Custom Sexual Orientation research essay

Custom Sexual Orientation research essay

Most people often talk about sexual orientation, making it one of the most discussed topics in the society today. Although numerous research studies have been carried on sexual orientation, there are still numerous questions that have remained unanswered. For example, no particular research study has ever identified or established the level of social influence on the formation of sexual orientation by an individual. According to Ellen and Perrin (2008), sexual orientation is very important in determining the psychological well-being of an individual. There is a close connection between sexual orientation, gender and sex of a person. These three concepts have been found to play a major role in determination of a person’s sexuality. Shmidt (2006) believes that sex is one of the physical characteristics of an individual that determines his or her self-identity. In other words, sex is what one cannot choose while gender, on the other hand, is a thing one can define according to his or her personal perceptions. The concept of gender is also wider than that of sex, since it consists of the biological and psychological factors at the same time – it is determined not only by the sex, which was given to you by nature, but also by the influence of the society.

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Ellen and Perrin (2008) wrote that sexual orientation is governed by the definite level of appetence to the representatives of the same or of the different sex. There also exists an appetence to both sexes. Those persons, who prefer people of the same sex, are homosexual. Those, who like ones of the opposite sexes, are heterosexual, and those, who prefer both sexes, are bisexual. Some people do not feel appetence to any sexes. Such people are called asexual. However, these definitions are rather ambiguous and confusing. For instance, a bisexual person may feel more lively attraction to one sex than to another, without being absolutely heterosexual or homosexual. Similarly, a homosexual person may depress his or her homosexual propensities because he or she is aware of possibilities of disapproval and antagonism by other people (Le Vay, 2005). Some homosexuals are also getting married and bring up children with heterosexual persons so that they would disguise their sexual orientations from others. In my view, this act of avoiding the actuality relating to their sexual orientations may adversely affect the quality of their lives. Attempts to change one’s sexual orientation have been associated with development of serious psychological disorders that demean a person’s life. Thus, Stein (2008) asserts that a person may wish to come out and pronounce his or her sexual orientation, but may not choose the type of sexual orientation to have or develop.

To date, the exact cause of a person’s sexual orientation has never been determined. Numerous research studies have been carried out and an assumption that sexual orientation depends on genetic factors, influence of the society on the individual and the individual’s hormonal background has been made. In addition, the structure of the brain has been included as a determinant of sexual orientation in people. Research has approved that some of the brain zones of gay and lesbian people may be different from those of heterosexual people. On the other hand, the environment has been ruled out as a factor of influence on a person’s sexual orientation. Hence, cultural practices, traditions, beliefs and religious values do not cause development of certain types of sexual orientations, but rather may influence the process.

With this in mind, this research aims at exploring the environment surrounding person with unique sexual orientations such as homosexuals and bisexual as well as the various challenges that they face in the society. Other factors that have also been given consideration include societal stereotypes and laws relating to sexual orientations.

The Concept of Sexual Orientation. For the purposes of this research, sexual orientation will refer to the pattern of emotional or sexual attraction between two people of different sexes or of the same sex. Sexual orientation usually results from sexual preference of the individual. An individual who is sexually attracted to a person of different sex is referred to as heterosexual, while an individual who is sexually attracted to a person of the sex is referred to as homosexual. People who have erotic feelings towards both sexes are called bisexuals. Although most people are usually heterosexual, a good number of people today are homosexuals. Homosexual males are commonly referred to as gay; meanwhile homosexual females are referred to as lesbians.

Historically, the sex and gender of an individual have been be,……………………….