Passage Two

1．Same sex physical sexual activity，“homosexuality，”can be historically documented．This activity is not disputed．It has been tolerated;but the meaning given to it has been culturally specific according to the individual society in which it takes place．The norm^[20]in all cultures and societies is opposite sex physical sexual activity，“heterosexuality，”marriage and procreation．The idea of a“gay identity”(two adults in a homosexual relationship)is a modern western cultural type of homosexuality．A“gay identity”also must be viewed in the social political context which gives it its name and form．

2．Furthermore it was not until near the end of the twentieth century that a“gay liberation”movement has emerged and made homosexuality a controversial issue．Most commonly seen is that reluctantly societies tolerated some adult male same-sex relations with even more acceptance of adult female same-sex relations．While they more generously approved sexual relations between men and boys with some qualifications:the practice was understood more or less as a rite of passage^[21]which must end for the man in his late twenties and for the boy in early teens．In all instances of“homosexuality”continuing on today，“homosexuality”is based on behaviors and same-sex physical sexual activity，today the emphasis is based on self-identification as being a“homosexual．”This“homosexual”today is a pattern of essentially exclusive^[22]adult samesexrelationships，thathistoricallyandculturallyspecificto postmodern^[23]western societies．

3．Today as we discuss the topic of homosexuality，we see a wide variety of expressions of it in the lives of people．So now the term“homosexualities”is often applied in the literature on this topic．When talking about types of“homosexualities”we must remember we are taking a“verb”and using it as a“noun”;using two different parts of speech to label the same idea．I want to frame the discussion this way，“who one is，a homosexual”and“what one does，homosexuality．”Also as we discuss types of“homosexualities”today we are doing so from a framework of our“postmodern generation”and“western cultural”lenses．There have become two sides in this discussion，with a moral line dividing them:a pro-gay side(those who support a homosexual identity，including individuals who accept this identity)，and those who oppose this“homosexual or gay identity”．So often objectivity has become the“baby thrown out with the bath water”^[24]．Common sense has been replaced by blind passion．This objectivity has also been lost in the scientific community．Before accepting the outcome of a scientific project，we must determine，whether the scientists have a particular political/societal agenda．Is the scientist himself accepting a“gay identity”?This present discussion，types of homosexualities is coming from a sociological framework，looking for a scientific causation may be found within my discussion about scientific studies．

4．Various authors use several terms in speaking about types of“homosexualities”．Sometimes you will see the terms facultative^[25]and obligative^[26]used describing homosexuality．The later，obligative，is considered exclusive homosexuality，a condition in which a person can only bond or pair with a person of the same sex．There is no option for bisexual or heterosexual bonding．Facultative homosexuality is a technical term for sexual orientation and sexual activity with persons of the same sex．This term does not exclude sexual relations with members of the opposite sex;it also may be referred to as bisexuality．The same-sex physical activity may be engaged in only for sexual release，power，or control，or in situations where there are no members of the opposite sex，such as in a prison．

5．Homosexuality today expressed in a gay and lesbian identity may possibly be viewed as another type of homosexuality．Just as the others are historically and culturally specific so is the modern gay and lesbian．Being a gay and lesbian is not a unitary construct^[27]that is culturally transcendent across all societies today．A gay and lesbian is a social political identity limited to modern western cultures，although this gay and lesbian identity is gradually being expressed and adopted in other parts of the world．

6．There is a wealth of^[28]cross-cultural evidence that point to the existence of numerous patterns of homosexuality varying in origins，subjective states and manifest behaviors．But the parameters^[29]of the discussion are still best framed as Who one is，a homosexual or What one does，homosexuality．The support for the latter is the strongest．

7．The reality is that this“gay identity”，a pattern of essentially exclusive male homosexuality familiar to us which has been exceedingly rare or unknown in cultures that required or expected all males to engage in homosexual activity．So I would argue this“gay identity”should be seen not as a type of homosexuality，but rather as a social movement，a political cause，a new form of gender identity，and a life-style．Therefore the psychosocial conditions of being gay today must be understood in their own place and historical time．

8．Being“gay”cannot be seen as monolithic^[30]and invariant identity label culturally valid for ancient and medieval societies．As has been repeatedly stated，historically as well as culturally the pattern was for heterosexuality，marriage，and procreation．Although there have been cases，which are exceptions to the norm，instances of adult same sex behavior are almost always tolerated，but looked down upon with disapproval．

Questions for Understanding

1．Does homosexuality meet with prejudice in human history since the norm of sexual relations is heterosexuality?

2．Since when did homosexuality become a controversial issue?

3．How does the writer of this essay define“homosexualities”?

4．What are the differences between obligative homosexuality and facultative homosexuality?

5．Why does the writer believe that being a gay and a lesbian“is not a unitary construct”?

6．How does the writer view“gay identity”?