Sexual orientation is a pattern of attraction: emotional, romantic, sexual, or some combination of these to the opposite sex, the same sex, or both sexes (Stein 2011). These attractions are referred to as heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and asexuality (Walker 2012). Heterosexual people are romantically and physically attracted to members of the opposite sex. Heterosexual males are attracted to females, and heterosexual females are attracted to males. Heterosexuals are sometimes called “straight. ” Homosexual people are romantically and physically attracted to people of the same sex.
Females who are attracted to other females are lesbian; males who are attracted to other males are often known as gay. Bisexual people are romantically and physically attracted to members of both sexes. Asexual people have the lack of romantic or sexual attraction to others. Sexual orientation is different from other components of sex and gender, including biological sex, gender identity, and social gender role. Sexual orientation is usually conversed as if it were merely a characteristic of an individual, like biological sex, gender identity, or age (Mustanski 2003).
This viewpoint is inadequate because sexual orientation is distinct in positions of relationships with others (Walker 2012). People express their sexual orientation through behaviors with others, including actions as holding hands or kissing. Many wonder how a sexual orientation is developed. Some believe that sexual orientation is not a choice and that it is developed at conception. The individuals are unable to choose to be homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or asexual (Stein 2011). Current scientific investigation seeks to find biological explanations for a person’s sexual orientation.
Research has identified several biological factors which may be related to the development of sexual orientation including genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural factors but there are no proven scientific studies supporting any specific biological explanations for a human’s sexual orientation. Genes once were thought to be related to the development of sexual orientation. At one time, studies of twins appeared to point to a major genetic component, but problems in the experimental design have made their interpretation difficult to prove (Walker 2012).
It is unlikely, that genes control the sexual orientation of normal humans in the sense of individuals being predestined to become homosexual or heterosexual (Stein 2011). Some severe genetic abnormality can greatly affect intelligence, sexual capacity, and physical appearance and hence the entire sexual life (Gebhard 2012). The normal female has 44 autosomes plus two X-chromosomes, and the normal male has 44 autosomes plus one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome, so there are many genetic abnormalities that are possible (Walker 2012).
For example there are females with too many X-chromosomes or too few, and males with an extra female chromosome or an extra male chromosome (Gebhard 2012). The genetic makeup of a person determines his or her hormonal status. While an abnormality in any part of the endocrine system can poorly affect sexual life, the hormones most directly influencing sexuality are the androgens, produced chiefly in the testicles, and the estrogens, produced chiefly in the ovaries (Stein 2011).
The hormonal theory of sexuality says that, just as exposure to certain hormones affects fetal sex diversity, such exposure also affects the sexual orientation (Mustanski 2003). Fetal hormones may be seen as either the primary influence upon adult sexual orientation or as a co-factor interacting with genes or environmental and social conditions (Walker 2012). Henley did a study, where he examined the possibility of homosexuality due to prenatal androgen excess in rats by pre and post-natality exposing male rats to testosterone and observing their later sexual behavior and partner preference.
Overall, they found that male rats having been exposed to postnatal exogenous testosterone had reduced sexual behavior in adulthood, as well as altered partner preference (Mustanski 2003). Postnatal testosterone was shown to increase the time spent with a stimulus male and reduction in sexual behavior with a female. There was no difference in the amount of time spent with the female, making the rat likely to seek partnership in both males and females (Mustanski 2003).
The data seems to suggest that high levels of androgen during early postnatal development are likely to result in later bi-sexual preference more than a homosexual preference (Walker 2012). According to the studies the same results are likely to occur in humans, but one should consider how environmental and cultural factors would influence sexual orientation as well (Mustanski 2003). Many people wonder how one knows his or hers sexual orientation. According to current scientific understanding, the central attractions that form the foundation for sexual orientation typically emerge between middle childhood and early adolescence (Stein 2011).
The patterns of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction may arise without any prior sexual experience (Walker 2012). A person can be sexually abstinent and still know their sexual orientation. Some people know their sexual orientation for a long time before they actually pursue relationships with other people. Some people engage in sexual activity before choosing a clear label to their sexual orientation (Mustanski 2003). Sexual orientation discrimination may make it difficult for many people to be open with their sexual orientation, so claiming an identity may be a slow process. Sexual orientation discrimination takes many forms.
Numbers of surveys show that verbal harassment and abuse are nearly worldwide experiences among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people (Walker 2012). The HIV/AIDS epidemic is another area where discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people has had negative effects. Early in the pandemic, the assumption was that HIV/AIDS was a “gay disease” (Stein 2011). Gay and bisexual men have been excessively affected by this disease. The link of HIV/AIDS with gay and bisexual men and the incorrect belief that some people held that all gay and bisexual men were infected served to further defame lesbian, gay, and bisexual people (Walker 2011).
Sexual orientation may have a dictionary definition, but it is a lot more complex than just that. Scientists agree that sexual orientation is the result of a combination of many factors. The factors contribute to a person’s sexual orientation, and the factors may be different for different people. It’s likely that all the factors that result in a person’s sexual orientation are not yet completely understood. Still as of today there are many things and studies about sexual orientation that are still unknown, and unproven.
