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Homosexuality: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. This definition, simple in its construction, has carried the weight of centuries of debate, persecution, and scientific inquiry. The word itself is a hybrid of Greek and Latin roots, combining the Greek word for same with the Latin word for man, creating a term that was first printed in an 1868 letter by the Austrian-born novelist Karl-Maria Kertbeny. Kertbeny used this new vocabulary to argue against a Prussian anti-sodomy law, marking the beginning of a linguistic shift that would eventually redefine how society understood human desire. By 1886, the psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing had popularized the terms homosexual and heterosexual in his influential book, making them the standard language for discussing sexual orientation among both doctors and laypeople. Yet, the history of this word is fraught with clinical coldness and social stigma, leading many modern style guides to recommend against using it as a noun, preferring instead the more affirmative terms gay and lesbian.
Ancient Echoes
The earliest record of a possible homosexual couple in history dates back to 2400 BCE, featuring Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, two ancient Egyptian men portrayed in a nose-kissing position, the most intimate pose in Egyptian art, surrounded by what appear to be their heirs. This image challenges the modern assumption that same-sex relationships were always hidden or condemned in the ancient world. In ancient Greece, the formal practice of pederasty, an erotic yet often restrained relationship between a free adult male and a free adolescent, was valued for its pedagogic benefits and as a means of population control, though occasionally blamed for causing disorder. Plato, in his Symposium, had Phaedras praise its benefits while Socrates encouraged platonic relationships, yet in his later work, Laws, he proposed a prohibition of sexual relationships between men entirely, calling it unnatural. The poet Sappho, born on the island of Lesbos, wrote poetry centered on passion and love for various personages, and her name gave rise to the adjective lesbian, which was applied to female homosexuality beginning in the 19th century. In ancient Rome, the kind of homosexuality seen took the form of pederastic relationships, where older free men took on an active role and slaves or freed youths took the receptive role, with Romans seeing passivity as generally unmanly and incompatible with the warrior ethos expected of men serving the expansionist Roman state.
The Burning Stake
The condemnation of anal sex between males predates Christian belief, yet throughout the majority of Christian history, most Christian theologians and denominations have considered homosexual behavior as immoral or sinful. The turning point for many came with the Christian emperor Theodosius I, who on the 6th of August 390, decreed a law condemning passive males to be burned at the stake. This punishment was not an isolated incident; executions for sodomy continued in the Netherlands until 1803, and in England until 1835, with James Pratt and John Smith being the last Englishmen to be so hanged. In the Renaissance, wealthy cities in northern Italy, such as Florence and Venice, were renowned for their widespread practice of same-sex love, yet authorities under the aegis of the Officers of the Night court were prosecuting, fining, and imprisoning a good portion of that population. The Spanish conquerors were horrified to discover sodomy openly practiced among native peoples in the Americas, and they attempted to crush it out by subjecting the berdaches to severe penalties, including public execution, burning, and being torn to pieces by dogs. The Spanish conquerors talked extensively of sodomy among the natives to depict them as savages and hence justify their conquest and forceful conversion to Christianity, leading many native cultures to condemn homosexual acts themselves.
Who coined the word homosexuality and when was it first printed?
The Austrian-born novelist Karl-Maria Kertbeny coined the word homosexuality and first printed it in an 1868 letter. He used this new vocabulary to argue against a Prussian anti-sodomy law, marking the beginning of a linguistic shift that would eventually redefine how society understood human desire.
When did the American Psychiatric Association remove homosexuality from the DSM-II?
The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the DSM-II in 1973. This decision was made in recognition of scientific evidence that it was not a mental disorder and paved the way for a global movement towards freedom and equality for gay people.
What is the earliest record of a possible homosexual couple in history?
The earliest record of a possible homosexual couple in history dates back to 2400 BCE and features Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, two ancient Egyptian men portrayed in a nose-kissing position. This image challenges the modern assumption that same-sex relationships were always hidden or condemned in the ancient world.
Which countries impose the death penalty for homosexuality today?
Ten countries or jurisdictions, all of which are predominantly Islamic and governed according to sharia law, have imposed the death penalty for homosexuality. These include Afghanistan, Iran, Brunei, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, and several regions in Nigeria and Jubaland.
When did same-sex marriage become legal across all 50 states in the United States?
Same-sex marriage became legal across all 50 states in the United States in 2015. This expansion occurred through various state court rulings, state legislation, direct popular votes, and federal court rulings.
What biological factors influence sexual orientation according to current scientific research?
Scientists have come to favor biological causes of sexual orientation, with considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial, biological causes than social ones. The prenatal hormonal theory posits that variations in exposure to sex hormones during critical periods of early brain development play a central role in shaping sexual orientation.
Scientists have come to favor biological causes of sexual orientation, with considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial, biological causes than social ones, especially for males. There is no substantive evidence which suggests parenting or early childhood experiences play a role in developing a sexual orientation. The prenatal hormonal theory posits that variations in exposure to sex hormones, particularly androgens and estrogens, during critical periods of early brain development play a central role in shaping sexual orientation. Evidence from natural experiments in humans and animal studies have found that elevated prenatal androgens are associated with increased attraction to females, while reduced androgen signaling or increased prenatal estrogen exposure may be linked to increased attraction to males. A maternal immune hypothesis proposes that male homosexuality might arise from a biological response by a mother's immune system to a male fetus during pregnancy, where antibodies produced against male-specific antigens may cross the placenta to affect the sexual differentiation of the developing fetal brain. This process is hypothesized to underlie the fraternal birth order effect, the observation that the likelihood of a man being homosexual increases with the number of older biological brothers he has. Genes likely play some role in sexual orientation, as indicated by twin studies and molecular genetics studies, though scientists caution that many people misconstrue the meanings of genetic and environmental factors.
The Long Road to Rights
A turning point in the history of legal recognition was reached in 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the DSM-II, in recognition of scientific evidence that it was not a mental disorder. This decision paved the way for a global movement towards freedom and equality for gay people, including the introduction of anti-bullying legislation to protect gay teenagers at school and legislation ensuring non-discrimination. In 1977, Quebec became the first state-level jurisdiction in the world to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The federal Parliament of Canada enacted the Civil Marriage Act in 2005, which legalized same-sex marriage across the country, making Canada the most gay-friendly country in the world, ranked first in the Gay Travel Index chart in 2018. In the United States, same-sex marriage expanded from one state in 2004 to all 50 states in 2015, through various state court rulings, state legislation, direct popular votes, and federal court rulings. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law in October 2009, making hate crime based on sexual orientation a federal crime in the United States. Despite these advances, ten countries or jurisdictions, all of which are predominantly Islamic and governed according to sharia law, have imposed the death penalty for homosexuality, including Afghanistan, Iran, Brunei, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, and several regions in Nigeria and Jubaland.
The Cost of Silence
Gay and lesbian youth bear an increased risk of suicide, substance abuse, school problems, and isolation because of a hostile and condemning environment, verbal and physical abuse, rejection and isolation from family and peers. The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention helpline for gay youth, was established following the 1998 airing on HBO of the Academy Award winning short film Trevor. Stigma, prejudice, and discrimination stemming from negative societal attitudes toward homosexuality lead to a higher prevalence of mental health disorders among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals compared to their heterosexual peers. Evidence indicates that the liberalization of these attitudes is associated with a decrease in such mental health risks among younger sexual minority people. The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the National Association of Social Workers state that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality. There is no scientific evidence supporting claims that same-sex orientation results from family dysfunction or trauma. However, the consensus of research and clinical literature demonstrates that being gay, lesbian or bisexual is compatible with normal mental health and social adjustment, and people with same-sex orientations can and do lead fulfilling lives, forming stable, loving relationships and families.
The Global Divide
Societal acceptance of non-heterosexual orientations such as homosexuality is lowest in Asian, African and Eastern European countries, and is highest in Western Europe, Australia, and the Americas. A 2024 study found that 12.8% of the world population oppose having gay neighbors. In the Middle East, many governments often ignore, deny the existence of, or criminalize homosexuality, with same-sex intercourse officially carrying the death penalty in several Muslim nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, northern Nigeria, and Yemen. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during his 2007 speech at Columbia University, asserted that there were no gay people in Iran, though the probable reason is that they keep their sexuality a secret for fear of government sanction or rejection by their families. Israel is considered the most tolerant country in the Middle East to homosexuals, with Tel Aviv being named the gay capital of the Middle East and considered one of the most gay friendly cities in the world. In contrast, the European Union mandates that discrimination of any type based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance estimates that worldwide between 3 and 16% of men have had some form of sex with another man at least once during their lifetime, yet reliable data as to the size of the gay and lesbian population are difficult to obtain due to the reluctance of many to identify themselves as gay or bisexual.
The Future of Love
Since the end of the 20th century, there has been a global movement towards freedom and equality for gay people, including the establishment of marriage equality and the ability to serve in the military. Of the 26 countries that participate militarily in NATO, more than 20 permit openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve. Publicly gay politicians have attained numerous government posts, including Guido Westerwelle, Germany's Vice-Chancellor, and Pete Buttigieg, the United States Secretary of Transportation. The death toll wrought by the AIDS epidemic at first seemed to slow the progress of the gay rights movement, but in time it galvanized some parts of the LGBT community into community service and political action. Major American motion pictures from this period that dramatized the response of individuals and communities to the AIDS crisis include An Early Frost, Longtime Companion, And the Band Played On, Philadelphia, and Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt. The American Psychological Association and the Royal College of Psychiatrists expressed concerns that the positions espoused by organizations promoting sexual orientation change efforts are not supported by the science and create an environment in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish. The consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality per se is a normal and positive variation of human sexual orientation, and therefore not a mental disorder, and that most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation.