Society experiences different and dynamic challenges related to issues such as race, gender, culture, religion and socio-economic status among others. The nature of the relationships between and among different groups and the way they view and approach the differences have contributed to both positive and negative societal integration and reactions from different parties. Different regions and societies in the world, thus, have viewed and pursued the dynamic factors either from the positive sides enhancing and encouraging the variables that determine the different behaviours as well as other have reacted negatively condemning and discouraging other behaviors that touch on the different societal roles and expectations. The expectations from the different groups, therefore, have contributed greatly in the formulation of norms and behaviors in the society where the few or those with divergent views about issues touching on different subjects in the society have been viewed to be deviants. Heterosexism, for instance, has dominated most of the western world societal concerns in the contemporary times resulting in intense debates at both societal and institutional levels that include legislative bodies such as parliaments that discuss and pass laws that touch on the different subject about heterosexism such as gay and lesbians among others. However, this paper discusses why homosexuality should be transformed from the perception of a deviance to that of a normal behavior in the society.
Religion and cultural norms have played an important role in many societies that determines the expected behaviors from members of the society including societal institutions such as families, schools and community centers among others. Historical analysis of the United States among others society assert that indeed the religion and cultural norms have played a great role that has put to the society the metrics and expectations of individuals and social groups as well as social institutions behavior and expectations. The ancient societies have, consequently, believed that heterosexuality is the only normal sexual behavior that has continued to shape and determine everyday people’s lives as supported by religions and cultural norms and believes (Clinard & Meier, 2011). The purpose of heterosexuality is also defined in the religious and cultural setup that mostly is for procreation that has continued to transform generations after generations. Homosexuality, thus, has continued to be viewed as a strange behavior in the society that as elicited debates and discussions as experienced in the contemporary times in many societies that include America, Europe, Africa, middle-east as well as Asian societies among others. The subject has become more common in the societal discussions due to the rapid spread of information in the globe through the different channels of media that include mainstream as well as social media platform making the subject a global concern. The rise of the minorities movements such as same-sex rights activists and organization in the world has also contributed to the rapid rise about the discussion of homosexuality in the society including the political discussions at both the international and national levels. Laws have been formulated by the legislators that either support or oppose the changes of the status quo as far as heterosexuality is concerned and embracing of the new realities that many societies experience as part of the expanded and divergent human behavior. In the customary societies, homosexuality has been seen to be criminal, a psychological disorder and an abnormal act that has compelled many same-sex partners in relationships to keep their actions secret from friends and families as well as the entire large society (Habib, 2010). However, the status is rapidly changing as witnessed in the American society as well as other societies because of the liberties and freedom that many constitutions have encouraged that embraces diversity and views of the minority that has positively contributed to the homosexuality groups and people opening up and expressing their views and feelings about the subject openly unlike as experienced and seen in the past. A study by PEW center on the subject of homosexuality found out that homosexuality is spread out and supported by many in countries that religion plays a limited role in determining people’s lives (PEW Research Center, 2013). Such countries also have strongest economies and are rich. The countries or societies that strongly oppose homosexuality portrayed a contrasting aspect according to the PEW research on the subject of homosexuality. For example, they show a strong affiliation to religious practices that determine and control most of their lives mostly in the predominantly Muslims nations as well as the countries or societies have higher percentage of poverty as noted in many African countries. The PEW survey also noted the aspects of age and how the society’s different age groups react to the subject of homosexuality. The study found out that younger people are more tolerant and have a less harsh attitude towards homosexuals as opposed to the old age groups. The senior citizens in many societies according to the study are conservatives that grew at the times when the subject was hardly discussed or presented as experienced in the contemporary times as they viewed it as a taboo that justifies or explains why they have a stronger opposition about the subject. The younger age set has a contrasting experience where the subject is openly discussed as experienced in the current times and, thus, has more information about the subject and, consequently, is more tolerant about homosexuality when compared to the older generations. Lastly, the PEW research also found out that women are more likely to accept and tolerate homosexuals than men. In particular, the women especially those that support lesbian’s actions note that it is because of the men irresponsibility and aggressiveness that makes them support such relationships and the patriarchal societies that dominate almost every aspect that touch on the economic, political as well as social concerns as experienced in many societies.
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Their support for homosexuality and in particular lesbianism, thus, results from the continuous calls for change and reforms in the society that enhances equality and justice between and among the different genders in the society. Feminist’s activists in particular have also been on the forefront in championing for such changes in the status quo and reduce the men dominance in many aspects in the society as witnessed in the present times where international feminists institutions and activism have continued to emerge to empower the women gender and support their interests in many issues that touch on the political, economic as well as social aspects that include homosexuality or same-sex relationships. Heterosexism in the United States, for instance, is displayed in many forms and institutions that discriminate directly and indirectly against homosexuals that include gays and lesbians in the society (Meek, 2015). The ban on gays and lesbians from joining the United States military, for example, is one example that shows how heterosexism continues to be supported at the expense of other sexual orientations. Another case is pointed out in the limited or lack of anti-gay or anti-homosexual legal protection and anti-discrimination laws in the acquisition of resources such as employment, services and housing among others. Moreover, the open hostilities that homosexuals experiences and in particular lesbians and gays relationship that has resulted in violent confrontations at times. Such violent confrontations have been supported by the recent passage of laws at the state and federal levels that prohibit same-gender marriage and relationships making the law enforcement likely to intervene as a neutral entity in such confrontations. Rather, the law enforcers often have supported and sided with those against homosexuality as they are more often supported and covered by such legislative laws making life of homosexuals further difficult as witnessed in the recent past. Lastly, more than a third of the States in the US have sodomy laws that make it hard and difficult for homosexuals to operate and exist freely in the society expressing their views and positions about the subject.
However, the society needs to change the perception that they have towards homosexuality and transform its perception from being viewed as a deviant act to a normal human behavior. Such position would result in many benefits to the society that include but not limited to the following discussed aspects. First, democratic societies agree to the principle that allows the majority to have their way but also the minority to have their say. In this context, heterosexuals might be the majority in the society but the homosexuals the minority, hence they should be allowed and be seen as a minority group as other aspects that affect the society such as abortion discussion, gender equality and racial aspects are viewed in the society (Peacock, 2016). The issue related to sexism ought to be viewed from the same perception that would enhance democratic and civil ideals that include freedom, rights and diversity in issues affecting the society as a whole not only in the social aspects as noted in the heterosexual discussions but also in those aspects touching on the political and economic concerns. The positioning of homosexuals as a deviance, hence, ought to change to eliminate the hypocrisy that mature democracies and freedom experience and, thus, the society needs to change and accept the homosexuals as a normal behavior that enhances diversity and rights and freedoms of individuals and groups as opposed to a deviant act that exposes them to many negative experiences and exposure as presented in the above examples that show how heterosexism continues to dominate the society. There are many changes in the society that have been embraced in the contemporary times that enhances equal rights and freedom such as noted through affirmative action’s such as voting rights to the minority groups, gender equality in resourceful positions in the society among others that embrace diversity in the society and reduce discrimination on humanity factors such as gender, religion or race among others. Such changes have been supported by legislative laws formulated at the state and federal levels in the society. The same, hence ought to be replicated in the homosexuality case to ensure true and just democratic societies that embrace rights of all people and freedom of expression and choices as noted in other societal concerns as experienced in the recent times (Skew, Allen & Buttrick, 2015).
Secondly, when the society changes its perception about homosexuality from a deviant act to a norm, it would enhance healthy sexual acts that would promote health care goals and objectives as stated in the society. Health care is an important aspect of the society that the federal and national government strive to achieve. The present condition, for example, that sexually transmitted infection that includes HIV is a reality has made the health caregivers and departments in the society come up with measures that enhance safe and healthy sexual activities. However, when a section of the society (homosexuals) are excluded from such programs due to the hostilities that the society has for such groups making them continue acting in secrecy as experienced in many societies make the realizations of the set health goals and objectives of society difficult to achieve. When such positions are taken, the homosexual groups would openly and actively play a positive part that would help the healthcare institutions realize its set targets and objectives related to health by embracing safety measures and acts (Cook, 2017). It would also lead to more people (homosexuals) opening up and embracing the health care strategies deployed in societies as they would be free due to the changed society views and perceptions about homosexuals.
Thirdly, by accepting to change the status quo, it would make it easy for many behavioral psychologist and sociologists that study human behavior to study the possible reason and factors that might contribute to the norm from the heterosexual activities as witnessed in the homosexuals. The subject of homosexuals, for instance, in the recent time that is has dominated societal concerns and debates have also attracted equal measures and interests from researchers and scholars about the subject. It has, thus, attracted intense research processes and initiatives mostly form biologists, psychologists and sociologists among other interested parties that have ventured in different aspects that might contribute to such acts. Thus, when society changes its perception of homosexuality as a norm and not a deviant behavior, it would make more people that subscribe to the groups in the society to actively participate in such scholarly and research adventures that would lead to deeper revelations, findings and reasons that contribute to such acts (Stratmoen et al., 2015). Many scholars have hypothesized and come up with different reason that possibly contributes to homosexual behaviors that include but not limited to bad parenting styles such as abusive parenting, environmental factors that include the surrounding environment that children are brought up while others scholars have also related such acts to genetics and biological explanations among others. However, all the hypothesized factors related to homosexual have proved difficult to prove because of the placement of homosexual acts as a deviant behavior by many societies. Such positions have made the homosexuals limit their participation in such studies seen in incidences where their identities are concealed. The societal position, hence, contributes to the difficulties that scholars and researchers studying the subject experience difficulties in coming up with true concerns and variables that contribute to the unique positions and statements about the issue of homosexuality. Changing such positions, thus, would positively contribute to the positive enrichment of scholarly and scientific knowledge related not only to homosexual’s behavior but also human behaviors as a whole.
Fourthly, the heterosexuals are not affected in any way by the homosexuals and those that show or choose different sexual believes. In the present world, people mind their own businesses and, thus, the role and responsibility that the heterosexuals want to take to perfect the world in terms of sexism and the related subject is unacceptable and has to be changed by first changing the status quo in terms of perception of homosexuals as a deviant act. Homosexuals do not interrupt in any way with the beliefs and acts of the heterosexuals and they leave them alone to mind and do their own business and the same needs to be replicated by the heterosexuals towards the homosexuals. There are many examples where heterosexual’s acts are equally contravened and discouraged in many societies that include issues such as prostitution and polygamy among others that indicate that equally even in the heterosexism it has its own challenges and acts considered to be deviance acts (Layton, 2016). Hence, the harsh positions that homosexuals experience in the society resulting in overt and covert discrimination should be discouraged and changed through acceptance of the heterosexism as an additional option and diversity of humanity that enhances freedom of choice, justice and equal rights in the society as noted in other societal concerns different from sexism.
In conclusion, the society needs to encourage the change of behaviors and attitudes towards homosexuals and see their actions as a norm rather than as noted in many places presently as a deviant act. Times have changed where society has to embrace diversity, freedom, justice and equal rights and, thus, eliminate the barriers that institutions and the society at large have put up on people that express a minority view and opinion on issues that touch on both the political, economic as well as the social aspects. Such change to the status quo presents more benefits to the society that helps it address issues objectively related to legal aspects, equal rights, freedoms and justice as noted in democratic and just societies.
References
Clinard, M. B., & Meier, R. F. (2011). Sociology of deviant behavior . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Cook, B. (2017). What Do We Know Of God's Will For His Lgbt Children?: An Examination Of The Lds Church's Position On Homosexuality. Dialogue: A Journal Of Mormon Thought , 50(2), 1-52.
Habib, S. (2010). Islam and homosexuality . Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.
Layton, L. (2016). On Moralism and Ethics: Associations to Henry Abelove’s “Freud, Male Homosexuality, and the Americans”. Studies in Gender & Sexuality , 17(2), 95-101. doi:10.1080/15240657.2016.1172924
Meek, J. (2015). Queer voices in post-war Scotland: Male homosexuality, religion and society. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan
Peacock, K. W. (2016). Race, the Homosexual, and the Mattachine Society of Washington, 1961-1970. Journal of the History of Sexuality , 25(2), 267-296. doi:10.7560/JHS25203
PEW Research Center (2013). “The Global Divide on Homosexuality. Greater Acceptance in More Secular and Affluent Countries.” PEWGLOBAL.ORG , June 4. Retrieved from http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/
Skew, E., Allen, O. W., & Buttrick, D. (2015). Beyond heterosexism in the pulpit . Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books
Stratmoen, E., Hancock, T., Mather, R., Cassel, D., & University of Central Oklahoma. (2015). Effects of gender norms & heterosexism on adoptions & disgust . Edmond, Oklahoma: University of Central Oklahoma
