Week 9 - Sexual Orientation and Sexuality Flashcards
(49 cards)
Sexuality
Capacity for sexual responses and experiences.
Sexual Orientation: Psychological Phenomenon
Individual’s mental state
Sexual Orientation: Behavioural Component
Sexual feelings and experiences
Five Dimensions of Sexual Orientation
- Sexual attraction
- Sexual behaviour
- Personal identity
- Romantic relationships
- Community membership
Three Primary Dimensions of Sexual Orientation
- Identity
- Motivation
- Behaviour
How has time and culture impacted sexuality and sexual orientation?
Prior to mid 1800s, people enacted all types of sexuality, but didn’t make it a part of their identity.
After 1860s, people changes in their ideas about sexuality.
Assumptions about sexuality varied based on culture.
When was the term “sexual orientation” developed?
In Western medical and scientific fields in the 19th century to label sexuality.
What are some issues LGBTQ+ individuals of colour face?
Face challenges expressing sexual orientation due to cultural taboos, language barriers, etc.
Can lead to familial strain and community alienation.
May seek freedom in Western spaces but POC may face discrimination in white dominated LGBTQ+ spaces.
Identity
Recognition of self as belonging to a given group. Emotional significance attached to group’s membership.
People use the term “sexual identity” to describe orientation and feelings about the label.
Motivation
Feelings of desire and love. Longing for and impulse to seek proximity to a given target.
Sexual Behaviour
Anything considered an erotic act. Behaviours performed alone, with others, or with others who are not physically present (cybersex).
How is sexual orientation complex?
Inconsistency between sexual identification and sexual attraction/behaviours.
Need a better understanding of orientation that goes beyond the three category system (HGB).
There are four classes of orientation among men and five among women.
Phase Models of Sexual Identity Development
- Awareness
- Exploration
- Deepening and Commitment
- Integration and Synthesis
Phase Models of Sexual Identity Development: Awareness
Recognize a sense of difference from others in terms of sexual orientation.
Phase Models of Sexual Identity Development: Exploration
Explore same-sex feeling and erotic feelings.
Phase Models of Sexual Identity Development: Deepening and Commitment
Increasingly commit to one’s sexual identity
Phase Models of Sexual Identity Development: Integration and Synthesis
Integrate sexual identity into sense of self.
What factors can complicate sexual identity?
Religious and cultural factors.
Milestone Models of Sexual Minority Identity Development
- Awareness of same-sex attraction
- Labelling self as sexual minority individual
- First same-sex contact
- First disclosure of identity to others
Narrative Models of Sexual Identity Development
Considers how multiple sources of identity and pride interact to shape sexual identity development within a specific context.
The Heterosexual Questionnaire
Originated in 1972 by Martin Rochlin, a parody of questions originally spoken by conversion therapists designed to make heterosexuals uncomfortable.
Biological Theories of Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is moderately heritable, genes account for 14-67% of population variance in men’s sexual orientation, and 8-30% in women.
Biological Theories of Sexual Orientation: Neurohormonal Approach
Fetal exposure to sex hormones contribute to sexual orientation development.
Biological Theories of Sexual Orientation: Fraternal Birth Order Effect
A positive correlation between the amount of brothers a man has, and his likelihood of identifying as gay.
