What's considered homosexuality? Is it different for different genders?

[wworld]

I’m asking this question because society has gained support for this disorder while more are becoming ‘homophobic’. This makes it really hard to actually find a definition in my opinion. Especially since society is focused more on male homosexuality…

Here’s an example of what I mean:

If a girl and a girl are walking side by side and one has her arm over the shoulder and around the neck of the other girl’s neck (a friendly stance), everyone would think it’s fine. But if two guys walk like that, people may think of them as gay. Does God?

Or, if two girls kiss eachother on the check as a greeting, it’s fine. But two guys doing that would be though of as homosexuals.

I’m just confused

 

[kaid100]

Someone is homosexual if they are primarily attracted to members of the same sex. Someone putting their arms around someone else doesn’t necessarily demonstrate that they are attracted to them, although generally this is something straight men don’t do with other men.

 

[stephe1987]

The word “homophobic” does not mean what most people think it means. Lobbyists and activists hijacked the meaning of the word.

A “homophobe” is not a person who thinks homosexuality is a sin. “Homophobe” is actually a psychological term that refers to people being afraid of THEIR OWN homosexual thoughts/tendencies. People need to face their problems instead of brushing them under the rug and pretending like everything is fine.

 

[PatrickSebast]

You are confusing cultural norms with morality. Jesus kissed men, it was common in his culture. A man in the modern day US could do so as well and still not be sinning, but he would be responsible for considering how his actions would reflect on him and what he stands for. In the particular case of homosexuality what matters is intent, if your actions towards another man are intended to be romantic or sexual then that is against church teaching. If such actions are simply intended to be friendly then they aren’t sinful, but that someone who does it won’t be viewed as the awkward touchy guy who makes everyone feel uncomfortable.

 

[Sarahforgiven]

Someone is homosexual if they are primarily attracted to members of the same sex. Someone putting their arms around someone else doesn’t necessarily demonstrate that they are attracted to them, although generally this is something straight men don’t do with other men.

I partially agree, there are different social norms in cultures. Guys hugging, greeting with a holy kiss on the cheek is not homosexuality. Wanting to have sexual relations & carrying out that act as a norm seems homosexual i.e. being attracted sexually to the same sex in a sensual way.
I am glad I am not in charge

 

[AHapka]

As a man I was taught that the only time it was ok for me to kiss another man was when I was telling him that, for business reasons, I had to kill him.

But seriously, that’s because of the way the culture where I am living is. Patrick said it very well.

 

[cathoichelp]

The word “homophobic” does not mean what most people think it means. Lobbyists and activists hijacked the meaning of the word.

A “homophobe” is not a person who thinks homosexuality is a sin. “Homophobe” is actually a psychological term that refers to people being afraid of THEIR OWN homosexual thoughts/tendencies. People need to face their problems instead of brushing them under the rug and pretending like everything is fine.

homophobia describes one of 4 things
1-fear or contempt for homosexuals
2-fear of being homosexual
3-fear of the fact that you are homosexual
4-fear of being perceived as a homosexual

some of these describe fear of feelings about yourself and some describe contempt for those who are homosexual.

thinking homosexuality is a sin is not homophobic. (in my personal opinion
Thinking if homosexuals marry we will soon be able to marry our dogs - the world of will crumble - and pedophiles will take over the country and start adopting children - is irrational fear and therefore homophobic -

Some people consider any religion that teaches homosexuality is a sin is homophobic because the teaching is based on fear -
None of this has anything to do with the question asked though!

Greetings are cultural and don’t make anyone homosexual.
I kiss all my friends when I say hello or good bye on the cheek its not sexual … so its not homosexual.

 

[Abu]

The disorder of homosexuality is real. Many have been cured by Fr John Harvey’s approach and that of Dr Satinover – all deserve to be treated with the same dignity as anyone else.

Homomania is a scourge among the militants that tries to enforce the disorder as normal and to expand its impact.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

Once again, this largely depends on culture. In many parts of Europe, men do walk with their arms around each others shoulders. That is not considered “homosexual” or even strange.

Homosexuality is not just preferring a person of your own sex, it is having sexual attraction primarily to persons of your own sex. Many homosexuals will “experiment” with heterosexuality, to see if they can “switch over”. This normally ends in failure, and it can cause great damage to the non-homosexual partner.

I know of several cases where straight men married women that appeared to be straight. Within 2-4 years, all of those women left their husbands to be with other women (none of them told the men before marriage). This devastated the men, to say the least.

I also know several women that married supposedly straight men. When they discovered that their husbands were actually gay, this was also devastating to them. Sadly, one of the women I know got aids from her husband.

Homosexuality can not be cured. It is not just a “choice”. It is a built in strong inclination, that care rarely be overcome successfully.

 

[Kleftiko]

Use of the term homophobic is definitely problematic, seeing as how dictionary definitions haven’t necessarily caught up with the cultural understandings of the word. Dictionary definitions tend to focus on the affective state, fear. Cultural understandings lean more towards negative attitudes, terms and concepts which reduce the humanity of those who have same-sex attractions, discrimination, and general disregard for people who affirm their status and/or act on it. It is probably silly to argue over what the word means (afterall, words rarely retain their etymological fidelity, at least in full); it is more helpful to operationalize the word using some of the qualifiers above, or others.

For instance, homophobia described as fear might lead us to the conclusion that Catholics aren’t homophobic; homophobia described as discrimination (as for marriage, or relational affirmation) may lead us to the conclusion that Catholics are homophobic. Because the Catechism is clear on due respect in all possible instances for those who have same-sex attractions, it probably isn’t fair to say that Catholicsm holds an exclusively homophobic doctrine. It would be better to say (avoiding politcally charged language) that while they are discriminatory in some sacremental respects to homosexuals, their dignity is also to be valued.

As for what a homosexual* is* probably depends a lot on what is happening (from a theological perspective) in the inner chamber. If a man kisses another on the mouth, and this happens to be the cultural norm, there is nothing necessarily homosexual about the act. Same-sex attraction, sensual desire, concomitant lust, and so forth are what create homosexuality in the Catholic purview (which I think you’re getting at when you ask “does God?”). A pantheon of other definitions, qualifying or cultural, can be given.

 

[Ignatius]

Here’s an example of what I mean:

Homoseluality is having sexual relations with someone of the same sex as yourself. The examples that you gave may be a form of seduction leading up to homosexual sex.