Chapter 9 Sexual Orientations

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Chapter 9Sexual Orientations
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A Continuum of Sexual Orientations

• Primary erotic, psychological, emotional, and
  social orientation
• Homosexual
• Orientation toward same sex
• Gay men and lesbians
• Bisexual
• Orientation toward both same and other sex
• Heterosexual
• Orientation toward other sex
• Asexual
• No sexual attraction toward either sex

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Age at First Same-Sex Attraction
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Kinseys 7-point Continuum

• 0 exclusive contact with and erotic attraction
  to the other sex
• 7 exclusive contact with and erotic attraction
  to the same sex
• Men are more likely to be found on far ends of
  scale
• Women who identify as heterosexual are 27 times
  more likely than heterosexual men to express
  moderate or more same sex attraction

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Kinseys Scale
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Bisexuality

• More women identify as bisexual than men
• Rates of bisexuality have tripled in past decade
• Types of bisexuality
• Real orientation
• Transitory orientation
• Homosexual denial

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Sexual Fluidity

• Variability in attraction at various times and
  situations
• For women
• Sexual fluidity is more common
• For men
• Sexual fluidity is much less common

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What Determines Sexual Orientation?Psychosocial
Theories

• Focus on role of life experiences, parenting
  patterns, or psychological attributes of
  individual
• Attempt to explain the cause of homosexuality
• Theories
• By Default Theory
• The Seduction Myth
• Freuds Theory
• Parenting patterns or early childhood
  experiences no research to support

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What Determines Sexual Orientation?Biological
Theories

• Focus on biological causes for sexual orientation
• Genetic factors
• Homosexuality as familial
• Identical twin studies
• Homosexuality and gender nonconformity
• Implications if biology is destiny
• May lead to greater acceptance
• Genetic engineering, tolerance for defective
  orientation, and intolerance for choices

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Societal Attitudes

• Cross-cultural attitudes vary greatly
• Judeo-Christian attitudes have varied

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Societal Attitudes

• Shift from sinner to sickness early 1900s
• 1974 APA removed homosexuality from list of
  mental disorders
• No differences in psychological adjustment across
  sexual orientation
• Sexual reorientation therapy does not work but
  gay affirmative therapy is helpful

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Homophobia

• Anti-homosexual attitudes
• Irrational fear or self-loathing
• May legitimize hate crimes directed toward sexual
  minorities
• Hate Crimes Laws

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Causes of Homophobia and Hate Crimes

• Lack of acceptance and valuing
• Traditional gender role stereotypes
• Extreme manifestation of cultural norms
• Denial of homosexual feelings

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States With No Hate Crime Laws
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Sexual Minorities and the Media

• Effects of increasing exposure
• Portrayal of gay, lesbian, and bisexual
  individuals as regular folks
• Individuals cannot determine sexual orientation
  of individual shown on a video

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Lifestyles

• Gay Lifestyle may focus on sexual aspects
  between same-sex partners
• Lifestyles of LGB individuals are as varied as
  those of heterosexuals representing all social
  classes, occupations, races, religions, and
  political persuasions

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Coming Out and Disclosure

• Coming Out
• Several steps involved
• Self-acknowledgement
• Self-acceptance
• Disclosure
• Passing risks and benefits
• Telling family can be difficult
• Involvement in the LGBT community
• Double minority
• Individuals who are both sexual and racial
  minorities

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Same-Sex Relationships

• Similarities with heterosexual couples
• More egalitarian than other-sex relationships
• Sex Differences
• Lesbians more likely than gay men to be
  monogamous and value emotional intimacy

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Family Life

• Variations
• Same-sex couple
• Same-sex couple with children
• Single individual with children
• Same-Sex Parenting
• Adoption laws
• Children of LGB parents do not differ from those
  of heterosexual parents

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Gay Rights Movement

• Began in 1969 with Stonewall Rebellion
• Goals
• Decriminalization of private sexual behavior
• Legal protection from discrimination
• Legal protection for same-sex families
• Health care
• Marriage
• Adoption