While travelling back to my institute after meeting a ‘sexologist’, there were conflicts going on in my mind. For the open and direct encounter, I made ‘pen and paper’ my battle field, and while critically answering the above question that was striking my mind again and again, I ended upon writing this article.
Just few hours prior to this incident, I had a Q&A session with the ‘sexologist’. After discussing about masturbation and heterosexuality, the discussion came on the topic of homosexuality. Before moving ahead, let us get introduced to homosexuality.
The word homosexuality is applied both to the practice of engaging in a sexual act in which both persons are of the same sex, and to the psychological arousal that motivates a person to desire such act. (Ellis, Albert | Ellis, Abarbanel 1961)
There are two main reasons why people are homosexual. (Ellis, Albert 1965, 1976)
1. Biological reason: Due to some biological factors, person has a tendency to get attracted towards a person of the same sex.
2. Conditional reason: If any medium is not available to fulfill sexual desires, person goes with homosexual medium. Examples of this can be found in places like jails.
In the earlier days, homosexuality was considered as a mental disorder in all the cases. Later, after considerale research, it got validated that it’s not a mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1973). Only few cases of disturbed behavior are subject to psychological intervention, but not all (Ellis, Albert 1976).
After reading the above mentioned things, many of you might be wondering that how homosexuality is not a disorder/‘wrong’ thing! Actually, it goes like this-
Let’s consider a situation. If a person ‘x’ has two options to have sex with- 1.X1(of same sex) 2.Y1 (of opposite sex). If a person chose option 2, it is his/her preference to have heterosexual relations.
In the similar way, if the person chose choice 1, it is also his/her preference to have homosexual relations. Nothing more than this! Homosexual relations do not cause any physical/mental health effects nor they cause any other kind of harm, so there is nothing ‘wrong’ in them! It’s a matter of choice, yes, only of choice!
Let us now try to see why our society/culture opposes homosexuality and answer to their views.
Claim 1: It is ‘unnatural’ sexual behavior.
Answer: Instead of going into the debate about the correct definition of the word ‘natural’, let’s consider both of the definitions.
If we define natural as an act which can be done in this nature, homosexuality in no way seem to be unnatural because when we do it, we do it naturally.
If we define natural as the thing which helps nature to survive, then at first we need to investigate whether the incorrect notion that natural is ‘good’ and unnatural is ‘bad’ is rooted in our mind. Let’s consider an example-By above definition, cutting the tree before dying would be unnatural. If cutting the tree (let’s say for example-cutting tree in the island when you need heat to survive) is of human interest, beneficial for human, helping them for their welfare and increasing their satisfaction in the long run, then in no way this ‘unnatural’ act seems to be bad, rather it is damn good!
In the same way, if the homosexuality is of human interest, increasing human satisfaction, helping to live happy and fulfilling life then even if it is ‘unnatural’, it is a ‘good’ and humanistic act.
Claim 2: Human race would die because of homosexuality.
Answer: First of all, it seems highly improbable that every single human will engage in the homosexuality. But even if this will happen, those who wish to give birth to children can do so by using artificial insemination methods like test-tube baby etc.
The argument that human must go on procreating is absolutist and not provable. Even if every person engage in homosexuality and no one would like to have child (which is nearly impossible), then also it would be the human choice. If human race is going to die, we will still have to demonstrate that why it must not be so or why human race has to continue to exist. If this is going to happen, there is hardly any reason to say that it must not be so.
When I had the conversation with the sexologist on homosexuality, I was surprised by his views. An excerpt of our conversation is as follows:
I: Sir, what is your opinion about homosexuality? Do you consider it as a disorder under all conditions?
S(Sexologist): Definitelly, it is a disorder. I have seen many patients having the same problem. Two months ago, a man came to me and said that he feels like kissing other men, then I treated him and he is okay now.
I: Sir, as I have studied, there are two reasons behind homosexuality 1.Biological factors and 2.Conditions around. Have I studied the right things?
S: Yes, they are right.
I: Then my question is- if a person ‘x’ has two options to have sex with- 1.X1(of same sex) 2.Y1 (of opposite sex). And x prefers to have sexual relations with X1, what is incorrect in it?
S: What would be your choice?
I: I would prefer Y1, but again, this is my choice! What about the x having choice X1?
S: No. It is wrong choice.
I: But sir what is wrong in it? Do X/X1 will have any physical/mental health effects?
S: No. There won’t be any harm.
I: Sir, could you please elaborate what is wrong in that?
S: What does our society/culture say? Does it encourage homosexuality? No, it does not. That’s why it is wrong.
I: So you are saying that since our culture is saying, homosexuality is a disorder and a wrong thing!
S: Yes, exactly!
When I heard about this ‘culture’ reasoning from him, I was appalled. What the hell is this? If a person is well known for his knowledge in human sexuallity and still he/she can’t see towards sexuality objectively, neutrally and looks at it having preconceived notions of society and culture, should we call him/her sexologist? Alas, the answer is- NO!
As we have seen earlier, the reasons why society/culture is opposing homosexuality have no evidences to back them up. Also, it is incorrect to believe on anything blindly. Let’s consider an analogical example- if it is the fact that 2+2=4, and suppose there is one particular society (with the same number system) which is saying that 2+2=3. Then a person is saying that since culture and society is saying 2+2=3, the answer is 3. Will it be fair to call that person a Mathematician (one who is expert in Mathematics)? Definitely, the answer is NO.
As Russian Physiologist Ivan Pavlov has said in his ‘A Letter to Youth’ – “No matter how perfect a bird’s wing may be it could never make the bird air-borne without the support of the air. Facts are the air of the scientist.” If a person is denying the facts, then he/she can not be the student of the stream he/she is belonging to!
The main motive behind writing this article is to make you think on this important aspect. So what is your opinion, Are They ‘Sexologists’?
References:
Ellis Albert, Abarbanel Albert 1961. ‘The Encyclopedia of Sexual Behavior’ volume -1. Hawthorn Books Inc. New York, USA.
Ellis, Albert 1976 ‘Sex and the Liberated Man’ Carol Publishing Group, USA. (Clarified views from the previous book- Homosexuality: Its causes and cure)
Ellis, Albert 2003. ‘Sex Without Guilt: In the 21st Century’. Barricade books Inc., New Jersey, USA.
Pavlov, I. 1936. Bequest of Pavlov to the academic youth of his country. Science, Vol. 85, No. 2155 (April 17), p. 369.
Recent article of American Psychiatric Association on their view on homosexuality can be accessed here: http://www.psychiatry.org/file%20library/learn/archives/position-2013-homosexuality.pdf
Very well written Prasannajeet. Any ‘sexologist’ who is unable to view sexual preferences objectively is a quack at best.