1. Introduction
Homosexuals are humans and that is a fact although many peopel argue that it is not a natural state because people are supposed to be heterosexuals. Most people are attracted to the opposite sex, but some there is also a significant percentage of homosexual people who also have human rights. Conservatives argue that homosexuality is not natural and hence homosexuality must not be condoned. But yet, progressives believe that homosexuality is indeed a human behavior and so they face the same challenges that heterosexual couples face.
2. Review of Evidence
Homosexual people have trouble with their marriages being legalized and with adopting children. “While sexual orientation can be relevant, along with all other circumstances, it cannot be a bar to eligibility”(Bainham, 2008, p. 480). Homosexual couples should have all the rights as the heterosexual couples because they are equal before the law. It is recommendable for the governments “to provide for adoption by same-sex partners who have formalized their relationships through marriage or registration, and couples in informal partnerships, whether heterosexual or homosexual” (Bainham, 2008, p. 480). Therefore, it is obvious that homosexuals are humans because they are supposed to have the same rights as heterosexual people when it comes to adoption. The point of adoption is to help people who cannot have biological children while doing what is best for the children.
Many people question the ability of homosexual people to be parents because they believe that it is normal for a child to have one mother and one father instead of having two mothers and two fathers. “Homosexual parents might consciously or unconsciously provide inappropriate role models for sexual development – they might convince their children of the desirability of homosexuality or disturb them by overt expression of affection for each other” (Kind & Pattison, 1991, p. 295). This is just prejudice and people who believe in these assumptions are biased. In general, children whose parents are of the same-sex are usually heterosexual. There are also other worries concerning the parenting of homosexual people and they are related to the acceptance of the children by the environment and to the behavior of the parents towards the children. “Gender role socialization begins early and becomes a part of conscious awareness once gender identity is established. Sexual preference or orientation relates to the gender of the preferred sexual partner” (King & Pattison, 1991, p. 296). It is unclear what leads to the choice of one gender over another. However, it remains in the domain of biology and sexual orientation is written in one’s genes. People do not become heterosexual or homosexual and the environment cannot form them in such a way because sexual preference is genetically predisposed. “In the largest controlled community study of its kind retrospective accounts by homosexuals of their parenting found no major differences from those of heterosexual people” (King & Pattison, 1991, p. 296). Therefore, it is a scientific fact that homosexual people are as eligible as heterosexual parents. Some people relate homosexuality with paedophilia, but there is no connection and this is only prejudice which has no basis in the reality. People have to put their biases aside when judging whether homosexuals are good as parents or not because research shows that sexual orientation is not related to parenting skills.
People should have equal right when it comes to employment, but some employers have prejudice and do not want to hire homosexuals. “Social science research reveals a pattern of systematic discrimination against gay men in such areas as hiring, promotion, and firing” (Levine, 1979, p. 153). Homosexuality is followed by stigmas because heterosexual people who are in the majority do not understand that some people have different sexual orientation. Therefore, many gay men hide the fact that they are gay in order to have better employment opportunities. Most of them do not mention their orientation when they apply for the jobs and there is no reason for homosexuals to be deprived of getting a job just because of the fact that they have a different sexual preference than the majority of people. Employment should be based on having good skills and not on the sexual orientation.
People who serve in the military are not supposed to be overtly sexual and to talk about their sexual orientation at all, especially if they are homosexual. “The new rule is essentially an “unspoken” one: in theory the military will not ask its personnel about their homosexuality, gay and lesbian service members will not discuss their homosexuality, and sexual minorities will be permitted to serve in silence” (Alter, 1995, p. 22). It is important to be quiet about one’s sexual preference and there is no problem in the military service. People who serve in the military are supposed to have acquired specific gender roles which enable them to be efficient in combat and in the logistics management. Therefore, homosexuals could be regarded as unfit for this role because of them being different. “It seems intuitively obvious that any soldier with a strong survival instinct would likely prefer to share a foxhole with a loyal, celibate homosexual than with a self-confessed, nonproselytizing traitor” (Alter, 1995, p. 26). Military needs people who are strong both mentally and physically and who are ready to defend the country and their sexual preference should not be the reason for being excluded from the service.
Romantic attraction is related to sexual orientation and people are born being attracted to the same sex or the opposite sex. The environment has no influence on the development of sexuality and people are born either as heterosexuals or as homosexuals who are in minority. “Neuroendocrine theories posit that homosexuality is due to the atypical gendering of relevant brain structures in utero and that prenatal hormones affect the direction both of one’s sexuality and of one’s gender expression” (Savin-Williams, 2006, p. 42). Behavior is often related to homosexuality because gay men are sometimes described as having feminine characteristics while lesbians might have male characteristics. Being homosexual is biologically determined and it is not something that can be influenced which is why it has to be accepted as a form of sexuality.
3. Synthesis/Discussion
Being homosexual is not a choice because people are born being gay or lesbians although these are sexual minorities. They are humans and their rights need to be recognized and protected. When it comes to adoption, married couples of the same-sex should have the same rights as married couples of the opposite sex because there are no indications that homosexuals are bad role models and bad influence. Nobody can become gay because of the environment they live in and having two mothers or two fathers is the same as having one mother and one father as long as the family is stable and that the child is provided with good care. People are genetically predisposed to be romantically attracted to the same sex or to the opposite sex, and that is natural. Sexual orientation is biologically determined and people cannot resist their true nature. If a person is born as a heterosexual, they cannot be converted to homosexuality and vice versa. Many people have to hide the fact that they are homosexuals in order to get a better job and not to jeopardize their career. There are certain professions which are related to masculinity or femininity and military service is one of these. It is best not to reveal one’s sexuality in the army because that is not relevant for the service. The situation is changing for the better because people are realizing that homosexuals are humans and that they should not be deprived of the rights that heterosexual people have.
4. Conclusion
Homosexuality is human behavior and gay people should have the same rights as other human beings because their sexual preference does not make them less human than heterosexual people. Being able to adopt children and have the same opportunities in the work place as well as serving in the army has to be guaranteed to all of the people regardless of their sexual orientation if they meet all of the other criteria. It is true that homosexuals are humans and their orientation is just a variation of sexuality.
References
Bainham, A. (2008). Homosexual Adoption. The Cambridge Law Journal, 67(3), 479-481.
King, M. B., & Pattison, P. (1991). Homosexuality And Parenthood. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 303(6797), 295-297.
Levine, M. P. (1979). EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAY MEN. International Review of Modern Sociology, 9(2), 151-163.
Alter, D. S. (1995). Confronting the Queer and Present Danger: How to use the First Amendment when dealing with issues of sexual orientation speech and military service. Human Rights, 22(3), 22-32.
Savin-Williams, R. C. (2006). Who's Gay? Does It Matter? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15(1), 40-44.
