Sexual Orientation

* Sexual orientation is the course or path of a person’s sexual preferences in relation to the same sex, opposite sex, or both sexes. History and science both have theories, but neither are concrete or totally convincing. Science says homosexuality is genetic, whereas history states homosexuality is a result of making a wrong choice.

* Lesbian and gay male relationships have existed throughout history, and was especially prevalent during the Greek and Roman era. In ancient Greece, for example, established men frequently formed sexual relationships with adolescent males at about the age of first growing a beard. The main sexual activity depicted on Greek vases is of the older male inserting his penis between the boy’s thighs (not in the anus) and thrusting until he ejaculates (Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, 2005, p. 287).

* During this era, it was not uncommon to see a male take on a female identity and conduct themselves accordingly. Since the fall of the Roman Empire, the rise of Christianity has changed the way society view these relationships. Homosexuality is condemned and even considered to be an abomination to God according to Christian beliefs. These beliefs were eventually grafted into irreligious law.

* By the late Middle Ages, most civil statutes throughout Western Europe contained penalties for nonprocreative sexual acts involving the discharge of semen, including oral or anal sex, masturbation, male–male sexual behavior, and bestiality (Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, 2005, p. 288) . During this era it was believed that the only purpose for having sex was replenish the earth; anything other than that was considered criminal.

* Ford and Beach (1951) studied literature on 76 preliterate societies. They found that in 49 societies, male-male sexual connections were thought to be normal and socially acceptable for some. There were sanctions against male-male relationships in the other 27 societies, but they did...