Chapter 9 Sexual Orientation

1
Chapter 9 Sexual Orientation

• The Global Context A World View Of Laws
  Pertaining To Homosexuality
• Homosexuality and Bisexuality in the United
  States Prevalence and Explanations
• Sociological Theories Of Sexual Orientation

2
Chapter 9 Sexual Orientation

• Heterosexism, Homophobia, and Biphobia
• Discrimination Against Sexual Orientation
  Minorities  
• Strategies For Action Reducing Antigay Prejudice
  And Discrimination

3
A Global View of Laws and Social Attitudes

• In 52 countries, laws criminalizing homosexuality
  apply to both men and women.
• In 33 countries, laws criminalizing homosexuality
  apply to men only.
• In 10 countries, penalty for same-sex sexual
  behavior is death.

4
Environmental Explanations for Sexual Orientation

• We all have capacity for heterosexual,
  homosexual, or bisexual relationships.
• Availability of sexual partners and early sexual
  experiences may affect sexual orientation.
• Study compared lesbian and heterosexual women and
  found no differences in incidence of traumatic
  experiences with men.

5
Structural-Functionalist Perspective

• Homosexual relations and non-marital heterosexual
  relations, are deviant.
• They do not fulfill the family institution's
  function of producing and rearing children.
• Conflict between heterosexuals and homosexuals
  may lead to social change.

6
Conflict Perspective

• Conflicts about sexuality represent division
  between those with power and those without power.
• Trends toward acceptance of homosexuality may
  reflect the corporate world's competition over
  employees and the gay and lesbian consumer dollar.

7
Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

• Meanings of heterosexuality, homosexuality, and
  bisexuality are socially constructed.
• Once individuals are labeled as lesbian, gay, or
  bisexual, that label tends to become their master
  status.

8
Heterosexism, Homophobia, And Biphobia

• In 1999, 46 of respondents in a Gallup Poll felt
  homosexuality should not be considered an
  acceptable alternative lifestyle.
• Heterosexual women and men hold similar views
  toward lesbians, but men are more negative toward
  gay men. 

9
Bisexuality

• Often rejected by homosexuals and heterosexuals.
• Sometimes viewed as heterosexuals who are looking
  for exotic sexual experiences.
• Lesbians exhibit greater levels of biphobia than
  gay men.

10
Effects of Homophobia

• Males are hindered in their self-expression and
  intimacy in same-sex relationships.
• Youths may avoid activities that they might enjoy
  (e.g. arts for boys, athletics for girls).
• Some males engage in coercive and early sexual
  activity to prove they are not gay.

11
Sodomy Laws

• Sodomy laws once existed in all 50 states.
• 17 states still ban oral and anal sex between
  consenting adults.
• In states that criminalize sodomy, laws are
  primarily used against gay men and lesbians.

12
Hate Crimes Against Sexual Orientation Minorities

• In 1999 FBI reported 1,317 incidents of sexual
  orientation hate crimes.
• Hate crimes based on sexual orientation increased
  from 8.9 in 1991 to 16.7 in 1999.
• In 1999, 29 anti-LGBT murders were reported to
  the National Coalition of Antiviolence Programs.

13
Antigay Hate in Schools

• More than 2/3 of gay and lesbian students have
  been verbally, physically, or sexually harassed
  at school.
• Survey of 496 LGBT youth ages 12 to 19 found that
  2 out of 5 did not feel safe in school.
• More than 1/4 of gay youth drop out of school.

14
Reducing Employment Discrimination

• 1974 Minneapolis became the first municipality
  to ban antigay job discrimination.
• 1981 Wisconsin became 1st state to ban antigay
  job discrimination.
• 8 states and more than 200 local governments ban
  antigay discrimination in their public work force.