Sociology Assignment: Sociologic View on Homosexuality (Essay Sample)

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Sociologic View on Homosexuality
Outline
I. Introduction
II. The Ways in Which Homosexuality is Historically Constructed
III. The Ways Homosexuality Is Taken for Granted as Natural
IV. Different Society'sAttitude toward Homosexuality in Various
Societies
V. Sociological Explanation How Homosexuality Has Developed
VII. Conclusion
Blue Print
The World Health Organization (WHO) has deleted the word "homosexuality" from the list of diagnoses and gave an opportunity to homosexuality to be considered a normal event. Until that, homosexuality was considered a disease, and then after that became a variant of the norm.
Since ancient times, the phenomenon of homosexuality took place in a human life. When the scientists became interested in the nature of human sexuality, the attitude toward homosexuals began to gradually change. The general attitude to homosexuality of the modern society is in a process of formation.
Public attitudes toward homosexuality are extremely in different cultures. Many countries have adopted same-sex relationships between the partners. In 2010 in 76 countries, criminalization of homosexual acts is maintained.
The researchers note different, often incompatible with one another types of clusters, prompting to talk is not about sexuality, but about various sexual cultures. Accordingly, the concept of sexual norms and sexual health is complicated and enriched. Attitude toward homosexuality changes from pathology to normal.
Introduction
From the earliest times, the problem of homosexuality is in the focus of attention of researchers. It has an integrated, cross-sectoral nature. Sociologists’ interest in the problem of homosexuality continues to grow that is evidenced by the emergence of a large number of publications. The process of humanization of society largely determines the new direction of social attitude to the so-called sexual minorities. Today, optimum conditions for successful social development, adaptation, and integration of the individual is a priority in all developed countries. The obvious problem of stigmatization which is expressed in different forms and manifestations always means oppression and discrimination. It is known that the disorder, instability of human existence, segregation, and stigmatization are inevitably accompanied by marginality, pathology, the destruction of spiritual values of civilization. Such situation makes intergroup relations more complicated and affects the psyche and consciousness of existing minorities, creating low self-esteem, neuroses, and a number of other features. The legal and political power of the country, social, cultural and the religious opinions of the masses may not be able to accept the certain forms of behavior, including homosexuality. In the present paper, analysis of the social context of homosexuality in modern society is promoted.
The Ways in Which Homosexuality Is Historically Constructed
The history of homosexuality dates back to antiquity. Homosexuality was known among the Neanderthals. This is evidenced by unambiguous rock carvings which have been founded by archeologists. Since ancient times, the phenomenon of homosexuality took place in a human life. However, at the same time, it did not play a role in relation to procreation. Historically, with the development of individual nations and civilization as a whole, certain forms of gender relations based on moral principles, culture, and religion have been developed by the human. Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and a number of other large and advanced civilizations of the past had undeniable and recognized same-sex relationships in their culture (Homosexuality historical reference). These relationships were based on decentralized religions, primary on polytheism.
Subsequently, Christianity and Islam occupied a dominant role in a religious consciousness of the vast majority of people. With the advent of such large centralized religions, same-sex relationships moved into the background and no longer were manifested as an element of the mass culture of the people (Homosexuality historical reference).
The special church laws governing sexuality were introduced to combat the sin. Sex, which does not lead to conception, was named unnatural act. By XIV century, almost all European countries have obeyed the requirements of thoelogist and recognized homosexuality a crime. However, historical documents state that homosexuality as a phenomenon did not disappear. Same-sex relations, rejected by the church moved into a phase of secret existence and latent phase, appearing only in places with a high concentration of the same sex people (male and female monasteries, prisons overseas colonies, and so on.) culture (Homosexuality historical reference).
When the scientists became interested in the nature of human sexuality, the attitude toward homosexuals began to gradually change. In the XIX century, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs decided to prove that homosexuality is not a vice, and the singularity of of the psyche. Karl Ulrichs was the first who described a homosexual man, and coined the term "sexual orientation." He suggested that it is congenital and unchanging, and therefore, natural attribute the human person. (Homosexuality historical reference).
In varying degrees, homosexuality continued to exist in a sufficiently latent form until the early twentieth century. In the twentieth century, a new "discovery" of homosexuality began. The division of the world, large military upheavals and changing worldview of the overwhelming majority the population in developed countries has contributed to the clearest manifestation of it. Striking examples of this were the First World War, the October Revolution, the Third Reich and the post-war period in Europe and America culture (Homosexuality historical reference).
The general attitude to homosexuality and homosexuals in the modern society is ambiguous, changeable. Currently, it is in a process of formation. Social reactions of representatives of the heterosexual majority against sexual minorities vary due to various reasons, ranging from discrimination and insulation to complete indifference.
General trends of the past 30 years:
1. The increase in tolerance for same-sex love, especially among younger (18-24 years) and more educated people;
2. Increasing the number of people, who admit that they have experienced sexual attraction to people of the same sex, that most often occurs in adolescence,
3. However, it is not accompanied by any increase in the number of homosexual contacts, nor with the number of people who consider themselves homosexual or bisexual. There is virtually not increasing the number or proportion of homosexuals. (West).
The Ways Homosexuality Is Taken for Granted as Natural
Although, today it is believed that postnatal events (i.e., occurring after birth) play the main role in the emergence of homosexuality the possibility that it is the prenatal pre-programmed feature of the character is not denied. The general opinion on the causes of homo- or heterosexuality does not exist. When discussing some of the most well-known hypotheses, it is almost always stipulated that the available data are insufficient and need further verification. Also, it can not be excluded that some of the possible causes of homosexuality really underlie in this deviation for a certain percentage of individuals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has deleted the word "homosexuality" from the list of diagnoses and gave an opportunity to homosexuality to be considered a normal event. WHO followed the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which removed homosexuality from its "Handbook of Diagnostic and Statistical» (DSM), that is, from the list of psychological disorders" (West).
In order to understand the actions of the APA, it is necessary to go back to the political situation 60-70s. Then, within sexual revolution the traditional values and beliefs were put under questioning. It was a time of rebellion against any authority. Young people did not want to believe "specialists and experts" (West). Mostly feelings, subjective experiences, and personal emotions were taken into account. "You are what you feel" was the main slogan as well as "if you do not give release to your feelings, you betray yourself and will get sick." In this atmosphere, a group of American homosexuals launched a political campaign for the recognition of homosexuality as a normal alternative lifestyle. "I am gay and happy with it” was the main slogan. In fact, they managed to win the committee involved in the revision of "Diagnostic and Statistical handbook" by APA. In a brief hearing that preceded the decision, the orthodox-minded psychiatrists were accused of "Freudian bias". APA voted in favor of the recognition of homosexuality a normal event.
Psychoanalysis emerged in Western culture on secular grounds and is based on the Judeo-Christian notion of "normal" and "abnormal" behavior. In some way, psychoanalysts would like to be free from the concept of "morality". However, they classified morally unacceptable and socially undesirable behaviors such as homosexuality as "disease" or "moral defects”. During the sexual and cultural revolution of the 60s certain politically active groups loudly declared that homosexuality is no longer undesirable, but rather an appropriate form of behavior and that not a single person has been "sick", but rather a society should be considered "sick". Then, in relation to all these events psychoanalytic concept of "disease" has become uncertain.
Until the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases, homosexuality was considered a disease, and then after that became a variant of the norm. It was not made due to political, relig...