Human sexuality: Sexual orientation - Research Paper Example

?Human sexuality: Sexual Orientation There are numerous characteristics, traits and biological s which categorize human beings into groups. Gender identity, for instance, is the subjective division of human beings into male, female or the mixture of these two genders. On the other hand, sexual orientation is the phenomenon which categorizes human beings as per their sexual and emotional attraction towards other genders. The sexual orientation hence categorizes a person as a heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or asexual. This paper will further analyze the factors that contribute to the differing sexual orientations that people possess and will further discuss the impact that sexual orientations have on the society. The factors that affect sexual orientation may be biological like genetic or gender nonconformity. However, the question that arises is on the genetic factor which, if true, may challenge the opponents of homosexuality and bisexuality rights in the society. If genetics play a role in the sexual orientation, then, the sexual behaviors and tendencies that people show is out of their controls and should not be opposed or challenged on the grounds of ethical and moral values. On the other hand, gender nonconformity has a strong relationship with the homosexual behaviors. Research suggests that homosexual people often reveal their gender nonconformity in the childhood then do the heterosexual people. However, it should also be noted that there are certain psychological and social issues which affects a person’s sexual orientation. The environment in which a person grows up and the people around him set examples for him to take inspiration and adopt behaviors. The social factor, however, carries much importance in this regard. The acceptability of homosexual behaviors, for instance, plays a major role in the increasing homosexual couples being found. The society’s acceptance of such people (homosexual and bisexual) and their feelings hinders their efforts to fight their feelings and live a normal heterosexual life. The effects of sexual orientations have higher consequences than we are aware of. The health consequences, for instance, are affecting the individualistic and social lives of people. The society is highly affected by the health of its members. Owing to the increasing number of homosexual and bisexual people in almost every society, it should be noted that the spread of sexual disease like HIV/AIDs has been increasing rapidly. The CDC government reports in this regard that approximately 53% of the latest HIV infections found out could be associated with the homosexual relationships (especially of the male gender) during 2006. Other disease like human Papillomavirus, Hepatitis A, B and C, Gonorrhea and many other infections are also spreading rapidly due to homo and bisexual relationships (CDC, 2011). In certain societies, sexual orientations affect the social order greatly. The main reason is the unacceptability of sexual orientations which seem unnatural or religiously violent to certain groups (majorly involving homo- and bisexual groups). Malaysian cultural, for instance, does not allow gay, lesbians and bisexual people. They do not accept their sexual interactions and do not allow marriages unlike many other societies who accept them as a separately identified sexual orientation and allow marriages between them. Christianity may also be discussed here. The Christians follow the beliefs which are presented to them through Bible mainly. The Biblical preaching does not allow for such relationships hence, the religious parties and groups stood against such practices. Similarly, Islamic countries, like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia show zero tolerance of such acts and prohibit homosexual and bisexual relationships at social and legislative levels. The opponents of gay marriages argue that same sex marriages should not be promoted and the reasons that they explain are the researches which uphold the fact that gay marriages have very high failure rates and similar drawbacks. A normal heterosexual marriage lasts for a period of approximately 20 years on an average. On the other hand, same sex marriages have a very low comparative average with the lasting period being only one and a half years. It is argued that this low success rate has nothing to do with the discrimination that gays face in the society and this fact is upheld by a research conducted in Netherlands. In this country, same sex marriages have been legalized and the research concludes that despite of this, the same sex marriages only last for one half years there on an average. They also present a study in Netherlands which shows that the same sex couples have multiple partners which range up to 8 partners annually. Not only this, same sex marriages present with more cases of violence that in heterosexual marriages. Thus it explains that gays should not be allowed to marry as these relationships do not have any definitive future and success (Dailey). Religious groups are also against same sex marriages and they present the fact that same sex marriages violate the religious values of the society. Certain sects of Christianity have permitted these marriages but the opinion is still divided. It is also prohibited in Islam (The New York Times 2010). Most of the people who oppose same sex marriages do it on the basis of their religious and moral beliefs. Same sex marriages are believed to be against the religious norms which uphold the fact that they violate the normal rule of sexual relationships of human beings and alter the normal family life that has been always followed. Christians have explained that in their religion that marriage is only valid between a man and a woman. Also religious scholars mark it to be morally wrong as well. They argue that marriage between a man and a woman has been followed since centuries and it cannot be replaced (Alliance Defense Fund; Dailey). The opponents of gay marriages also present the fact that it is through heterosexual relationships that the process of reproduction can actually take place. As the homosexuals lack the ability to produce children, it upholds the fact that it is not a natural and acceptable way of marriage. Children are considered to be the future of the world and thus a stop to reproduction is not acceptable. It is also seen that only a few of the same sex relation couples opt to adopt and then raise children. Thus they do not enjoy a normal living like other heterosexual couples. Also it is argued that the living of homosexuals does not promote a healthy upbringing of the children and does not present with a positive impact on them. The violence in the houses of the homosexuals along with the very high failure rate and the multiple numbers of partners that homosexuals have are disadvantages of the same sex couples. Such a living environment does not prove to be good for the raising of children and hence homosexual marriages and adoptions should not be allowed (Dailey). Bibliography Alliance Defense Fund. “The Homosexual Agenda: The Principal Threat to Your Religious Freedom.” Alliance Defense Fund: Defending our first liberty. Retrieved from: http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/issues/TraditionalFamily/samesexmarriage.aspx Dailey, T. J. “The Slippery Slope of Same-Sex 'Marriage.” Family Research Council. Retrieved from: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF04C51.pdf “Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships” (August 13, 2010) The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/same_sex_marriage/index.html Crooks, Robert, and Karla Baur. Our Sexuality. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth, 2011. Print. National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, . "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov). 18 Jan 2011. Web. 17 Jul 2011. . Read More