Homosexuality is gaining popularity in most western countries. The question as to whether it is acceptable is largely asked but most countries chose to go silent on the matter. According to the research conducted by Gallup Poll in 2008, homosexuality is considered morally acceptable by 55% of the population. This statistics show that in as much as the government is going silent on the issue, homosexuality is here to stay and is being embraced as an option to heterosexuality. The numerous homosexual movements that are on the rise will soon bear fruits and it may soon be considered acceptable (Bernstein & Swartwout, 2012).
Many a times one gets to wonder whether homosexuality is a habit which one has developed or whether it could be traced in the family lineage. There is a major debate arising from this and some argue that it is learned. When one is exposed to an environment in which they are tortured by a person of the opposite sex, or when they torture someone they love, an attitude is developed. The person may grow to have intense hatred for people of the opposite sex and associate themselves with those of the same sex. This makes them to change their sexual orientation (Haas et al, 2010).
Children, whose parents feel like they should have been of the opposite sex and treat them as though they are, affect their lives. They grow up knowing they are much more appreciated if they were of the opposite sex and thus change their way of life. They starting behaving like their desired sex, making them to change their sexual orientation. This in turn affects their attitude towards life and changes their behavior. This is purely nurtured (Petty, Fleming & White, 1999).
The ones who argue that it is genetic suggest that, along the lineage, if there was a person who was homosexual then the gene is transmitted to the offspring and they end up changing their sexual orientation. Some scholars however argue that it is the mindset and not the genes. Hermaphrodites could also be classified under this category. They have a choice to choose whether they want to be male or female. They could then choose to be homosexual as a result. There is still research that is ongoing and a direct relation between genetics and social determination.
Most men who are gay love the attention that comes with it. They claim to be popular among the women and they get more attention from them. Their knowledge of fashion, style and emotional connection makes it easy for them to blend with the women. Some claim that they also get a lot of sexual favor. Some men opt to be gay because they feel they are more compatible with their male counterparts, lesbians also have the same feeling; they understand each other. They would rather deal with a person of the same sex to avoid the hustle of trying to understand the opposite sex (David & Terry, 1999).
People who do not like having children find it easy to be gay so as to avoid raising children. Some men find homosexual women to be very attractive and thus some women opt to indulge in this behavior to be noticed. More women than men have it easy being heterosexual. They receive less criticism and most of them are considered heroes. Some heterosexuals who are in the states where they are protected by the law enjoy the benefits of their status.
Homosexual’s gunner support from rich tycoons and philanthropists who are gay. They support the groups that they have formed. Some people join the groups just because of the financial support that they receive. Some homosexuals are given a chance of being foster parents and they take care of children who have been disadvantaged in the community. This makes them useful to the community (David & Terry, 1999).
Most homosexuals do not have an advantage in the religious arena. There is however some rebels among Christians who have legalized same sex marriages and they conduct them during their church services. Homosexuals going to these churches gain spiritual nourishment and live a normal life. There they receive acceptance and they feel like their needs are being met. To some, being an atheist is the best option to go. They have no religion and believe in their own believes, therefore having satisfaction in themselves (Bremmer, 1980).
Homosexuals do not have an easy time explaining their condition to their family. Most of them have been rejected by their family members and therefore they do not have support from them. Lack of support demoralizes them leading them to depression and they have low self esteem. Kite and whitely suggest that heterosexual men do not prefer gay men as they are considered weak. They are rejected in most circumstances and they have to keep up with it. They have to look for people who are like them and who accept them as they are. This is usually a hard task to fulfill (Chauncey, 1983).
A higher percentage of drug abusers among the youth are homosexual. Depression, rejection and assault are the key factors that lead to this behavior. Most of them affect their social life and their lives become at stake. Students in school are usually verbally and physically assaulted by the anti-gay movements that have been founded in most schools. They are not supported by the administration in some academic institution and their lives are endangered. Most of these students fear going to school, which in turn affects their future as some of them drop out of school (Lingiardi, Baiocco & Nardelli, 2012).
There is also an increase in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases as a result of this. Lack of protection and proper medical attention for the homosexuals is a chief contributor to this. Promiscuity is on the rise among the homosexuals resulting to a high rise in sexually transmitted diseases (Bernstein & Swartwout, 2012). Some states do not have laws that protect the homosexuals and they are not accommodated in the constitution leading to discrimination. They are discriminated in shopping malls, hotels, real estates, hospitals and any other public amenities.
Religion comes as a major hindrance to the acceptance of homosexuality. The holy scriptures of the bible condemn homosexuality as sin. Christians who turn out to have a different sexual orientation have a difficult time being accepted in these churches. Most of them are usually condemned and excommunicated from the church. They are not considered as part of the Christian family. Islamic teachings condemn this act. It is considered as an abomination. Muslim men who are homosexual are usually punished and some are even murdered because of involving oneself in an act that is considered immoral (Thorp, 1992).
Sexual orientation is gaining popularity at a high rate. There are thousands of people who are people think it is habitual while others are convinced that it is behavior that is learned. There are advantages and disadvantages of being gay. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages. They include; discrimination, assault, rejection and violence. The treatment is different for males and females. Males face more rejection as opposed to their female counterparts. Homosexuality is largely condemned by most religious beliefs, it is therefore not easy to be religious and engage in this practice at the same time.
References
Haas, A. et al (2010).Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations: Review and Recommendations. Journal of Homosexuality, 58 (1). Retrieved from 2010 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2011.534038
Bremmer, S. (1980). An Enigmatic Indo-European Rite: Paederasty. Arethusa, 13 (4), 279-298.
Thorp, J. (1992). The Social Construction of Homosexuality. Phoenix 46 (1), 54-65. Retrieved from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/thorp.asp
Lingiardi, V, Baiocco, R and Nardelli, N. (2012). Measure of internalized sexual stigma for lesbians and gay men: a new scale. J Homosex , 59 (8), 1191-210.
Bernstein, M and Swartwout, P (2012). Gay officers in their midst: heterosexual police employees' anticipation of the consequences for coworkers who come out. J Homosex, 59(8), 1145-66.
Petty, R. Fleming, M and White, P. (1999). Stigmatized sources and persuasion: Prejudice as a determinant of argument scrutiny. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(1), 19-34. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.76.1.19
David, A and Terry O. (1999). Shame and Internalized Homophobia in Gay Men. Journal of Homosexuality, 37 (3), 1999 33-43
Chauncey, G. (1983). From Sexual Inversion to Homosexuality: Medicine and the Changing Conceptualization of Female Deviance. Salmagundi, 58 (59), 114-146.
