Homosexuality

Alma.L..Jimenez,.MD,.FPPA

Main%Message
Homosexuality%is%currently%classied%as%a%non6
psychiatric%disorder.%%S;ll,%divergent%beliefs%and
values%about%it%s;ll%prevail.

Objec&ves
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To--ar&culate-personal-beliefs-about
homosexuality.
To-dene-homosexuality.
To-describe-prevalence.
To-describe-causes.
To-describe-the-process-of-coming-out.

Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Personal/beliefs/about/homosexuality
Deni9on
Prevalence
Causes
Coming/out
Summary/of/divergent/beliefs
/

FGD$on$Homosexuality
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Form$groups$of$8910.
Choose$a$discussion$leader/reporter$&$a
secretary.
Answer$the$quesFons$(1912)
Convene$aKer$20$minutes
59minute$report$by$group

Homosexuality:..What.is.it?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

What.is.homosexuality?
What.causes.it?
At.what.age.does.it.become.obvious.in.an.individual?
Is.it.natural.and.normal?
What.should.a.homosexual.do.about.his.sexual.orientaBon?
Gods.aFtude.towards.the.homosexual.and.homosexuality?
Is.it.changeable?
Is.reparaBve.therapy.eecBve?.(psychotherapy.to.correct.a.persons
sexual.orientaBon)
What.happens.to.children.raised.by.gay.and.lesbian.parents?
Should.churches.recognize.commiQed.same.sex.relaBonships?
.Should.sameRsex.couple.be.given.the.same.benets.given.to.oppositeR
sex.married.couples?
.Should.sexually.acBve.gays.be.eligible.for.ordinaBon.in.the.clergy?

9.
10.
11.
12.
.
.

Quotes

Quotes

Quotes

Quotes

Introducing+homosexuality
Not+a+disorder
In+1973,+was+eliminated+as+a+diagnos=c+category
by+the+APA
In+1980,+was+removed+from+the+DSM

If#not#a#disorder,#what?
An#alterna4ve#lifestyle
A#variant#of#human#sexuality
#

Deni&on
A#persons#overt#behavior,#sexual#orienta5on,
and#a#sense#of#personal#or#social#iden5ty.
Lesbian#or#gay#men
#

Deni&on
Homophobia
a+nega/ve+a1tude+toward+or+fear+of
homosexuality+or+homosexuals

Heteroxism
the+belief+that+a+heterosexual+rela/onship+is
preferable+to+all+others;
implies+discrimina/on+against+those+prac/cing
other+forms+of+sexuality.

Prevalence
Kinsey,/1948
10/%/of/men
5/%/of/women
37%/had/a/homosexual/experience

Prevalence
1988
2/3%2in2men

1989
Less2than21%2of2both2sexes2are2exclusively
homosexual

1993
1%
2%22life?me2homosexual2experience

Prevalence:*Onset
Males:*Before*puberty
50%*have*genital*experience*with*a*male*partner
Exploratory,*shared*with*a*peer
Lack*a*strong*aecGve*component

Females:*middle*to*late*adolescence*or*young
adulthood

Prevalence:*Onset
More*lesbians*than*gay*men*engaged*in
heterosexual*experience
56%*of*lesbians
19%*of*gay*men

Theore&cal*issues

Psychological+factors
Early+life+situa3ons+that+can+result+in+male
homosexuality:
A+strong+xa3on+on+the+mother
Lack+of+eec3ve+fathering
+

Psychological+factors
Early+life+situa3ons+that+can+result+in+male
homosexuality:
Inhibi3on+of+masculine+development+by+the
parents
Losses+when+compe3ng+with+brothers+and+sisters
+

New$concepts$of$psychoanaly0c$factors
Gay$men$have$$same6sex$fantasies$at$365$years
old
father$or$father$surrogate
greater$secre0veness$than$other$boys,$self6
isola0on$and$excessive$emo0onality
Feminine$traits$6$iden0ca0on$with$the$mother$or
mother$surrogate
$

New$concepts$of$psychoanaly0c$factors
Similar$psychodynamics$in$women.
The$li9le$girl$does$not$give$up$her$original
xa0on$on$the$mother$as$a$love$object$and
con0nues$to$seek$it$in$adulthood.

Gene$c&and&biological&components
Lower&levels&of&circulatory&androgens
Prenatal&androgens&;&organiza$on&of&the
central&nervous&system
Eec$ve&presence;&sexual&orienta$on&toward
females
Deciency&&sexual&orienta$on&toward&males

Gene$c&and&biological
components
&
Higher&incidence&of&homosexual
concordance&among&monozygo$c&twins
than&among&dizygo$c&twins
Chromosome&studies&have&been&unable&to
dieren$ate&homosexuals&from
heterosexuals
&familial&distribu$on

Sexual'behavior'pa/erns
Similar'to'heterosexual'behavior'pa/erns
Rela6onship'pa/erns:
Common'household,'monogamous'or'primary
rela6onship'for'decades
Or'ee6ng'sexual'contacts

Sexual'behavior'pa/erns
Rela4onship'pa/erns:
Male8male'rela4onships'appear'to'be'less'stable
Diminished'promiscuity'a?er'AIDS
Subject'to'social'and'legal'discrimina4on

Psychopathology

Parallels/that/found/in/heterosexuals
Higher/suicide/rate
Adjustment/disorder/or/depressive/disorder
ICD/11?/ego?dystonic/sexual/orienta@on:/a/persons
desire/to/change/gender/iden@ty/or/sexual/preference
that/is/not/in/doubtbecause/of/associated
psychological/and/behavioral/disorders.//

Coming'out
a'process'by'which'an'individual
acknowledges'his'or'her'sexual'orienta;on'in
the'face'of'societal's;gma'and'with'successful
resolu;on'accepts'himself'or'herself

Coming'out
Acceptance'of'his'or'her'sexual'orienta6on
Integra6on'of'this'orienta6on'into'all'spheres
(social,'voca6onal,'and'familial)

Coming'out
Degree'of'disclosure'about'sexual'orienta6on
to'the'external'world
Diculty'is'a'common'cause'of'rela6onship
problems
May'contribute'to'poor'self=esteem'and'poor
func6oning

Divergent)Beliefs)on
Homosexuality
)

Homosexuality

Conserva1ve

Liberal

What%causes%it?

Multiple causes including: poor

parenting, sexual molestation
during childhood, perhaps demon
possession. Addiction traps them
in the lifestyle.

Genetically predetermined perhaps

with some unknown environmental
factor in early childhood which
"turns on" the gene or genes.

At what age does it become

obvious in an individual?

Teenage years, after puberty,

when it is chosen.

Homosexual orientation can be

reliably predicted in pre-school
children.

Is it sinful?

Yes. Some consider it more

serious than many other sins. It
endangers the family and thus
social stability.

Neither heterosexuality,
bisexuality, or homosexuality are
inherently sinful. It is free of sin if
it is safe, consensual and, perhaps,
within a committed relationship.

Is it natural and normal?

It is an unnatural, abnormal,
It is normal and natural, for a
deviant, and disordered behavior. minority of humans.

Homosexuality
What should a
homosexual do?

Conserva1ve

Liberal

Choose to remain
celibate, or
Choose either celibacy or monogamy with a
attempt to change same-sex partner. Changing sexual orientation is
their orientation not possible in all, or essentially all, cases.
to heterosexual.

He loves the
sinner, but hates
homosexuality, Loves the person. Various beliefs: May approve
God's attitude towards
which is always of the activity if it is based on love and
the homosexual and
commitment. May approve if it is safe and
towards homosexuality sinful,
irrespective of the consensual.
nature of the
relationship.

Is it changeable?

Yes, through
counseling and
prayer. But it
requires effort
because it is so
addictive.
Yes; it is an

No. Sexual orientation is always or almost

always fixed and cannot be changed in
adulthood.

Homosexuality

Conserva1ve

Liberal

A large percentage will become

What happens to children raised homosexuals. Those who don't
by gays or lesbian parents?
will be disturbed by the presence
of homosexuality in the home.

The vast majority of their children

will be heterosexual -- apparently
more accepting and less
judgmental than average.

Should churches recognize

committed same-sex
relationships?

Perhaps. Some feel that all loving,

committed adult relationships
should be recognized and
supported by religious groups.

No. Gay relationships are an

abomination, hated by God.

Homosexuality

Should same-sex couples given

benefits now given to oppositesex married couples?

Conserva1ve

Liberal

Yes. Official recognition of their

No. Same sex marriages or civil
relationship and government
unions threaten regular families
and thus the stability of society. benefits are a fundamental civil
right.

No. It would be a major lowering Yes. One's orientation has no

Should sexually active gays be
of standards. It would condone
bearing on the ability to be a priest,
eligible for ordination as clergy?
seriously sinful behavior.
minister, rabbi, or pastor.

Where%do%you%stand?
%

Summary

Personal.beliefs.about.homosexuality
Deni7on
Prevalence
Causes
Coming.out
Summary.of.divergent.beliefs

Conclusion
Homosexuality11is1currently1classied1as1a1non5
psychiatric1disorder.11However,1divergent
beliefs1and1values1about1it1s?ll1prevail1from
conserva?ve1to1ultra5liberal.
Know11where1you1stand.