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What Is Sexual Orientation?
Sexual Orientation is an enduring emotional, romantic,
sexual or affectional attraction to another person. It
is easily distinguished from other components of
sexuality including biological sex, gender identity (the
psychological sense of being male or female) and the
social gender role (adherence to cultural norms for
feminine and masculine behavior).
Sexual orientation exists along a continuum that ranges
from exclusive homosexuality to exclusive
heterosexuality and includes various forms of
bisexuality. Bisexual persons can experience sexual,
emotional and affectional attraction to both their own
sex and the opposite sex. Persons with a homosexual
orientation are sometimes referred to as gay (both men
and women) or as lesbian (women only).
Sexual orientation is different from sexual behavior
because it refers to feelings and self-concept. Persons
may or may not express their sexual orientation in their
behaviors.
What Causes a Person To Have a Particular Sexual
Orientation?
There are numerous theories about the origins of a
person's sexual orientation; most scientists today agree
that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a
complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and
biological factors. In most people, sexual orientation
is shaped at an early age. There is also considerable
recent evidence to suggest that biology, including
genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant
role in a person's sexuality.
In summary, it is important to recognize that there are
probably many reasons for a person's sexual orientation
and the reasons may be different for different people.
Is Sexual Orientation a Choice?
No, human beings can not choose to be either gay or
straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in
early adolescence without any prior sexual experience.
Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings,
psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a
conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed.
Can Therapy Change Sexual Orientation?
No. Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy
lives, some homosexual or bisexual people may seek to
change their sexual orientation through therapy,
sometimes pressured by the influence of family members
or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is
that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not
require treatment and is not changeable. However, not
all gay, lesbian, and bisexual people who seek
assistance from a mental health professional want to
change their sexual orientation. Gay, lesbian, and
bisexual people may seek psychological help with the
coming out process or for strategies to deal with
prejudice, but most go into therapy for the same reasons
and life issues that bring straight people to mental
health professionals.
What About So-Called "Conversion Therapies"?
Some therapists who undertake so-called conversion
therapy report that they have been able to change their
clients' sexual orientation from homosexual to
heterosexual. Close scrutiny of these reports however
show several factors that cast doubt on their claims.
For example, many of the claims come from organizations
with an ideological perspective which condemns
homosexuality. Furthermore, their claims are poorly
documented. For example, treatment outcome is not
followed and reported over time as would be the standard
to test the validity of any mental health intervention.
The American Psychological Association is concerned
about such therapies and their potential harm to
patients. In 1997, the Association's Council of
Representatives passed a resolution reaffirming
psychology's opposition to homophobia in treatment and
spelling out a client's right to unbiased treatment and
self-determination. Any person who enters into therapy
to deal with issues of sexual orientation has a right to
expect that such therapy would take place in a
professionally neutral environment absent of any social
bias.
Is Homosexuality a Mental Illness or Emotional
Problem?
No. Psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health
professionals agree that homosexuality is not an
illness, mental disorder or an emotional problem. Over
35 years of objective, well-designed scientific research
has shown that homosexuality, in and itself, is not
associated with mental disorders or emotional or social
problems. Homosexuality was once thought to be a mental
illness because mental health professionals and society
had biased information.
In the past the studies of gay, lesbian and bisexual
people involved only those in therapy, thus biasing the
resulting conclusions. When researchers examined data
about these people who were not in therapy, the idea
that homosexuality was a mental illness was quickly
found to be untrue.
In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association confirmed
the importance of the new, better designed research and
removed homosexuality from the official manual that
lists mental and emotional disorders. Two years later,
the American Psychological Association passed a
resolution supporting the removal.
For more than 25 years, both associations have urged all
mental health professionals to help dispel the stigma of
mental illness that some people still associate with
homosexual orientation.
Can Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals Be Good Parents?
Yes. Studies comparing groups of children raised by
homosexual and by heterosexual parents find no
developmental differences between the two groups of
children in four critical areas: their intelligence,
psychological adjustment, social adjustment, and
popularity with friends. It is also important to realize
that a parent's sexual orientation does not indicate
their children's choice.
Another myth about homosexuality is the mistaken belief
that gay men have more of a tendency than heterosexual
men to sexually molest children. There is no evidence to
suggest that homosexuals molest children more often than
heterosexuals.
Why Do Some Gay Men, Lesbians and Bisexuals Tell
People About Their Sexual Orientation?
Because sharing that aspect of themselves with others is
important to their mental health. In fact, the process
of identity development for lesbians, gay men and
bisexuals called "coming out", has been found to be
strongly related to psychological adjustment—the more
positive the gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity, the
better one's mental health and the higher one's
self-esteem.
Why Is the "Coming Out" Process Difficult for Some
Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People?
For some gay and bisexual people the coming out process
is difficult, for others it is not. Often lesbian, gay
and bisexual people feel afraid, different, and alone
when they first realize that their sexual orientation is
different from the community norm. This is particularly
true for people becoming aware of their gay, lesbian, or
bisexual orientation as a child or adolescent, which is
not uncommon. And, depending on their families and where
they live, they may have to struggle against prejudice
and misinformation about homosexuality.
Children and adolescents may be particularly vulnerable
to the deleterious effects of bias and stereotypes. They
may also fear being rejected by family, friends,
co-workers, and religious institutions. Some gay people
have to worry about losing their jobs or being harassed
at school if their sexual orientation became well known.
Unfortunately, gay, lesbian and bisexual people are at a
higher risk for physical assault and violence than are
heterosexuals. Studies done in California in the mid
1990s showed that nearly one-fifth of all lesbians who
took part in the study and more than one-fourth of all
gay men who participated had been the victim of a hate
crime based on their sexual orientation. In another
California study of approximately 500 young adults, half
of all the young men participating in the study admitted
to some form of anti-gay aggression from name-calling to
physical violence.
What Can Be Done to Overcome the Prejudice and
Discrimination the Gay Men, Lesbians, and Bisexuals
Experience?
Research has found that the people who have the most
positive attitudes toward gay men, lesbians and
bisexuals are those who say they know one or more gay,
lesbian or bisexual person well—often as a friend or
co-worker. For this reason, psychologists believe
negative attitudes toward gay people as a group are
prejudices that are not grounded in actual experiences
but are based on stereotypes and prejudice. Furthermore,
protection against violence and discrimination are very
important, just as they are for any other minority
groups. Some states include violence against an
individual on the basis of his or her sexual orientation
as a "hate crime" and ten U.S. states have laws against
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Why is it Important for Society to be Better Educated
About Homosexuality?
Educating all people about sexual orientation and
homosexuality is likely to diminish anti-gay prejudice.
Accurate information about homosexuality is especially
important to young people who are first discovering and
seeking to understand their sexuality—whether
homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. Fears that access
to such information will make more people gay have no
validity—information about homosexuality does not make
someone gay or straight.
Are All Gay and Bisexual Men HIV Infected?
No. This is a commonly held myth. In reality, the risk
of exposure to HIV is related to a person's behavior,
not their sexual orientation. What's important to
remember about HIV/AIDS is it is a preventable disease
through the use of safe sex practices and by not using
drugs.
Where Can I Find More Information About
Homosexuality?
PA Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns Program
750 First Street, NE. Washington, DC 20002
Email:
publicinterest@apa.org
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
2320 17th St. Washington, DC 20009 (202)-332-6483
Email: NGLTF@NGLTF.org
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
1101 14th St., NW, Ste. 1030 Washington, DC
(202)-638-4200
Email: Info@PFLAG.org
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the
United States
130 W 42nd St., Ste. 350 New York, NY 10036
(212)-819-9770
Email:
Siecuse@siecus.org
Permission to reproduce this document is granted by the
American Psychological Association.
CAMPUS RESOURCES:
Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Alliance of the University of
South Carolina (BGLA)
Post Office Box 80098
Columbia, SC 29225
(803) 777-3911
www.web.sa.sc.edu/bgla
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