2. Definition.
• Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a
combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or
gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender.
• sometimes sexual orientation has been measured by how people define
themselves, sometimes by their sexual experiences, and sometimes by their
attractions
• These attractions are generally subsumed under 4 categories:
1. Heterosexuality
2. Homosexuality
3. Bisexuality
4. Asexuality
3.
4. LGBTQ.
◦ In simple terms, stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and
Queer.
◦ A lesbian is a homosexual woman who is romantically or sexually
attracted to other women.
◦ A gay is a homosexual man who is romantically or sexually attracted to
other men.
◦ Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual
behaviour toward both males and females, or romantic or sexual
attraction to people of any sex or gender identity; this latter aspect is
sometimes alternatively termed pansexuality.
◦ Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that
differs from their assigned sex.
◦ Queer are people questioning their sexual identity.
5.
6. Is Homosexuality a disorder?
• The social, medical and legal approach to homosexuality ultimately led for its
inclusion in the first and second publications of the American Psychiatric
Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). This served to
conceptualize homosexuality as a mental disorder and further stigmatize
homosexuality in society.
• Tests such as the Rorschach, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and
the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) indicated that
homosexual men and women were not distinguishable from heterosexual men
and women in functioning.
• These studies failed to support the previous assumptions that family dynamics,
trauma and gender identity were factors in the development of sexual orientation.
Due to lack of supporting data, as well as exponentially increasing pressure from
the advocates of homosexuality, the Board of Directors for the American
Psychiatric Association voted to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder from
the DSM in 1973
7. What causes Homosexuality?
◦ In 1993, a study published in the journal Science showed that families with two
homosexual brothers were very likely to have certain genetic markers on a region
of the X chromosome known as Xq28. This led to media headlines about the
possibility of the existence of a “gay gene” and discussions about the ethics of
aborting a “gay” fetus.
◦ Some studies have shown that the corpus callosum – the main connection
between the two halves of the brain- has a different structure in gay men than in
straight men.
8. Can it be changed?
◦ The most effective route to real, lasting change for those caught in
same-gender attraction is a redemptive approach. This means
discipleship, being taught and encouraged and held accountable to
develop intimacy with Christ. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to matter
what the particular stronghold is in a person’s life—whether it be
homosexuality, gluttony, drug dependency, compulsive gambling or
shopping, alcoholism, sexual addiction, or any other stronghold—the
most effective solution is the same: intimacy with Christ.
9.
10. Do Homosexuals have a
choice?
No. Sexual preference is biologically
determined. Government should protect
gay people from discrimination because
homosexuality is an unalterable aspect
of their identity.
11. Coming Out.
◦ Coming out of the closet, or
simply coming out, is
a metaphor for LGBT
people's self-disclosure of
their sexual orientation or of
their gender identity.
◦ Coming out of the closet to
oneself, a spouse of the
opposite sex, and children
can present challenges that
are not faced by gay and
lesbian people who are not
married to people of the
opposite sex or do not have
children.
12. Relationship Outside
Orientation.
Gay and lesbian people can have sexual
relationships with someone of the
opposite sex for a variety of reasons,
including the desire for a perceived
traditional family and concerns of
discrimination and
religious ostracism. While
some LGBT people hide their
respective orientations from their
spouses, others develop positive gay
and lesbian identities while maintaining
successful heterosexual marriages
13. Gender Nonconformity,
Sexual Fluidity, Erotic
Plasticity.
◦ gender nonconformity is a phenomenon in which prepubescent children do not
conform to expected gender-related sociological or psychological patterns, or
identify with the opposite sex/gender. Typical behaviour among those who exhibit
the phenomenon includes but is not limited to a propensity to cross-dress, refusal
to take part in activities conventionally thought suitable for the gender and the
exclusive choice of play-mates of the opposite sex.
◦ Sexual fluidity is one or more changes in sexuality or sexual identity.
◦ Erotic plasticity is the degree to which one's sex drive can be changed by
cultural or social factors. Someone has "high erotic plasticity" when their sex
drives can be affected by situational, social and cultural influences, whereas
someone with “low erotic plasticity” has a sex drive that is relatively rigid and
unsusceptible to change.
14.
15. Sexual Arousal Studies.
◦ Studying human sexual arousal has proved a fruitful way of understanding how men
and women differ as genders and in terms of sexual orientation. A clinical
measurement may use penile or vaginal photoplethysmography, where genital
engorgement with blood is measured in response to exposure to different erotic
material.
◦ A study of sexual arousal
patterns found that women,
when viewing erotic films which
show female-female, male-
male and male-female sexual
activity, have patterns of
arousal which do not match
their declared sexual
orientations as well as men's.
◦ Women also showed arousal
when viewing non human
primates having sexual
intercourse.
16. Early Classification.
◦ One of the earliest sexual orientation classification schemes was proposed in the
1860s by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs.
◦ The classification scheme, which was meant only to describe males, separated
them into three basic categories: dionings, urnings and uranodionings.
◦ Dioning - Comparable to the modern term "heterosexual“
◦ Urning - Comparable to the modern term "homosexual“
Mannling - A manly urning
Weibling - An effeminate urning
Zwischen - A somewhat manly and somewhat effeminate urning
Virilised - An urning that sexually behaves like a dioning
• Urano-Dioning - Comparable to the modern term "bisexual"
19. Honorary mention: Drag
Queens.
◦ A drag queen is a person, usually
male, who dresses in clothing of the
opposite sex and often acts with
exaggerated femininity and in feminine
gender roles which is for the purpose of
entertainment or fashion.
◦ Often, they will exaggerate certain
characteristics such as make-up and
eyelashes for comic, dramatic, or
satirical effect. While drag is very much
associated with gay men and gay
culture, there are drag artists of all
sexualities.
20. Conclusion.
◦ There is nothing wrong in being a homosexual, heterosexual, trans, bisexual, queer.
◦ Do not change your orientation based on what society thinks.
◦ If two people are happy, why are you bothered?
◦ It is not a choice, you’re doing
nothing wrong and it is your right
to identify yourself as what you
desire.
◦ God will not punish you or send
you to hell for choosing your
sexual orientation.
◦ Sexual fluidity is normal.
◦ Why don’t you change your mind
today and stop judging
someone’s sexual orientation?