Sexual Orientation As A Diverse Need And Its Impact On Family
Modern society is learning to adjust and accept the differences that exist in humans. One significant difference in human beings is sexual orientation. People show different levels of sexual orientation, but for a long time, society has only been forced to align itself to a single sexual orientation (Savin-Williams, 2001). The variation in sexual needs has had an impact on families and society as a whole. Some scientists believe that sexual orientation is not a choice; instead, it is a need that is driven by different factors. The focus of the paper is to evaluate the concept of sexual orientation as a diverse need in modern families.
Prevalence Of Different Sexual Orientation Needs
People have always exhibited different sexual orientations throughout history. However, in most societies, heterosexuality has always been accepted, while other patters of sexual orientation like homosexuality, bisexuality, and asexuality are not generally accepted (D’Augelli, 1994). Each of these states represents a wide variety of sexual orientation needs.
A sexual or romantic attraction that exhibited between persons of opposite genders is what is known as heterosexuality. Across the world, heterosexuality is the most common and accepted human sexual orientation that is displayed by the largest population. Sexual desires towards the opposite sex are what is referred to as ‘normal.’ Heterosexuality is accepted because of factors such as religion and biological makeup of the human body, human reproduction, and so forth. Sexual attraction towards the opposite sex has always been supported by society because it is essential to the continuity of humanity. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Homosexuality refers to the sexual or romantic attraction between persons of the same gender or sex. When people of the same sex show sexual, emotional, or/ and romantic patters to each other, it is a homosexual sexual orientation. For male individuals who express their love to each other, they are known as gay, while females are known as lesbians (Newman, & Muzzonigro, 1993). The percentage of homosexual persons is not known because it is hard to research on lesbian and gay people because they hide their sexual orientation because of discrimination or prejudice (D’Augelli, 1994). While there is a growing initiative to accept gay and lesbian people in the society in the Western, most of the African and Asian countries have not accepted this form of sexuality.
People may exhibit sexual or romantic desires for both genders, which means they are attracted to persons of their genders and those of the opposite genders. However, bisexual does not mean equal attraction to both sexes. Researchers have emphasized this form of sexual orientation to understand why a person would have a sexual or romantic attraction towards people of different sexes. The proportion of bisexual persons across the world is not known as most of these people hide their needs by preferring to express their feeling to one sex and try to suppress the feeling of the other sex to avoid prejudice or discrimination (D’Augelli, 1994). While it is now accepted in countries like the United States, it is highly condemned in most African countries and Asian countries like China.
Some people have little or no sexual attraction or desire towards people, and it is known as asexual. It is important to note that asexual is different from abstinence from sexual activity or celibacy as, in most cases, these are influenced by social, personal, or religious beliefs (D’Augelli, 1994). Asexual persons may, however, engage in sexual behavior because of reasons such as the desire to have children or to pleasure themselves or to have romantic partners.
These sexual orientations are as a result of the diverse sexual needs of people. The modern society is, however, creating initiatives to create awareness of all forms of sexual orientations as research on the issue of sexuality continue (D’Augelli, 1994). Lack of scientific knowledge has been identified as the critical reason why different sexual orientations have not been accepted in society as many people believe in traditional and religious culture.
Impact Of Sexual Orientation Needs On Family
Society has learned to accept the diversity in human sexual attraction. In modern society, different sexual orientations are now acceptable, although not across the world. People no longer fear to express their sexual desires. In the developed western worlds like the U.K and the U.S, sexual orientations that were not initially accepted, such as homosexuality has been approved by the law meaning that people can now engage and express their sexual orientations without fear. The society is being educated about the differences that exist in human beings that make them different. Each person is different, which means that everyone expresses specific sexual desires that might not conform to what is generally known or accepted.
How different sexual orientation needs have impacted Families. The difference in sexual needs has caused families to break up (Savin-Williams, 2001). Research has shown that when married persons learn of different sexual needs of their partners, especially where one partner is bisexual or homosexual, it has resulted in a breakup. Children who have a different sexual orientation from their parents are likely to be cast out of the family (Fulcher, 2014). Failure to understand the different sexual needs has resulted in the falling apart of the family.
The acceptance of other forms of sexual orientation rather than heterosexuality has impacted the continuity of the traditional family. The traditional family was made of a man and a woman who were likely to produce children. However, the acceptance of different sexual orientation needs in society impacts may hinder the continuity function of a family because it is not easy for gay and lesbians to reproduce (Tasker & Golombok, 1995). Diverse sexual orientation needs have impacted the traditional structure of the family.
According to Litzenberger and Buttenheim (1998), children from different families are now learning about various sexual orientations, making it easy for children to show their sexual orientation needs. Now, adolescents both at home and in school can show their sexual orientation without the fear of discrimination. The existence of families that are of different sexual orientations has created an example to the young people that it is possible to express diverse sexual needs without fear.
Children and parents from LBGT families have had problems in the past from learning environment where there is insufficient space and programs to accommodate them. The learning space in most learning institutions are show dominance of heteronormative setting. Such an environment silences policies, programmmes, interaction and expereinces that reflects and support children with parents that identify as LBGT (Cloughessy & Waniganayake, 2014).
Causes Of Diverse Sexual Orientation
The exact reasons for diversity in sexual orientation needs are yet to be established. However, extensive research on sexual orientation diversity has shown that psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors as the leading causes of variation in sexual orientation needs. Researchers in the matter of sexual orientation have identified that there is no single factor that led a person towards particular sexual orientation; instead, it is a combination of different factors.
The biology of the human body, such as brain structure, genes, and prenatal hormones, are some of the causes of the varying sexual orientations seen in people. Also, environmental factors like growing up in gay or lesbian families or living close to peers of a specific sexual orientation might influence the sexual needs of a person (Litzenberger, & Buttenheim, 1998).
Initiatives To Address Diverse Sexual Orientation Impact On Family
While society has always encouraged and popularized heterosexuality, other forms of sexual orientation have still been hidden and condemned. For religious persons, religion has always leaned toward heterosexuality and identifying a family (man, woman, and children) as the oldest human institution. Different cultures also have accepted heterosexuality and have popularized it while demonizing the other sexual orientations. Society has played an essential role in helping the family understand the importance of different sexual orientation needs. Various strategies have been employed to address the impact of sexual orientation needs on the family, which include society and government-driven initiatives.
Homosexuality has been demonized by society, leading to prejudice and discrimination of people who are inclined towards homosexuality. Gay has existed for long as it was accepted in the roman empire. Both lesbianism and gay are, however, not accepted in general, and people tend to hide these orientations. People are unwilling to show their love towards their gender as they will be cursed or punished in some society. However, in the past two centuries, there has been created different initiatives to create awareness and acceptability of the diverse sexual needs of people (White et al., 2016).
One of the most significant initiatives for homosexual and bisexual sexual orientation is the LBGT movement that has existed since the 1990s. LBGT are initials that stand for Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and transgender. LBGT social movements advocate for people who are aligned with different sexual orientations different from heterosexuality. LGBT advocates for society to recognize the various sexual orientations that exist and by allowing marriage equality or the liberation of gay and lesbian persons (ISTAR LEV, 2010). For example, in the 1960s and 70s, there was a gay liberation movement that urged lesbians and gay men to engage in radical direct action and to counter shame of being gay or lesbian with pride in their sexuality. In the 2000s, there have been marriage equality movements for the LBGT group, which call the society to legalize marriages of people of the same sex (Howe, 2019).
Institutions both in private and public sectors have been mobilized to create awareness and accept people of different sexual orientations. For example, LBGT movements are common in schools high schools and colleges, which require school communities to accept respect and love adolescents who are of different sexual orientations that what is different from that which is generally accepted. In the U.S and U.K, these movements have been legalized by the law and accepted in schools that allow gay and lesbian people to express their love without fear.
With the recognition of LBGT groups of people, the movement has been popularised in workplaces with employees and employers being asked to accept and respect people of different sexual orientations living in our society. LBGT groups exist in workplaces, and while in the past, it would have resulted in prejudice and discrimination and, in extreme cases, loss of a job, people these sexual orientations are now accepted in the working environment. In the U.K law, the Employment Equality regulations of 2003 and the Equality act of 2006 prohibit direct and indirect discrimination of anyone in the workplace based on their perceived or actual sexual orientation. The Equality Act of 2019 in the U.S prohibits any form of discrimination of people based on factors such as sex and sexual orientation (Limsiaco, 2019). Therefore, people are not to be discriminated in places of work based on their sexual orientation, which means that all people must be treated equally in the palaces of work despite their sexual orientation.
Early childhood professionals play a vital role in helping children who are from LBGT families. Professionals such as directors, teachers, and providers interact with children from diverse families. Professionals dealing with these children are expected to cater to children from different backgrounds. According to Cloughessy and Waniganayake (2014), studies involving EC educators and space there professionals create have shown the dominance of heteronormative practices. Much emphasis has been put on the importance of accommodating children from diverse family backgrounds.
EC educators are now creating space and programs that accommodate all types of families. For example, EC educators are required to provide space and programs that support children and parents from LBGT families. EC educators are now working closely with LBGT parents to work in developing ways to help the children from these families. EC professionals are working to create programs such as classroom family communications, welcoming environment, and a curriculum involving daily classroom activities (Cloughessy & Waniganayake, 2014). Educators can also provide learning materials that include diverse family structures such as books.
Current Research On How Family Has Been Impacted By Different Sexual Orientation
Current research on sexual orientation has shown that children are now learning about their sexual orientation earlier than parents in the past. According to Litzenberger and Buttenheim (1998), learning about the different sexual orientations has led children to pioneer change to the system both at home and in schools. Kids from gay and lesbian families are not afraid to show their sexual orientation. Modern gay and lesbian couples are now creating families with children and are demanding to be recognized as real families. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual families are now known as any other family (Fulcher, 2014). Research shows that the push by these families and initiatives such as LGBT has led to the acceptance of these families by the law. Therefore, analysis shows that the family structure and functioning of a family as it was traditionally known.
According to White and colleagues (2016), The is a reduction in the stigmatization and discrimination of gay and lesbian families. The law of equality has led to the acceptance of new families in society. The term family has now evolved, making the modern families different from what they were initially. The acceptance by the law has reduced the level of stigmatization of different sexual orientations. Gay, bisexual, and lesbian families no longer hide from because there is less fear of stigmatization.
Conclusion
Sexual orientation is a diverse need, and failure to understand has had an impact on families, including parents and children. Society has always been made up of different sexual orientations, which can be classified into heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and asexuality. The diversity has had an impact on the family unit.
It is not till in the last century that society started acknowledging the difference in the sexual needs of the community. Initiatives have been created, such as LBGT movements, and laws to create awareness about the different sexual needs. The difference in sexual needs has had an impact on the entire society, especially the family. The traditional families’ functioning and structure have changed. Different sexual orientations are now accepted in the working environment, as well as the law provides for such families. Current research shows that now families made out of different sexual orientations are acceptable in society.
References
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