Huanqi Wu Jacqueline Brady ENG 107 3/6/2013 Homosexuality As we know, homosexuality is an uncomfortable and controversial topic in many conservative

cultures. So what is homosexuality? The American Psychological Association (APA) defines that homosexuality as a sexual orientation, where there is an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual or affectional attraction to another person of the same sex as oneself (Sherblom 87). It means that men and women who fall in love with their own sex and it is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual activity between members of the same sex or gender. A common slang term for a man who is homosexual is gay; a woman who is homosexual is lesbian. Next, it is important to discuss heterosexuality. Obviously a heterosexual person is somebody that pursues love with the opposite sex. Compared to homosexuality most people are heterosexuality. It is the most common and gender role in Asian society. In addition, there are bisexual and transsexual people. Bisexual means that the person who will love the same sex and the opposite sex. Transsexual refers to the original male or female that according to the sex change operation changed their sex. In the journal, The German Invention Of Homosexuality, Beachy said that Johann Ludwig, who studies Berlins sexual deviant in the 1850s and 1860s, described same-sex love was often a natural, inborn characteristic and not merely

the perversion of a normal sexual tendency (Beachy 811). Many people will be confused about the homosexual tendencies and homosexual behavior. Homosexual tendencies are enduring and not modifiable. Sometimes people think that many people in religious faiths and armies are homosexuality, but when they leave armies and religious faiths, they are straight. Because they are in a given environment, they have few chances to meet the opposite sex, so they have to have sex with the same gender. In all ages, from ancient to modern times, there are so many homosexual people. During the Warring States period in China, there was a very famous gay, named Long Yang Jun. he is the boy of Weis noble. Long yang Jun is the first recorded gay in Chinese history and the addiction of Long Yang has become synonymous with homosexuality. Now, the British newspaper Independent, every year select 101 of the famous gays in Great Britain. This year, Sir Ian McKellen is their number one choice. In 1998, he was in a discussion program on BBC television and resolutely to television viewers disclosed that he is gay. I think that everyone would know him, because he is very famous. He is Gandalf in Lord of RingsHe is Magneto in X-Men; he is Dumbledore in Harry Potter. According to the report, Homosexuality in Ancient and Modern Korea, in Korea, its culture was influenced by Confucianisma system of education, ceremony, and civil administration (Kim 60). Therefore homosexual was forbidden by the government and the religion. However, there was still homosexuality in ancient Korea. In the later Choson Dynasty, the homosexual people always were part of the

upper-middle class. In modern Korea, people often think that homosexuality is the disease, a mental disorder and a sin (Kim 62). People in Korea describe that same-sex preference is seem as a peculiar form of sexual activity (Kim 64). In the past, some countries established laws to punish sodomy. But after the French Revolution, some countries ignored those laws (Beachy 806). For example, in the article, Beachy wrote the history about the French. French Revolution reformed the oppressive medieval laws that punished sodomy. But the new French Penal Code adopted by the national Assembly in 1791 simply ignores sodomy. Beachy 807 Nowadays, western societies become increasingly tolerant of homosexuality over the past few decades, even few hundred years. But country acceptance of homosexuality is lowest in Asia and African countries. Some states in U.S. allow that homosexuals could get married and their marriage was protected by the laws. However, in the Middle East, Africa, and some Asian countries still forbid people to love or have sex with the same gender. In some countries, if people are homosexual, they will be punished by life imprisonment, some countries even carry the death penalty. However, in many countries, they established laws to protect homosexual people. For example, in December 2000, Netherlands government established the groundbreaking laws to allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt a child. Netherlands is the first country to allow homosexual couples to marry and adopt children. In Denmark, homosexual couples could enjoy all the rights like the other people who are not the homosexual couples.

In many cultures and religions, people will discriminate and prejudice homosexuality. People will abuse the person who is homosexual. Because in their cultures and religions, they think that homosexuality is feculent and ominous. Homosexuality would bring disease and disaster to their nations. God and supernatural being will punish homosexual. However, now many countries establish laws to protect homosexual people. More and more people accept homosexual people.

Work Cited

Beachy, Robert. "The German Invention Of Homosexuality." Journal Of Modern History 82.4 (2010): 801-838. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Kim, Young-Gwan, and Sook-Ja Hahn. "Homosexuality In Ancient And Modern Korea." Culture, Health & Sexuality 8.1 (2006): 59-65. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Sherblom, Stephen A., and Michael W. Bahr. "Homosexuality And Normality: Basic Knowledge And Practical Considerations For School Consultation." Journal Of Educational & Psychological Consultation 18.1 (2008): 81-100. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.