What has caused the homosexual boom in our time?

[Abba]

Is it due to physical and/or social environmental changes? Was the sexual revolution of the 60s a factor? What exactly was the sexual revolution? Did the introduction of the pills, condoms and other birth control methods contribute to the rise of people suffering from same sex attraction? Does abortion plays a role? What about the so-called women liberation movement? Was such an abundance always there and just manifested itself? Has the internet played a role in promoting same sex attraction?

 

[Birdpreacher]

The Supreme COurt saying texas couldn’t throw them in jail.

 

[Convert_in_99]

I don’t think its all that new. Saint Paul mentions and speaks against it several times in his letters. I think it was just much more hidden. I think these people were treated as outcasts so many just did these things in secret.

Also with the Internet and media everything seems so much more prevelant because it is brought to attention much ore frequently than before there was TV and Internet.

 

[pensmama87]

You know, it’s interesting, because when I was involved in LGBT activism this was actually discussed a lot. I had one person tell me that he suspected that there was, of all things, a link between not being breastfed and being gay (apparently he had polled his gay friends and that was something most of them had in common.)

(I’m not saying I agree with that at all, after all, in Western societies for a few generations breastfeeding was actually very rare, so it’s likely that had something to do with it being common among his gay friends. He probably could have polled a bunch of straight people and been told the same thing. )

But what I find interesting is that it is talked about. They want to know why, too, and the answer that it just wasn’t acceptable and hushed up back in the day isn’t enough.

One additional thing I have noted, from “testimonials” of many gay people I’ve known personally, is that many of them experienced sexual trauma at young ages. It’s pretty well known that sexual abuse is related to sexual “acting out” at older ages, though there’s a variety of ways this happens. It’s just not particularly cool to mention it in relation to same-sex attraction.

 

[ack]

I’m guessing it was always around; just too taboo to talk about.

I’m guessing many gay men got married to women anyway back in the day, and just hoped nobody would find out.

 

[achmafooma]

In truth, you are seeing a lot more than there really is (percentage wise). What I mean by that is that, at most, the entire LGBT community makes up about 4% of the population, at least according to all of the legitimate studies I’ve seen. My anecdotal experience lines up pretty closely with that estimate.

But from the media attention – including the news, but also characters in fictional shows and films – you would think it was much more.

Most likely, the percentage of the population with same sex attraction has remained pretty stable, but we are seeing it much more today because it is now considered socially acceptable, and because people with SSA are seen as a disadvantaged group needing public support.

In other times, people with SSA would have hid that part of themselves…perhaps even marrying somebody of the opposite sex out of a perceived social obligation. I know this because I have a relative who did exactly that in the 50’s, which ended up having a great emotional cost for him, his wife, and his children .

The reason it is now considered acceptable is probably some combination of the factors you mentioned…the ‘liberalization’ of sexual norms generally, including widespread contraception [and abortion when it fails], have all played a part…because once you accept one deviation from our sexual norms as ‘a-okay,’ the others will tend to follow.

Once this all settles out, I think it will go back to being a relatively ‘fringe’ thing, since the numbers just don’t support this level of attention going forward. It is the fight (for gay marriage, and for civil unions and/or anti-discrimination laws before that) that has brought much of the attention. And now, here in the U.S. at least, the fight is pretty much over.

And once things settle out, perhaps people will stop yelling ‘BIGOT!’ at one another and at least accept that we Catholics have a coherent view of marriage and human sexuality that, even if many disagree with it, can be accepted as part of the tapestry of a diverse society. One can hope.

 

[jmcrae]

Is it due to physical and/or social environmental changes? Was the sexual revolution of the 60s a factor? What exactly was the sexual revolution? Did the introduction of the pills, condoms and other birth control methods contribute to the rise of people suffering from same sex attraction? Does abortion plays a role? What about the so-called women liberation movement? Was such an abundance always there and just manifested itself? Has the internet played a role in promoting same sex attraction?

I am just realizing in reading this thread that the vast majority of homosexuals I “know” are fictional characters on television, in movies, and in books.

One rarely encounters them in real life.

 

[1ke]

It was not taboo in ancient times, it was an entirely different dynamic. In Greek culture there were older-younger male pairings, more a relationship of power but sexual in nature. Those captured in battle were sodomized to humiliate and subjugate. However, in all cases the Greei men still married and produced children regardless of their male-male sexual encounters. Female same sex relationships were certainly not unheard of but because they held a lesser place in public life we have less written record.

Same throughout all history. Royal courts were full of male favorites, Richard the Lionheart had male sexual partners even though known as a masculine, fighting man and a romantic ideal if valor.

No matter their sexual proclivities, they had a duty to marry and produce children, and so they did in most cases. And of course society supported that choice.

The idea that the purpose of marriage was something other than the procreation of children is a wholesale new invention of the last 100 years. The idea that two people of the same sex would be in any sort of “relationship” mimicking marriage was inconceivable. Yes, that is the fruit of contraception. The purpose of marriage has been ignored.

 

[Abba]

Female same sex relationships were certainly not unheard of but because they held a lesser place in public life we have less written record.

There was Sappho and the island of Lesbo.

I liked Sappho’s poems. I still remember a line: And YOU monkey face, I loved you long after you stopped loving me.

 

[pianistclare]

I’m guessing it was always around; just too taboo to talk about.

I’m guessing many gay men got married to women anyway back in the day, and just hoped nobody would find out.

Yes.
It’s always been there. It’s getting a lot of positive press now.
Before, it was all underground.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I am just realizing in reading this thread that the vast majority of homosexuals I “know” are fictional characters on television, in movies, and in books.

One rarely encounters them in real life.

I’m not sure why but the last sentence doesn’t sit well with me. Using the phrase “real life” reminds me of the idea of the “magical gay.” Also, I know many LGBT people; maybe your quota was dispersed to others, including me. :grouphug:

 

[Abba]

The line of Sappho quoted above was addressed to her male lover.

I want to note that the Greeks are not buying the modern idea about the prevalence of homosexuality in ancient Greece nor the claim that Alexander was a homosexual. The Greeks think that the homosexuals, who are dominating the media etc… today, are attempting to rewrite history. I can’t say there is truth to that. There are some gay writers who even claim Jesus was gay - they see gays everywhere when they look back at history. The movie portraying Alexander was banned in Greece. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was also banned in Macedonia.

Yes.
It’s always been there. It’s getting a lot of positive press now.
Before, it was all underground.

So many people?

 

[ack]

I’m not sure why but the last sentence doesn’t sit well with me. Using the phrase “real life” reminds me of the idea of the “magical gay.” Also, I know many LGBT people; maybe your quota was dispersed to others, including me. :grouphug:

Same here – at least 4 of my friends/loved ones identify as gay/lesbian or obviously are oriented in this way. The 4% estimate actually seems way too low to me.

(Note that traditional Catholic settings seem to attract those with an artistic orientation or love for aesthetics. For whatever reason, gay men seem to fit in this category more than straight ones. This may be why more such individuals are in my social circles.)

 

[pianistclare]

The line of Sappho quoted above was addressed to her male lover.

I want to note that the Greeks are not buying the modern idea about the prevalence of homosexuality in ancient Greece nor the claim that Alexander was a homosexual. The Greeks think that the homosexuals, who are dominating the media etc… today, are attempting to rewrite history. I can’t say there is truth to that. There are some gay writers who even claim Jesus was gay - they see gays everywhere when they look back at history. The movie portraying Alexander was banned in Greece. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was also banned in Macedonia.

So many people?

Please try to watch how you quote people. You’ve inserted my response to something else into your post.
Thanks.

 

[Abba]

Same here – at least 4 of my friends/loved ones identify as gay/lesbian or obviously are oriented in this way. The 4% estimate actually seems way too low to me.

(Note that traditional Catholic settings seem to attract those with an artistic orientation or love for aesthetics. For whatever reason, gay men seem to fit in this category more than straight ones. This may be why more such individuals are in my social circles.)

Are you saying that you are Catholic because of the art and aesthetics?

 

[jmcrae]

I’m not sure why but the last sentence doesn’t sit well with me. Using the phrase “real life” reminds me of the idea of the “magical gay.” Also, I know many LGBT people; maybe your quota was dispersed to others, including me. :grouphug:

Perhaps, but it’s not for lack of trying on my part - I live in a “gay” neighborhood (although as far as I know, my near neighbors are all either straight or celibate) and my husband attends a church that promotes homosexual marriages. We know two people from that community who are actually homosexual, and one person from the neighborhood who is actually homosexual.

 

[ack]

Are you saying that you are Catholic because of the art and aesthetics?

Nope. I’m saying that I seem to meet more gay people in Catholic subcultures where people care more about art and aesthetics (e.g. liturgical music) in general.

One can be Catholic for the “right” reasons, but still find some subcultures more aesthetically appealing than others.

 

[jmcrae]

That’s odd to me. Everyone I know knows someone who is gay, be they a family member, friend, or coworker, etc.
Perhaps there are many homosexuals you know, but they don’t tell you and you are not aware of it. [/quqote]

If someone attends a gay church or lives in a gay neighborhood, what would cause them to pretend they were straight?

My family church has become a gay church, and I live in a gay neighborhood, yet I have only three close friends who are “out” as homosexuals.

 

[ack]

Perhaps, but it’s not for lack of trying on my part - I live in a “gay” neighborhood (although as far as I know, my near neighbors are all either straight or celibate)

It was sort of eye-opening for me when I found out how many of my neighbors who I assumed to be celibate or “roommates” actually were gay/lesbian. (I also live in a “gay” neighborhood).

If I add people from my neighborhood and university to the mix, then I know about 10 more gay people, aside from the 4 closer friends who also fit that description.

In other words, many more than 4% of my friends and acquaintances are gay, although this may be because of where I live and what churches I’ve been to. I have no reason to doubt that the 4% figure is right for the general population.

 

[katy]

If you can find it, read After the Ball. It was written in 1989 as a marketing plan to make homosexual behavior acceptable to the general public. The book is out of print and generally “lost” in public libraries. I had to scrounge in private academic libraries, but am presently reading it and taking notes since I will probably not have it available again. It even has mocked up print ads and suggestions for PSAs. The project has worked spectacularly.
Also, identifying as lesbian/gay is chic in universities, and you get lots of attention for being “brave”. It is also taught as being a wonderful thing, along with the extreme fluidity of gender. Personally, I think calling sexual identification fluid and simultaneously claiming people are “born that way” is contradictory, but I know to keep my mouth shut. Anyone who disagrees with the current narrative is automatically a hater and a bigot. The only homosexual members of my family are college graduates, and I can’t help wondering if there is some encouragement they got at a formative time in their lives.