Homosexuality
Human sexuality is a complex
phenomenon, and not so neatly categorized by
the labels 'heterosexual' and 'homosexual' as
society could wish. Between the strong and
exclusive attraction of man to woman, and that of
man to man, or woman to woman, lies a whole
spectrum of sexual and emotional affinities: the
ardor, or warmth, or coolness of any human
relationship depends on the individuals within it,
and not on any of the arbitrary specifications
which might be imposed by society.
Some men want sex with
other men as a permanent part of their lives;
some are curious about male bodies, and may
experiment at some time in their lives; some feel
equally attracted to men and to women; some
men enjoy looking at other men's bodies without
desiring sexual contact; some prefer the
company of other men for leisure; some work in
an all male environment. Women also feel and do
all these things with other women. These infinite
permutations and the confusion that results from
them cannot be accommodated by society, which
needs order in which to function. Order means
ignoring varying shades of grey and
distinguishing only between black and white; it
means putting labels on things. And since society
is never stronger than when it is united against a
common evil, labeling things also means defining
society's outcasts.
Various attempts have been
made this century to 'explain' homosexuality, and
even to 'cure' it. But the question is not really why
some people are homosexual, but why our
society is heterosexual. People born into a
homosexual society generally conform to the
norm, just as do people born into a heterosexual
society. Most of us have a broad enough sexual
response to allow us to be conditioned
comfortably to either mode of behavior. The
people who feel less comfortable with the status
quo, and those who feel positive discomfort with
it are in no way unnatural; rather, it is the
restrictions that society places on them that
should be considered against nature.
One man in three has had
some form of homosexual experience resulting in
orgasm, according to the Kinsey Report,
published in 1948. Kinsey was not saying that
one man in three was homosexual; but he was
tearing off the label that branded sexuality
between men as 'abnormal'. Kinsey pointed out
that humans were not alone among animals in
engaging in same-sex activity: the assumption
that animals had sex only when reproduction
could be guaranteed was a man-made one,
designed to bolster the view that homosexuality
was 'against nature'. Of course, half a century
has elapsed since the publication of the Kinsey
Report and sexual mores have changed.
However, Kinsey's findings still represent
extremely valuable research into this area of
sexual behavior and the underlying trends are
still relevant today.
Homosexual encounters between
men usually begin in foreplay and end in orgasm,
but the pattern of lovemaking is much less rigid
than the pattern of lovemaking between men and
women tends to be, and both partners almost
always reach orgasm. Many homosexual men
consider sex with other men to be liberating
because there are no rules: it does not involve
pressure to perform or pressure to satisfy the
other person, and mutual satisfaction is effortless
because men understand each other's bodies so
well.
Men report that another advantage of sex
without obligations is that they feel they can
come straight to the point; a sexual relationship
often precedes a social friendship, and not the
other way around. Many men describe their
sexual relations with male partners as generally
more honest and straightforward, both physically
and emotionally, than their relationships with
women.
Most homosexual men derive a great
deal of physical and emotional satisfaction from
being penetrated. Hygiene should always be the
first priority in any act of anal penetration, as
disease is especially. easily transmitted in this
way. Always wear a condom. A condom on a
finger inserted into the anus can aid lubrication
as well as protect against scratches - from
fingernails and rough skin -that could lead to
infection. You should always wash thoroughly
before and after anal sex, and if you use a
vibrator for penetration, make sure that this is
washed thoroughly too, in hot soapy water with
splash of antiseptic added.
Some women rebel against the
narrowness of the status quo and become
lesbians for political reasons, feeling dissatisfied
with a male dominated society, others do so
because they find men unsatisfactory as lovers
as partners on an emotional level, and others
because they are intensely emotionally involved
with a member of their own sex and wish to
express their feelings through their sexuality.