The Cultural Development Progression of Sexual Identity
Attitudes towards sexual identity variety between decade and culture. Sexual identity refers to what sex you are attracted to, sexual behavior, or sexual orientation. In todays society, those who defy traditional views of Paleolithic cultures, believe that sexual identity is fluid and may or may not align with biological chromosomes, sexual behavior, or orientation. Those who believe in this practice are often associated with the term LGBT or the LGBT community, which includes homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender, transsexuals, asexual, and pansexual. Today, our society embraces and almost celebrates this type of self expression. However, communal acceptance was not conventional and was proscribe less than seventy years ago. There were many monumental events that lead to the acknowledgement and ratification of an individual’s right to choose their sexual identity, which include the sexual revolution, and the Stone Wall Inn riot. For many, sexuality is invariable but for some sexuality or sexual identity is convertible. In the twentieth century gender issues arose and minority groups of unconventional orientations were impoverished of social and legal rights. For many years society accused non-heterosexuals of having a psychological disorder. This lead homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender to be considered mentally unstable and their sexual orientations to be delegitimized. Since this was considered a mental disorder, many were sent to psychiatric hospitals where the endured torturous treatment. The treatment may include diversion therapy, that consist of a patent enduring visual stimulus, when they responded positively to the visuals, then an electric shock would be admitted to their genitalia. Many blamed them of destroying the traditional family and feared they would prey upon their children. Today, we know that this is not a mental disorder, and that these actions are due to a lack of knowledge and acceptance of non-traditional sexual identity. However, it would take many steps until the LGBT community would be liberated. A critical point for LGBT’s was the sexual revolution. …show more content…
This movement had it’s roots in the enlightenment era and the Victorian era. However, it was in the twentieth century, when the cultures of the ancient Judeo-Christian society subsided and the modern world changed to a more permissive society with the creation of the counterculture. This culture was filled with personal rebellion of traditional society and morality. Attitudes of this time promoted “free love” and the exploration of the body as well as the mind. The creation of the first oral contraceptive took the consequence of sex away, which increased casual sexual encounters. Mass media also played a role in changing society’s perspectives on sex. Pornography was no longer accepted only among men but now it was accepted publicly in all forms of media. Americans were acquiring relaxed morals and with the guidance of casual sex and contraceptives on the rise it …show more content…
If it wasn’t for the articulate society during the counterculture opening the doorway for psychological change, the LGBT community would still be misconstrued. In addition to the sexual revolution, without those willing to engage in controversy by demanding rights, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender, transsexuals, asexual, and pansexual would still be under prejudice coercion and hate crimes, sexual activities, and marriage between the same sex would still be legal. Due to these events, sexuality is no longer determined by X and Y chromosomes, but instead by individual
Attitudes towards sexual identity variety between decade and culture. Sexual identity refers to what sex you are attracted to, sexual behavior, or sexual orientation. In todays society, those who defy traditional views of Paleolithic cultures, believe that sexual identity is fluid and may or may not align with biological chromosomes, sexual behavior, or orientation. Those who believe in this practice are often associated with the term LGBT or the LGBT community, which includes homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender, transsexuals, asexual, and pansexual. Today, our society embraces and almost celebrates this type of self expression. However, communal acceptance was not conventional and was proscribe less than seventy years ago. There were many monumental events that lead to the acknowledgement and ratification of an individual’s right to choose their sexual identity, which include the sexual revolution, and the Stone Wall Inn riot. For many, sexuality is invariable but for some sexuality or sexual identity is convertible. In the twentieth century gender issues arose and minority groups of unconventional orientations were impoverished of social and legal rights. For many years society accused non-heterosexuals of having a psychological disorder. This lead homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender to be considered mentally unstable and their sexual orientations to be delegitimized. Since this was considered a mental disorder, many were sent to psychiatric hospitals where the endured torturous treatment. The treatment may include diversion therapy, that consist of a patent enduring visual stimulus, when they responded positively to the visuals, then an electric shock would be admitted to their genitalia. Many blamed them of destroying the traditional family and feared they would prey upon their children. Today, we know that this is not a mental disorder, and that these actions are due to a lack of knowledge and acceptance of non-traditional sexual identity. However, it would take many steps until the LGBT community would be liberated. A critical point for LGBT’s was the sexual revolution. …show more content…
This movement had it’s roots in the enlightenment era and the Victorian era. However, it was in the twentieth century, when the cultures of the ancient Judeo-Christian society subsided and the modern world changed to a more permissive society with the creation of the counterculture. This culture was filled with personal rebellion of traditional society and morality. Attitudes of this time promoted “free love” and the exploration of the body as well as the mind. The creation of the first oral contraceptive took the consequence of sex away, which increased casual sexual encounters. Mass media also played a role in changing society’s perspectives on sex. Pornography was no longer accepted only among men but now it was accepted publicly in all forms of media. Americans were acquiring relaxed morals and with the guidance of casual sex and contraceptives on the rise it …show more content…
If it wasn’t for the articulate society during the counterculture opening the doorway for psychological change, the LGBT community would still be misconstrued. In addition to the sexual revolution, without those willing to engage in controversy by demanding rights, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender, transsexuals, asexual, and pansexual would still be under prejudice coercion and hate crimes, sexual activities, and marriage between the same sex would still be legal. Due to these events, sexuality is no longer determined by X and Y chromosomes, but instead by individual