Sexual Fluidity - Literature review Example

Sexual orientation is in fact an attribute of living creatures covering the entire fauna in the world. Human beings exhibit psychological affinity for males or females or both or to opposite genders or even neither of the two. “Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes.” (Sexuality, 2009, para.2). Sexual orientation is explained as an individual’s intellect of uniqueness supported by those desirability, connected appeal, and relationship in a society of other people as well of same aspiration. The investigation through the matter of sexual orientation voyages through the physical, health and psychological aspects of the sexual orientation in males and females. Sexual orientation is bliss from God attracting various genders managed by various factors be explored through this paper. The sexual orientation of an individual can be homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual which is always subjective to genes, hormones, status of psyche or other communal factors. “There is a long-standing debate on the role of genetic factors influencing homosexuality because the presence of these factors contradicts the Darwinian prediction according to which natural selection should progressively eliminate the factors that reduce individual fecundity and fitness.” (Iemmola & Camperio-Ciani, 2008, para.1). The genetic step but cannot be modified but are passed from the parents to their children. The distinctions in the male and female sexual orientation have been the eager region of psychological learning. It is made clear that “the male model of sexual orientation has been rejected in women.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). That implies the truth of the differences in the sexual orientation of male and female. “The challenge of sexual orientation in women and understanding how biological influences function in women remains to be adequately addressed.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). These were the proclamations of Brian Mustanski and his colleagues who were psychologists investigating on the facts of sexual orientation. The surveying made effectively can only identify the truth hidden behind the sexual behavior in humans. “Sexual thought, behavior, and development are governed by a range of interactions between biological and social processes that can be exceedingly hard to disentangle.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). The qualities of society and attitude has been inclined the investigation on the sexual orientation of males and females. The sexual orientation scrutiny leads to the fact that even the societal and philosophical issues are also equally powerful. The analysis on the male and female sexual orientation leads to various conclusions with respect to the maternal line. The male homosexuals have predictors for their survival. The major factor in the influence of the homosexuals in men was identified as the genes; “data were discussed in relation to possible population-related factors in evolutionary explanations for human male homosexuality.” (Rahman, et al., 2008, para.1). If homosexuals were present previously in the maternal relationship, there will be a chance for the birth of another homosexual. The second prediction can be done by “the number of older brothers of homosexuals, suggesting a possible maternal immunization effect.” (Camperio-Ciani, et al., 2004). A boy with many elder brothers can be predicted to be as a homosexual who shows resistance from the maternal line. The case of females is also influenced by the maternal lines. The existence of fecundity and maternal history are interlinked as well. “A significant increase in fecundity in the females related to the homosexual probands from the maternal line but not in those related from the paternal one.” (Iemmola & Camperio-Ciani, 2008, para.1). Thus explains the presence of genetic traits of homosexuality from the maternal lines with the history of homosexuals. Also least prediction can be done in the case of the heterosexual maternal lines. The fecundity can be examined to obtain the fact of their companionability with various biological factors. Lisa M Diamond describes the facts on the sexual orientation in females as something which is ever changing and the factors like “love and desire are not rigidly heterosexual or homosexual but fluid, changing” (Diamond, 2008, para.1) prone to the environment and circumstances prevailing in the society, house, other relationships etc. Thus the degree of fecundity may vary from person to person with respect to those factors. Again becomes clear on the effect of genetic traits on the homosexuality or heterosexuality in humans. The surveying and intense studies put the lights on the conclusion that there exists “a sexually antagonistic inheritance partly linked to the X-chromosome that promotes fecundity in females and a homosexual sexual orientation in males.” (Iemmola & Camperio-Ciani, 2008, para.1). To be specific for the fact of the non effectiveness of the paternal line compared the maternal one. The coexistence of the mother with her children, both male and female, has great work to do with the sexual orientation of the child. The exposure to the parental sexual orientation do influences the children in developing their own orientation. That is, instead of having a genetic touch direct observance can deeply affect the sexual orientation of a child in future. “In many societies, such as in northern Italy, mothers spend a lot of time with children of both sexes, especially during the early years, which are critical for the development of sexual identity and orientation.” (Camperio-Ciani, et al., 2004, p.2220). says Bailey & Zucker. Accordingly, it becomes understandable regarding the truth that the maternal traditions as well assist in the nurturing of behavioral qualities of the kids. The expansion of the sexual instincts in future depends equally on the genetic and cultural aspects of the maternal line to which the child is exposed to. The words of Cavalli-Sforza & Feldman explain, “one may also speculate about co-evolution between genes and culture.” (Camperio-Ciani, et al., 2004, p.2220). “Scientific inquiry into the nature and development of same-sex sexuality continues to be one of the most fascinating areas of sexuality research. It is also one of the most controversial.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). This explains the fact that the same sex sexuality is being the center of discussion nowadays with much hot discussions of varied views. The maternal links through the genes and culture which is identified as the major traits resulting in the raising of sexual behavior and orientation is only a very small digging out of the vast unknown sea of nature of human sexuality. The further investigations on the matter identify the influence of social, behavioral, developmental interactions of person during his period of growth. “Sexual thought, behavior, and development are governed by a range of interactions between biological and social processes that can be exceedingly hard to disentangle.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). The environment in which an individual is grown often influences the cultivation of sexual orientation within the individual. The genders have much to do with the sexual orientation of a person. The scientists have different opinions related to the genetic influence but the in case of gender influence they unite with the same view; “they do agree on one thing: the developmental pathways that operate for men are probably different from those that operate for women.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). Investigations carried out by various psychologists lead to development of varied conclusions on the dependence of sexuality on gender in human beings. Janet Hyde is a psychologist who investigated on the matter of the same-sex sexuality who “concluded in her review of genetic research on sexual orientation that female same-sex sexuality was “under theorized” and probably required an altogether separate explanatory model.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). She identifies that the gender has influence on the matter as prominent as the other factors of influence. The same-sex sexuality investigatory results are very less reported for the females compared to the males. During the earlier period of investigations on the matter, both males and females were considered together. But the later stages show that studies were concentrated on the males alone. This resulted in the fact that was concluded by Janet Hyde. Thus female sexual orientation remains uninvestigated and unveiled. The overall investigations show the influence of social and cultural set up along with various biological experiences contribute to the sexual orientation of both the genders. “Feminist social constructionists have called particular attention to the political context of our experiences of sexuality.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). The personal experience of the females adds to the development of sexual behaviors in females. “Over the course of history, societies have consistently constrained and controlled female sexuality by restricting not only women’s sexual behaviors but also their thoughts and feelings.” (Diamond, 2008, p.17). These male innovations in the world overruling the females have been identified by the feminists and they even explain that to be another factor influencing the female orientation. The female sexual orientation has less investigated but the studies as far as carried out establish various influences on it. “Girls internalize cultural and social factors, which then shape their experiences of sexuality at a deep level.” (Diamond, 2008). Thus to be clear, the feminists define the negative as well as positive influence of various factors. The voyage is conducted to explore the complete aspects of societal, communal, natural, inheritance etc. of both genders. “Scientific research is a fundamentally social practice that relies on the same cultural preconceptions that govern general society.” (Diamond, 2008). So the investigations on the sexual orientation are in fact a systematic exploration. Each research has its own winding up statement resulting from a range of clarifications. The scientific research on the sexual orientation in males and females can be concluded with the fact that the sexual orientation is influenced by the genetic aspects along with the psychological and societal existence. Thus to be clear, the social, cultural, experience, genetic and gender factors with the early days contact to the maternal behavior all add to the sexual orientation of a person. Reference List Camperio-Ciani, A., et al. (2004). Evidence for maternally inherited factors favoring male homosexuality and promoting female fecundity. The Royal Society. P. 2220. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://borngay.procon.org/sourcefiles/camperio.pdf Camperio-Ciani, A., et al. (2004). Evidence for maternally inherited factors favoring male homosexuality and promoting female fecundity. The Royal Society. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/pss/4142950 Diamond, L M. (2008). Sexual fluidity. Harvard University Press. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/diasex.html Diamond, L M. (2008). Sexual fluidity: Understanding women’s love and desire. Harvard University Press. P.17. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://books.google.com/books?id=b7GQvVx4UuwC&lpg=PA17&ots=RMLhZgtzau&dq=gender%20differences%20in%20same-sex%20sexuality%20by%20lisa%20m.%20diamond&pg=PA17#v=onepage&q=&f=false Iemmola, F., & Camperio-Ciani, A. (2008). New evidence of genetic factors influencing sexual orientation in men: Female fecundity increase in the maternal line. BLTC. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://www.reproductive-revolution.com/femalefecundity.html Rahman, Q., et al. (2008). Maternal inheritance and familial fecundity factors in male homosexuality. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. Retrieved December 9, 2009, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/q4579x2370758366/fulltext.pdf?page=1 Sexuality. (2009). American Psychological Association. 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