Sexual Orientation

Societal attitudes towards same-sex relationships have varied over time and place, from expecting all males to engage in same-sex relationships, to casual integration, through acceptance, to seeing the practice as a minor sin, repressing it through law entorcement and Judicial mechanisms, and to proscribing it under penalty ot death People with a homosexual orientation can express their sexuality in a variety of ways, and may or may not express it in their behaviors. ] Many have sexual relationships predominately with people of their own gender identity, though some have sexual relationships with those of the opposite gender, bisexual relationships, or none at all The Kinsey scale attempts to describe a person's sexual history or episodes of their sexual activity at a given time. It uses a scale from O, meaning exclusively heterosexual, to 6, meaning exclusively homosexual. It is based on actual sexual behavior surveys.Research indicates that many lesbians and gay men want, and succe ed in having, committed and durable relationships. For example, survey ata indicate that between 40% and 60% of gay men and between 45% and 80% of lesbians are currently involved in a romantic relationship. [110] Survey data also indicate that between 18% and 28% of gay couples and between 8% and 21% of lesbian couples in the U. S. have lived together ten or more years. 110] Studies have found same-sex and opposite-sex couples to be equivalent to each other in measures of satisfaction and commitment in relationships, that age and gender are more reliable than sexual orientation as a predictor of satisfaction and commitment to a relationship, and that people who are heterosexual or homosexual share comparable xpectations and ideals with regard to romantic relationships GENERAL Science has looked at the causes of homosexuality, and more generically the causes of human sexual orientation, with the general conclusions being related to biological and environmental factors.The biological factors that have been researched are genetic and hormonal, particularly during the fetal developmental period, that influence the resulting brain structure, and other characteristics such as handedness. [3][4] There are a wide range of environmental factors (sociological, psychological, or early uterine environment), and various biological factors, that may nfluence sexual orientation; though many researchers believe that it is caused by a complex interplay between nature and nurture, they favor biological models for the cause.Sexual orientation change efforts There are no studies of adequate scientific rigor to conclude whether sexual orientation change efforts work to change a person's sexual orientation. Those efforts have been controversial due to tensions between the values held by some faith- based organizations, on the one hand, and those held by LGBT rights organizations and professional and scientific organizations and other faith-based organizations, on the other. ] The l ongstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality per se is a normal and positive variation of human sexual orientation, and therefore not a mental disorder. [9] The American Psychological Association says that â€Å"most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation†. 1 56] Some individuals and groups have promoted the idea of homosexuality as symptomatic of developmental defects or spiritual and moral failings and have argued that sexual orientation change efforts, including psychotherapy and religious efforts, could alter omosexual feelings and behaviors.Many of these individuals and groups appeared to be embedded within the larger context of conservative religious political movements that have supported the stigmatization of homosexuality on political or religious grounds. No major mental health protessional organization nas sanctioned efforts to change sexual orie ntation and virtually all of them have adopted policy statements cautioning the profession and the public about treatments that purport to change sexual orientation.Physical The terms â€Å"Men who have sex with men† (MSM) and â€Å"women who have sex with omen† (WSW) refer to people who engage in sexual activity with others of the same sex regardless of how they identify themselves†as many choose not to accept social identities as lesbian, gay and These terms are often used in medical literature and social research to describe such groups for study, without needing to consider the issues of sexual self-identity.The terms are seen as problematic, however, because they â€Å"obscure social dimensions of sexuality; undermine the self-labeling of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people; and do not sufficiently describe variations in sexual behavior† . 182] MSM and WSW are sexually active with each other for a variety of reasons with the main ones arguably sexual pl easure, intimacy and bonding. In contrast to its benefits, sexual behavior can be a disease vector. Safe sex is a relevant harm reductionphilosophy. 183] The United States currently prohibits men who have sex with men from donating blood â€Å"because they are, as a group, at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion. â€Å"[ Public health These safer sex recommendations are agreed upon by public health officials for omen who have sex with women to avoid sexually transmitted infections (ST's): Avoid contact with a partner's menstrual blood and with any visible genital lesions.Cover sex toys that penetrate more than one person's vagina or anus with a new condom for each person; consider using different toys for each person. Use a barrier (e. g. , latex sheet, dental dam, cut-open condom, plastic wrap) during oral sex. Use latex or vinyl gloves and lubricant for any manual sex that might cause bleeding. [186] These safer sex recommendations are agreed upon by public health officials for en who have sex with men to avoid sexually transmitted infections: Avoid contact with a partner's bodily fluids and with any visible genital lesions. Use condoms for anal and oral sex.Use a barrier (e. g. , latex sheet, dental dam, cut-open condom) during anal-oral sex. Cover sex toys that penetrate more than one person with a new condom for each person; consider using different toys for each person and use latex or vinyl gloves and lubricant for any sex that might cause bleeding. Gay and lesbian youth See also: Suicide among LGBT youth Gay and lesbian youth bear an increased risk of suicide, substance abuse, school roblems, and isolation because of a â€Å"hostile and condemning environment, verbal and physical abuse, rejection and isolation from family and peers†. 192] Further, LGBT youths are more likely to report psychological and physical abuse by parents or caretakers, and more sexual abuse. Suggested re asons for this disparity are that (1) LGBT youths may be specifically targeted on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation or gender non-conforming appearance, and (2) that â€Å"risk factors associated with sexual minority status, including discrimination, invisibility, and ejection by family members†¦ may lead to an increase in behaviors that are associated with risk for victimization, such as substance abuse, sex with multiple partners, or running away trom nome as a teenager. [ Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Philippines have a distinctive culture but limited legal rights. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated, if not accepted, within Filipino society, but there is still widespread discrimination. The most visible members of the Filipino LGBT culture, the Bakla, are a distinct group in the Philippines. According to he 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey, 11% of sexually active Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 have had sex with someone of the same sex. l] Filipino poet and critic Lilia Quindoza Santiago has speculated that Filipino culture may have a more flexible concept of gender because kasarian, the Tagalog word for â€Å"gender†, is defined in less binary terms than the English word gender. [2] Kasarian means â€Å"kind, species, or genus†. [3] The English word gender originally also meant â€Å"kind†. Phil. Survey The Philippines has earned its ranking as one of few gay-friendly countries in the world. Of the 39 countries covered by a global survey, only 17 countries had majorities that accepted homosexuality, with the Philippines ranking at number 10 among the 17.Despite its religiosity, the Philippines is one of the countries in the world where the level of public â€Å"acceptance† of homosexuals is high, according to the results of the survey. The survey titled â€Å"The Global Divide on Homosexuality' conducted by the Us-based Pew Research Center showed t hat 73 percent of adult Filipinos agreed with the statement that â€Å"homosexuality should be accepted by society,† up by nine percentage points from 2002. The percentage of Filipinos who aid society should not accept gays fell from 33 percent in 2002 to 26 percent this year, it added.This high level of acceptance, which is comparable to that found in secular western Europe, is even higher than those found in Japan (54 percent), South Korea (39 percent) or the United States (60 percent), where some states allow gay marriage. â€Å"Brazilians and Filipinos are considerably more tolerant of homosexuality than their countries' relatively high levels of religiosity would suggest,† the Pew survey report said. The Philippines bucked the trend found in the survey showing that gays are mostly accepted in rich and secularized countries.The survey finds that acceptance of homosexuality is particularly widespread in countries where religion is less central in people's lives. The se are also among the richest countries in the world,† the Pew report said. â€Å"In contrast, in poorer countries with high levels of religiosity, few believe homosexuality should be accepted by society,† it added. Religiosity scale The Philippines is said to be one of the most religious countries in the world and almost a third of its population lives below the poverty line.In the surveys â€Å"religiosity scale† where a score of â€Å"3† was the most religious, the Philippines almost got 2. 5. â€Å"Age s also a factor in several countries, with younger respondents offering far more tolerant views than older ones,† the survey report said. And while gender differences are not prevalent, in those countries where they are, women are consistently more accepting of homosexuality than men,† it added. In the Philippines, 78 percent of those aged 18-29 who were interviewed said gays should be accepted, 71 percent for those aged 30-49, and 68 percen t for those 50 years old and above, according to the survey.The report also showed that of the eight countries surveyed in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines nad the second highest cceptance rate next to Australia's 79 percent. â€Å"In the Asia-Pacific region, where views of homosexuality are mostly negative, more than seven in 10 in Australia and the Philippines say homosexuality should be accepted by society,† the report said. In contrast, only three percent of people in neighboring Indonesia, nine percent in Malaysia and 21 percent in China said homosexuality should be accepted, the report added.Not impressed However, Filipino gay groups were not impressed by the survey results. When asked if the gay community in the Philippines felt accepted, Jonas Bagas, executive director of the TLF Share Collective, said: â€Å"Hardly. â€Å"l think that the study only reflects the perceived acceptance of the LGBT community based on the high visibility of gay entertainers. It' s acceptance [that is] contingent on how you fit the acceptable stereotype†the gay entertainer, the creative, talented bakla, the lesbian security guard,† Bagas said. â€Å"Once you go outside these stereotypes, that's when you encounter rejection,† he added.Bagas said a Filipino student in a lesbian relationship faces higher probability of getting kicked out of her school than a student in a heterosexual relationship. â€Å"We still have strong biases against gay sex, which for any is still deemed immoral and unnatural. This attitude fosters inequality in our laws, in education, healthcare and even within the family,† Bagas said. The Pew report said those who conducted the survey had face-to-face interviews with 804 Filipinos aged 18 and above from March 10 to April 3 this year. The interviews were conducted in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Ilocano and Bicolano.The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4. 5 percent. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transge nder (LGBT) people in the Philippines have a distinctive culture but limited legal rights. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated, f not accepted, within Filipino society, but there is still widespread discrimination. The most visible members of the Filipino LGBT culture, the Bakla, are a distinct group in the Philippines. According to the 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey, 11% of sexually active Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 have had sex with someone of the same sex. l] Filipino poet and critic Lilia Quindoza Santiago has speculated that Filipino culture may have a more flexible concept of gender because kasarian, the Tagalog word for â€Å"gender†, is defined in less binary terms than the English word gender. 2] Kasarian means â€Å"kind, species, or genus†. [3] The English word gender originally also meant â€Å"kind†. A bakla is a gay man who displays feminine mannerisms, dresses as a woman, or identifies as a woman. The term itsel f is not the equivalent of the English term but bakla are the most culturally visible subset of gay men in the Philippines.They are often considered a third gender, embodying femaleness (pagkababae) in a male body. [5][6] The term bakla is sometimes used in a derogatory sense, although bakla people have largely embraced it. Bakla individuals are socially and economically integrated into Filipino society and re considered an important part of society. The stereotype of a bakla is a parlorista, a cross-dresser who works in a beauty salon. [7] Miss Gay Philippines is a beauty pageant for bakla. Slang terms for LGBT people and concepts In the Philippines, the term gay is used in reference to any LGBT person.For Filipino gays, the Tagalog phrase paglaladlad ng kapa (â€Å"unturling the cape†), or more commonly Just paglaladlad(â€Å"unfurling† or â€Å"unveiling†) refers to the coming- out process. Tibo, T-Bird and tomboy are derogatory terms for butch lesbians Just as bakla is for effeminate gay men. Some lesbians, both butch and femme, use the erms magic or shunggril to refer to themselves. [4] Neutral slang terms for gay men include billy boy, badette, bading, and paminta (straight-acting gay man).While many of these terms are generally considered derogatory, they are sometimes used casually or Jokingly within the Filipino gay and lesbian community. For example, gay men often refer to their gay friends as bakla when talking to each other. Swardspeak[edit] Main article: Swardspeak This article may be confusing or unclear to readers. Please help us clarify the article; suggestions may be found on the talk page. (October 2013) Swardspeak, or â€Å"gay lingo†, s a cant slang derived from Englog (a Tagalog-English pidgin) and is used by a number of homosexuals in the Philippines. 12] Swardspeak uses elements fromTagalog, English, Spanish and Japanese, as well as celebrities' names and trademark brands, giving them new meanings in different contexts. [13] It is largely localized within gay communities and uses words derived from local languages or dialects, including Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bicolano, and/or other Philippine languages. The use of Swardspeak once immediately identified the speaker as homosexual, making it easy for people of that orientation to recognize each other. This created an exclusive group among its speakers and helped them resist cultural assimilation.More recently, though, straight people have also started to use this way of speaking, particularly in industries dominated by gays, such as the fashion and film industries. LGBT Politics: In the Philippines, the Communist Party of the Philippines Marxist-Leninist and Maoist revolutionary proletarian party in the Philippines are the one and first to introduce and promote the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. They recognize the LGBT as part of the bulk of the masses that can encourage and recruit for their revolutionary work. The revolution ary leader admitted that in their rank.The wide spread of sexual intercourse within their rank and same sex that brought their party principle to set a guideline for those belong with the LGBT's. They also allow to married their fellow same sex revolutionary party member as long it will not affect their revolutionary task in the party organization. Document of the CPP-MLM guideline â€Å"Gabay Para sa Rebolusyunaryong Pakikipagrelasyon at Pagpapakasal† . Same-sex relationships data indicate that between ot gay men and between 4 expectations and ideals with regard to romantic relationships. Sexual Orientation In our day and age, being of a sexual orientation other than heterosexual is somewhat common. Though it is definitely not considered a norm, it is more accepted in most parts of the world. A few years ago, people who were not heterosexual had to hide who they really were in order to be accepted by society. Because of this norm, one automatically assumes they are straight whether it comes to themselves or others. So how do homosexual/asexual people become conscious of their sexual orientation? In the same way that gender is a spectrum, sexuality is a spectrum as well.There are four distinct sexualities. Heterosexual, or straight, people are attracted to members of the opposite sex. Bisexuals are attracted to members of both genders. Homosexuals are attracted to people of the same sex. Homosexuals can be called gay, for both genders, or lesbian, for females only. The last sexuality is asexual, in which there is no attraction to either sexes. Psychologists say that sexuality is determin ed in the early stages of childhood but is not a conscious decision. Basically, people are born with their sexuality.That being said, many parents assume there might be something off about their child if they show interest in activities meant for the opposite sex. If their little girl doesn't like to dress up and would rather play in the dirt, parents start to get suspicious. If their little boy likes dolls and is not all that interested in going outside or playing video games, parents think there's a possibility of them being gay. But a very important thing to understand about sexuality is that there is no way to tell what sexuality someone is just by how masculine or feminine they are.That is because, like afore mentioned, gender is a spectrum. There are gay men that are very masculine but then some that are also extremely feminine. There are lesbians that seem like straight girls to there because they aren't as masculine as the stereotypical lesbian. This applies to other sexuali ties as well. Straight men and women can also be very feminine or masculine, respectively. Personality and curiosity does not completely determine one's sexuality. Sexuality is not something that can be changed. People tend to suppress their feelings if they aren't straight, but that does not change who they really are.Many think that going to therapy can ‘fix' a gay/bi/asexual person, but that does not do anything either. It is not an illness, a mental disorder, or a problem of any sort. Just like being straight, ices who they are. Trying to change someone has proven to be not only ineffective, but also possibly damaging. Nadine and Vain are straight, and they know this based on the pure fact that they aren't attracted to girls. This wasn't a hard thing for them to realize because that sexuality is what is expected. Both have straight parents, and a majority of straight friends.There was never a need for them to have to realize that they were something different, because acco rding to society, they are normal. But someone who doesn't feel anything for the opposite sex, or feels for everyone, or no one at all, how do they know? After hearing the experiences of many internet sensations who have come out as being gay such as Connors Franca, Troy Siva, and Tyler Oakley (major supporter of GSA [Gay Straight Alliance]), we learned that they always knew that they were a little different, supporting work by psychologists at the American Psychiatric Association.In Connors case, he was not able to pinpoint exactly what was different about him until he was 12 years old, when he just randomly thought, â€Å"What if I'm game At 22, he did not come to terms with his sexuality until this year. Throughout high school, he dated girls to did his sexuality, primarily lying to himself. Once he finally allowed himself to accept it, he realized that his friends and family would support him no matter what, and that was when he stopped suppressing his feelings.Connors hid his feelings in fear that people would treat him differently and rightly so. People with an ‘uncommon' sexuality are discriminated and hated against around the world. The U. S. Is one of the most accepting countries for these people, but there are still hate crimes committed against them. Forget the crimes, gay people are not even allowed to openly serve in the U. S. Military. Until gently, Openly gay boys Were not allowed in Boy Scouts. Even now, if the boys are all staying in the same area, the gay boys have to stay in a separate area.Learning about all these things would definitely add to a person's confusion and cause them to suppress their emotions. Once social stigma against homo/bi/a-sexual people stops, they can be more comfortable with whom they are and the coming out process will be much easier. Once they realize what their feelings mean, the transition of their sexuality from subconscious to fully aware will become smoother and that is something we as a species should b e aiming for. Sexual Orientation In our day and age, being of a sexual orientation other than heterosexual is somewhat common. Though it is definitely not considered a norm, it is more accepted in most parts of the world. A few years ago, people who were not heterosexual had to hide who they really were in order to be accepted by society. Because of this norm, one automatically assumes they are straight whether it comes to themselves or others. So how do homosexual/asexual people become conscious of their sexual orientation? In the same way that gender is a spectrum, sexuality is a spectrum as well.There are four distinct sexualities. Heterosexual, or straight, people are attracted to members of the opposite sex. Bisexuals are attracted to members of both genders. Homosexuals are attracted to people of the same sex. Homosexuals can be called gay, for both genders, or lesbian, for females only. The last sexuality is asexual, in which there is no attraction to either sexes. Psychologists say that sexuality is determin ed in the early stages of childhood but is not a conscious decision. Basically, people are born with their sexuality.That being said, many parents assume there might be something off about their child if they show interest in activities meant for the opposite sex. If their little girl doesn't like to dress up and would rather play in the dirt, parents start to get suspicious. If their little boy likes dolls and is not all that interested in going outside or playing video games, parents think there's a possibility of them being gay. But a very important thing to understand about sexuality is that there is no way to tell what sexuality someone is just by how masculine or feminine they are.That is because, like afore mentioned, gender is a spectrum. There are gay men that are very masculine but then some that are also extremely feminine. There are lesbians that seem like straight girls to there because they aren't as masculine as the stereotypical lesbian. This applies to other sexuali ties as well. Straight men and women can also be very feminine or masculine, respectively. Personality and curiosity does not completely determine one's sexuality. Sexuality is not something that can be changed. People tend to suppress their feelings if they aren't straight, but that does not change who they really are.Many think that going to therapy can ‘fix' a gay/bi/asexual person, but that does not do anything either. It is not an illness, a mental disorder, or a problem of any sort. Just like being straight, ices who they are. Trying to change someone has proven to be not only ineffective, but also possibly damaging. Nadine and Vain are straight, and they know this based on the pure fact that they aren't attracted to girls. This wasn't a hard thing for them to realize because that sexuality is what is expected. Both have straight parents, and a majority of straight friends.There was never a need for them to have to realize that they were something different, because acco rding to society, they are normal. But someone who doesn't feel anything for the opposite sex, or feels for everyone, or no one at all, how do they know? After hearing the experiences of many internet sensations who have come out as being gay such as Connors Franca, Troy Siva, and Tyler Oakley (major supporter of GSA [Gay Straight Alliance]), we learned that they always knew that they were a little different, supporting work by psychologists at the American Psychiatric Association.In Connors case, he was not able to pinpoint exactly what was different about him until he was 12 years old, when he just randomly thought, â€Å"What if I'm game At 22, he did not come to terms with his sexuality until this year. Throughout high school, he dated girls to did his sexuality, primarily lying to himself. Once he finally allowed himself to accept it, he realized that his friends and family would support him no matter what, and that was when he stopped suppressing his feelings.Connors hid his feelings in fear that people would treat him differently and rightly so. People with an ‘uncommon' sexuality are discriminated and hated against around the world. The U. S. Is one of the most accepting countries for these people, but there are still hate crimes committed against them. Forget the crimes, gay people are not even allowed to openly serve in the U. S. Military. Until gently, Openly gay boys Were not allowed in Boy Scouts. Even now, if the boys are all staying in the same area, the gay boys have to stay in a separate area.Learning about all these things would definitely add to a person's confusion and cause them to suppress their emotions. Once social stigma against homo/bi/a-sexual people stops, they can be more comfortable with whom they are and the coming out process will be much easier. Once they realize what their feelings mean, the transition of their sexuality from subconscious to fully aware will become smoother and that is something we as a species should b e aiming for.