I. Definition
Sexual orientation is “a persistent sexual, emotional, or fantasy attraction to members of a particular gender”; homosexuality refers to “a basic or absolute attraction to one’s own gender”. Homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are considered different types of “sexual orientation”; homosexuality is only one type of sexual experience and behavior.
History
In human society, people generally regard sexual contact (intercourse) between the sex organs of men and women for the purpose of reproduction as the most reasonable and normal form of sexual behavior, while deviating from it and going astray from it are regarded as perversions that violate morality, harm morality, kill the body and mind, and even criminal behavior. Homosexuality was once considered to be a sexual crime. However, different countries, ethnic groups and social groups have different values about sexual behavior, and people’s evaluation of certain sexual behavior may vary greatly at different stages of historical development.
In the history of China, there are numerous records of same-sex sex from the emperors to the suave and talented, from the wealthy merchants to the villagers. The only legal provision regulating same-sex sexual behavior can be found in the Manchu Law of 1784, but this provision was never seriously enforced. As a result, homosexuality was not included in the category of “lewdness”, and the understanding of homosexuality was more relaxed. The perception of homosexuality as “abnormal” began with the May Fourth Movement and was “borrowed” from the white Christian culture.
Historically, the Western perception of homosexuality has been very different from that of China. The origins of the Western belief in the sinfulness of homosexuality can be traced back to the twelfth century. Same-sex sex was condemned as sinful by the Christian church and made illegal in some European countries, including England. In some cases, men were imprisoned for intervening in same-sex sexual acts. By the end of the nineteenth century, same-sex sexual orientation was considered a medical condition in Europe and the United States, and homosexuality was also treated as sinful and illegal.
With the development of time, socio-economic and scientific progress, the 21st century has seen important changes in the way people view this deviant behavior worldwide. For example, homosexuality has transitioned from being considered a crime to a non-crime or a disease, and then from a non-crime to a non-disease.
The dominant international scientific perception has rejected the idea that homosexuality is related to social morality at the level of mental health and psychiatry. As the psychiatric community studied homosexuals in terms of IQ, mental balance, judgment, trustworthiness, vocational ability, interpersonal skills, and many other aspects, it rejected the idea of identifying them as mental disorders.
In 1973, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, removed homosexual behavior from the disease classification system. Despite this, the International Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders (ICD-10) compiled by the World Health Organization and the Classification and Diagnostic Criteria for Mental Disorders (CCMD-3) in China still retain psychosexual disorders, including homosexuality, as a diagnostic category, but one of them shows that homosexuality is no longer classified as a pathology.
Some Western countries are currently taking a more tolerant approach to homosexuality. In several Nordic countries, such as Finland, Norway and Sweden, there are legal provisions regarding marriage or marriage-like relationships for homosexuals. Germany and France have also recently enacted relevant regulations. In some states in the United States, there are also provisions protecting the rights of homosexuals. In general, the provisions of marriage or similar marriages for homosexuals protect their legal rights and obligations to each other, the inheritance of property after death, and the joint adoption of children.
Types of Homosexuality
Absolute homosexuality: As the name implies, the person has sexual desire only for the same sex.
Bisexual: He or she can be sexually aroused by both the same sex and the opposite sex, and can have sex with both the same and different sexes, and can also have orgasms.
Situational homosexuality: A pattern of same-sex sexual behavior caused by purely objective factors. Once the person is able to leave the situation, heterosexual behavior returns. It is usually the result of men and women being locked up with their same-sex counterparts for long periods of time, such as in prison, where the purpose of their same-sex sexual behavior is primarily sexual catharsis.
Active and Passive: Same-sex sex can sometimes be a symbol of the exercise of power, whereby one partner demonstrates control over the other. The dominant partner is called “active” and the controlled partner is called “passive”. In fact, in the specific sexual activities of homosexuals, they exchange roles between active and passive.
IV. Epidemiology
According to the estimates of Hertzfeld, the famous German founder of sexology and the first researcher of homosexuality, homosexuals and bisexuals accounted for 1% to 5% of the population. Later, several surveys in the United States found that homosexuality accounted for 10% of the population. In China, qualitative (absolute) homosexuality accounts for about 2 to 4% of the natural population. Qualitative homosexuality, with its interracial and intercultural prevalence, is characteristic.
V. Causes and mechanisms
The causes of homosexuality have been extensively studied and explored in physiology, psychology, and sociology, and the reasons are still unknown. In general, it is the result of a combination of bio-psycho-social factors.
1.Biological theory
At present, scientists’ research on congenital causes is mainly focused on the determination of physiological factors. However, there is still no one theory that has been conclusively and unanimously accepted, which includes
(1) chromosomal factors during fetal life.
(2) Brain factors.
(3) Hormonal factors.
Physiology studies the innate factors of homosexuality, such as genetics, hormone levels, the influence of brain structure, etc.
In the study of physiological factors, the most recent research on the influence of genetic factors is striking, as it concludes more reliably that genetic factors partially influence the formation of homosexual tendencies by examining the proportion of homosexuality occurring among identical and heterozygous twin brothers. It shows that homosexuality occurs in 57% of identical twins and only 24% of heterozygotic twins, while 13% of brothers in general are homosexual.
The same study for women showed that 50% of identical twin sisters, 16% of heterozygous twin sisters, and 13% of normal sisters were also homosexuals at the same time.
2.Psychological theories
Psychological theories, such as Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, focus on the formation of homosexuality, i.e., psychological and social factors, such as childhood environment, adolescent experiences and environmental factors that cause so-called situational homosexuality, the existence of individual self-idealized empathy for sexual objects, and so on.
Psychosocial factors are considered by the psychological community to be decisive for the formation of homosexuality. The genetic predisposition to homosexuality does not necessarily manifest itself, but the degree of its manifestation depends on the influence of the family and the environment, as well as on the early sexual experiences and experiences. A normal family environment is essential for the development of a correct sexual orientation. For example
The presence of “feminine and masculine” situations in the family: by weak fathers, angry and destructive, or negative, withdrawn, insignificant and powerful mothers, overbearing and overly sheltering children, feminizing and masculinizing men and women.
2, gender identity factors in childhood, such as boys playing with girls’ toys, playing with girls, etc.
3, early sexual experience, especially the first sexual experience, that is, the adolescent (sexual haze) encounters and experiences have extraordinary importance. The first sexual experience is extremely important, if it happens between same-sex friends, it may be lifelong homosexuality. However, there are also surveys that show that four years before the first same-sex sexual encounter, the person already has sexual desires and fantasies about the same sex inside.
4, Sexual education was neglected or rejected.
5. Oedipal complex.
6. Performance
Many animals also have same-sex activities among themselves, but this as the only way of sexual activity is only seen in humans, the degree of expression can vary, some are only purely spiritual, mainly mental and emotional attachment, and no physical contact.
These people show some signs from early childhood, such as the love to play the role of the opposite sex, willing to play with the opposite sex, willing to wear clothing of the opposite sex, etc.. At this time his or her homosexuality is vague. After adolescence, sexual orientation becomes clear, and the person becomes interested in the same sex and is attracted to the opposite sex, but not to the opposite sex. Homosexuals treat their homosexual partners with affection and even want to establish a “family”. Therefore, when a partner leaves, he or she causes great sadness and pain, and some have depressive reactions or even commit suicide.
When two people have same-sex sex, only one may be a true homosexual and the other a heterosexual. If both partners are truly homosexual, they will take turns changing the active position during sex, and psychologically he/she will identify himself/herself as being in the active position.
There are specific sexual behaviors between most homosexuals, which in men take several forms.
1. oral genital contact.
2. mutual masturbation for mutual pleasure.
3. anal intercourse.
In addition to oral genital contact and mutual masturbation, women tend to embrace, rub their pussies against each other, and use artificial penises or penis-like objects. The “emotional” connection between homosexuals is more fixed among women and less stable among men.
Most countries do not prosecute homosexuals for private sexual intercourse if it does not harm the interests of a third party. However, if a homosexual activity leads to some criminal or civil disputes, the law will intervene. There have been a number of cases of homosexuals being hurt by “lost love” in China. In addition, the behavior of homosexuals does not conform to the mainstream culture of society, once known to the outside world, in all aspects of discrimination and public opinion will be different degrees of rejection, some people are deeply painful, self-blame, suicide is not uncommon. Especially in adolescence, they often suffer from sexual orientation and have to make a decision whether to continue or suppress their homosexual feelings, and face many psychosocial problems in middle and old age.
VII. Psychological Counseling
Homosexuality is not a pathology; however, many homosexuals lead a closed and lonely life. In addition to the pain and pressure of self-denial within themselves, there is also psychological pressure from the external environment.
Common psychological pressures include
1. the pressure of social norms of behavior, such as normal family, marriage, love, gender roles, norms of behavior, etc.
2. misunderstanding, prejudice, aversion and hatred from the surrounding people.
3. the discomfort caused by not being able to reveal one’s true sexuality to anyone and having to live a double life and be a two-faced person.
4. unable to find the ideal partner, especially in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas of homosexuals.
5. Lack of social support in relationship and life.
The pressure they feel is not only from the inside, but from the outside; not only from the painful self-blame, but from the fear of social norms. There is also severe depression and psychological discomfort among this group, but it is not rooted in homosexual orientation per se, but in the social adjustment problems that result from homosexual orientation. Approximately 27% of homosexuals have experienced suicidal behavior.
The goal of psychological counseling is not to change their sexual orientation, but to promote self-acceptance, social adaptation, and healthy personality development of the person.