Breaking down closet doors

On November 4, 2008 Americans elected the first African American President in this country’s history; it was seen as a giant step forward in the fight for equality. On that same date Proposition 8 was passed by the citizens of California; they not only voted to take away the right of homosexuals in that state to be married, but they changed their state’s constitution in order to do so. To me, it is unbelievable that in today’s society people would vote to take another human’s rights away based on a stereotype and stigma that has been perpetuated by religious bigots for many years. As Harvey Milk so eloquently stated, “More people have been slaughtered in the name of religion than for any other single reason. That, my friends, that is true perversion.”

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to, and to serve in any type of government; he fought a long and exhaustive fight against the stereotypical view of homosexuals in order to prove that they deserved to be treated equally and without prejudice. In Milk’s time, he was fighting for the rights of homosexuals to be treated as humans and not as degenerates. He proposed that homosexuals that had not come out of the closet because they were afraid of repercussions from society were basically perpetuating the stigmatization of homosexuality.

It is understandable that “coming out” is a difficult task, many people who come out are setting themselves up for the possibility of rejection from the people who matter to them the most. I have to argue, however, that we need to break down these barriers once and for all in our society, and to do that we must stop running away from the painful issues that are involved. Milk said, "Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight." Homosexuals can not continue to allow the stereotypes that society has given to them to define them in a negative way. When someone’s doctor, neighbor, relative or friend comes out of the closet, it provides a new and healthier definition of what it is to be gay or lesbian, and once we start redefining the stereotypes in society we can begin the journey to equality.

Discussion Questions:

1. Has anyone that was close to you ever "come out of the closet", if yes did it change your perception of homosexuality? If no, do you think that it would change your perception?

2. Do you think that the stigmatization of homosexuals in this country can be ended? Why or why not?

3. Do you think that after some equality is attained by homosexuals that another group will acquire their negative status, in other words, do you think that Americans just need someone to hate?

Sexual Identity: Cultural Taboo's and Norms

Sexual identity is a social construct formed primarily through social and cultural factors. It is an extraordinarily complex concept which impacts and is affected by other identities within the individual. It begins to form in adolsecence due to hormonal changes and exploration of one's identity. Sexual identity encompasses many aspects of the individual including sexual orientation.
Society defines individuals as gay, straight, or bi-sexual in order to categorize and make proper judgements. It helps the collective to define what is 'right' and'wrong'. Sexual orientation is based on a continuum of 'heterosexual' and 'homosexual'. Heterosexual is the default orientation. It is considered by today's American culture to be the norm or 'right'. Homosexual is the taboo or stigimitzed label one can carry. There are various justifications society offers for the meanings implied by homosexuality. The most popular reasons are religious in nature or deal with procreation. Interestingly enough, findings show more similiarities than differences between homosexual and heterosexual couples.
Categorizing individuals in order to differeniate between what is 'right' and 'wrong' is vital to society and the protection of its members. However, this concept has been taken to extremes where everyone in every aspect must fit into a box i.e white, female, straight, middle class. Within recent decades we have begun to chip away slowly at these walls which stifle the gray area in which we live. Hopefully, one day this society will see true equality or at the very least equity.

Discussion Questions:
1. Norms and taboo's help us define what is 'right' and 'wrong'. Should society do away with these definitions to advance the equality of all? And, if we do how do we deal with pedophiles,
incest, and things of that nature?

2. Many people claim to be accepting of non-traditional lifestyles. How would you feel if someone in your immediate family came out? Would it be easier to accept if one had liberal tendancies?

3. We all have built in predjuices. Compare and contrast your feelings/thoughts towards the following
- 2 men kissing/being affectionate in public
-2 women kissing/being affectionate in public
-a man and woman kissing/being affectionate in public

"Coming out"

When considering the topic of sexuality and sexual identity, an interesting topic, that can be very difficult for many individuals to deal with, comes to mind. The process an individual goes through to “come out” or inform loved ones that they are gay or lesbian can be the most trying event of their lives. According to Eli Coleman, an individual goes through five stages to complete this process. The stages are as follows: Pre-coming out, coming out, exploration, first relationship, and lastly, integration.   The stages posit that a person will begin by suppressing the feelings of same sex attraction, become aware consciously of the feelings, become involved or interact with other gays or lesbians, develop their first homosexual relationship, and finally, allow themselves to have an integrated self-image which continues for the rest of their lives.

  It is interesting to consider the biggest influence on why a person is hesitant to “come out.” I believe that most of the time it has to do with feeling of shame or embarrassment or worries about what their family members will think once they inform them.  However, I think the biggest reason why some people are hesitant is because of media and societal pressures.  Society can place a stigma on individuals who are homosexual that can be very negative. The pop culture phrase “You’re being gay” said by many adolescents, does not even mean a person is being homosexual, the phrase means that the person is doing something unfavorable. Though it is not legal, many employers can engage in harassment towards individuals who are homosexual simply based on their own prejudices.  The media has portrayed homosexuality negatively for many years, only recently is the stigma starting to lift. However, it hasn’t been lifted enough where homosexuals and heterosexuals are thought of as equals. There are magazines where they heavily stereotype homosexuals, movies, television shows, and so on.  With these influences so large, it is no wonder why individuals are hesitant to “come out.”

Discussion Questions:

1.       Are the five stages that Coleman posits a person goes through to “come out” plausible? Why or Why not?

2.       Do you believe that societal pressures and media are the biggest influence on a person? Why or Why not?

3.       How do you feel about the controversial issue of homosexuality being apparent at birth, or something that develops over time?  

Sexual Orientation: Genetics or Socialization

It is hard to believe that less than 50 years ago being a homosexual was classified as a serious mental illness as to which people suffered endlessly in the search for its cure. And although today that is not the case, there is still a lot of controversy about what makes someone become gay. This has lead to a wide variety of theories, some more creditable than others, but all surrounding the belief that there is something that makes a person gay.
Some scientists and researchers believe that there is such a thing as a "gay gene" present in a homosexuals DNA. Others have come out saying that it has to do with the hormone levels that an infant is exposed to in the womb. There are even those that believe that you can tell the sexual orientation of a person by the time they are six years old. (That is crazy).
I say, why can't we just call it natural. All throughout the animal kingdom there is documented homosexual behavior. Giraffes, lions, swans, and even the mighty bison all have been captured having intimate homosexual moments. Even mammals that we consider to be smarter and more like us, such as dolphins and monkeys, have displayed attraction and affection for those of their own sex. It is natural for males to be attracted to females because that is how our species survives. Why therefore, could it not be just as natural for two members of the same sex to be attracted to each other as natures way of helping to balance and maintain the population? Society has seemed to deem homosexuality as unnatural not nature. A persons sexual orientation is only one facet in a persons identity and does not make up who they are, therefore it should not define them but be one characteristic to describe them.

Questions:
1. What do you think about some of the theories that are associated with homosexuality?

2. What are the two most important factors that help a person in developing their sexual orientation?

A Helpful Reading

Adolescence, Sexual Orientation & IdentityAn Overview

Click the link to visit the reading.

Exam - Spring 2009

Sociology of Life Cycles
Exam -- Spring 2009
Due Date: Friday, March 20, 2009 @ 2:15 pm via email
ramatthews@edinboro.edu

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer 3 of the 5 questions.
2. Format: 1” margins -- Arial Font -- 11 pt
3. Create a header in the upper right corner header with your last name & first initial. Underneath it (one space down) place the page number. Underneath that, place your email address. The font size for the header should be 8 pt.
4. Place the question above each response.
5. Use in text citations & include your references at the end of each response.

GUIDELINES
* Answer three (3) of the five (5) questions.
* Use a theoretical perspective in each response.
* Use the readings, and reference, at least, one in each response.
* Please feel free to discuss these questions with each other. It is the best way to understand the subject matter. However, do not write your answers together, as this increases the likelihood that you will unintentionally plagiarize each others’ work.
* Type your responses! And place the questions above your responses.
* I will not accept hard copy exams. Turn it in, in, via email, by Friday, March 20th, at 2:15 pm.
* I will not answer questions regarding your responses once I have handed out the exam. You may, however, ask for clarification.
* Do not ask questions in your responses. Answer them. Remember, you are the expert here.
* Don’t bullshit me. I really hate it. If you don’t know the answer, move on to another one.

1. The sociological perspective allows us to view social interactions from a broader perspective than other social sciences generally allow. Choose a social interaction, such as dating, teen pregnancy, or societal responses to media, and using one of the major theoretical perspectives analyze it. Make sure to address socio-cultural factors inherent in the social interaction that you choose.

2. Stephen Hunt, in the chapter titled “Theoretical Accounts of the Life Course,” discusses three major approaches to the examining the life course; biological, psychological and social. Clausen, in the chapter titled, “Theories and Themes of the Life Course” addresses the same perspectives. Additionally, one of the models that informs these approaches is “timing of events.” Using an intersection of the approaches to studying the life course and the timing of events model, state, analyze and discuss the new social responses to dealing with children reaching puberty at much earlier ages than at any time during modern history.

3. Thoroughly discuss least one major theme/perspective of life cycles (and no more than two). In your response discuss at least one demonstration of the theme or perspective.

4. In U.S. society, when confronted with what is generally considered to be poor parenting, the following remark is often made “You have to get a license to drive, but any idiot can have a baby.” This statement references the ubiquitous presence of sex in our society as well as the expectation that people actually become parents & use their “parental instincts” and “common sense” to rear their children. In sociology it is understood that neither of these concepts actually exist in the real world. Given these social facts, thoroughly discuss the juxtaposition of ideal expectations of parenthood and the social realities that parenthood often brings. Be sure to include at least one theorist’s discussion of the impact of social interaction on the development of identity.

5. Given the role of popular culture in the construction of gender, as a primary role in an individual’s development, discuss the sociological impact that media has on the formation of gender roles. Be sure to include a discussion of stratification and the relative imbalances of power that are inherent in the formation of gender roles.