interests, appearance, etc. Bem fell for the effeminate guy/macho woman stereotype of gays. Many atypical (i.e., boys who played with dolls, girls who played with trucks) kids do not go on to become gay.

Bell and Weinberg Typology Sample of 979 Close coupled One long-time partner Marriage type relationship Few problems Few sex partners Infrequent cruising

Bell and Weinberg Typology Open coupled: steady live-in partner Also many outside partners Frequent cruising More likely to have problems More likely to regret being gay

Bell and Weinberg Typology Functional Not coupled High number of sex partners Few problems Younger High sex drive Few regrets

Bell and Weinberg Typology Dysfunctional Not coupled High number of partners Many sex and psychological problems Tense Unhappy Depressed

Bell and Weinberg Typology Asexual Low in sexual interest and activity Less exclusively gay Very secretive Loners Highest incidence of suicidal thoughts

Bell, Weinberg and Hammersmith In depth interviews comparing gays/ lesbians and straights. No support for psychoanalytic, learning or sociological (labelling) theories. They speculate a biological basis but have no data.