Since the beginning of recorded history, there has been one characteristic that has remained a trademark of the human psyche: the tendency to fear and hate that which we do not understand. Nowhere is this tendency more prevalent than in the case of homosexuality. Society has labeled, persecuted, and prosecuted the homosexual throughout history, largely out of fear and ignorance. The ramifications of such unjustified actions have been overlooked and condoned by society from ancient times until present day. If we, as a species, wish to evolve to our greatest potential, then we must learn to come to terms with the things that we do not fully understand and stop persecuting fellow human beings out of our own fear and ignorance.
To begin with, I would like to propose that the labeling of homosexuality as wrong or abnormal is the first manifestation of homophobia, or, the fear of homosexuals. As true as it is to say that the vast majority of humanity is strictly heterosexual, thereby establishing heterosexuality as the norm, it would still be errant to presume that homosexuality must therefore be abnormal. When looking through the pages of human history, one must concede that incidents of homosexuality are recorded throughout.
The Old Testament of the Christian bible states that "thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22). The very fact that this is mentioned demonstrates that homosexuality was a situation that already existed. Homosexuality is a recurring theme throughout ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In fact, even in times where homosexuality was punished by torture and death, it continued to exist. In 542 A.D., the plague that had broken out in Constantinople was determined to be God’s judgement brought about by the presence of homosexuals in the city. After a meeting with church officials, Emperor Justinian decreed that they should all be killed for the salvation of the state. In spite of the number of executions that followed, homosexuality continued to exist (Boughner 2).
The point to be made here is that, for as far back as we can look, homosexuality has been a part of the human experience. Therefore, although homosexuals are a minority, in the context of a broader view of humanity one must admit that homosexuality is a normal occurrence. Following this line of logical thought, it must then be inaccurate to pronounce homosexuality as being abnormal, since we have found it to be a consistently normal occurrence.
Now we must contend with the issue of whether or not homosexuality is wrong. I believe it would be a given that if something acts in accordance with its true nature, then no matter how repulsive or offensive its actions may seem to us, it is not wrong. There are few that would not be repulsed at the sight of maggots and vultures sharing in a meal of a corpse several days old. Yet, to do so is, for them, a function of their nature. I hardly think you would find someone who would judge these life forms as being wrong for following their nature. But how does this apply to the case of the homosexual? Do they not choose their lifestyle?
Medical science would seem to indicate otherwise. Recent studies using DNA linkage analysis have shown that there may be a gene that influences male sexual orientation contained on the X chromosome (Friedman, Downey 6). Also, a deficit of a prenatal androgen has been linked to being a contributing factor in sexual orientation (Friedman, Downey 6). Last of all, there are findings of recent showing notable differences in the brain structure of gay vs. non-gay men (Friedman, Downey 6).
We also have the common sense argument for nature vs. nurture. Why would anyone in the face of contempt, fear, harassment, and social alienation, choose to be gay? Why would homosexuality continue to survive in the face of the persecution that accompanied it throughout the past if it were a chosen, rather than a predetermined, lifestyle? Logic would tell you that, given a choice, any homosexual would opt for that which is socially acceptable as opposed to that which is not. Therefore, it is my conclusion, presumptuous as it may seem, that sexual orientation is predetermined by physical chemistry. To go a step further, then, it would be reasonable to say that homosexuality is a part of their nature and when they follow their nature, irregardless of how distasteful it seems to the rest of us, they do nothing wrong.
So if homosexuality is neither wrong nor abnormal, then why do humans continue to label and treat it as such? It all goes back to the tendency to fear that which we do not know or understand. And what would be the best way to contend with this fear? Education, exposure, and open-mindedness would seem to be the obvious solution. We need to examine the facts, dispel the myths, open our minds enough to accept things that differ from our own individual tastes and values, and make a conscious decision to move forward to the next level of human accomplishment.
I feel that we are standing on the threshold of a whole new level of human evolution. The information age is opening the door to a truly global humanity for the first time in history. But it is up to us to decide to step up to the challenge, enter that door, and come together for the common good of all. The only way that we can do this successfully is to leave the baggage of social, religious, and racial bias, along with our petty differences, on the doorstep as we go through. This is why I say that in order for the human race to achieve its fullest potential, we must first stop putting so much emphasis on such trivialities as sexual orientation and moral differences.
I am quite comfortable with the fact that I am strictly heterosexual. I do not feel that I have anything to fear from, nor do I have any reason to feel threatened by, the homosexual. I neither condone nor condemn their way of life. I neither accept nor reject their orientation. But then, I neither condone nor condemn the sun and the stars. Nor do I accept or reject the earth and the sky; for I realize that regardless of my actions, they simply exist.
Works Cited
Boughner, Terry. "The Roots of Homophobia." Alta Vista. 1989. 4 pp. Online.
Internet. 12 Nov. 1997. Available: gai.com.
Friedman, Richard C., and Jennifer I. Downey. "Homosexuality." Lycos. 1994.
7 pp. Online. Internet. 12 Nov. 1997. Available: ncf.carleton.ca.
