Homosexual Experience Research Articles

The ”New Gay” Lesbians

The three-stage progression toward homosexual identity that Minton and McDonald (1983/1984) delineate in Bisexual and Homosexual Identities (De Cecco & Shively, eds., 1983/1984) is generally not applicable to women who have come to lesbianism through the radical feminist movement of the past 15 years. Their progression toward a lesbian identity was in an order roughly the reverse of what Minton and McDonald describe: Through the movement they came to understand that society's norms can be critically evaluated and that heterosexuality was detrimental to women's freedom, often before they had homosexual genital experience. The "egocentric" stage for these women may have been no different from that of heterosexuals. They may have escaped the guilt and isolation associated with the "sociocentric" stage because they first viewed themselves as lesbian in the context of a supportive social group. There is also some evidence to suggest that many premovement lesbians made their decision to identify as homosexual on the basis of their political views about heterosexuality. Thus, they too may not have experienced Minton and McDonald's three-stage progression toward identity.

Defeminization and social class.

The hypothesis that there might occur selective defeminization by social class between childhood and adulthood among homosexual men was explored. Interview data on 686 homosexual men were employed. It was found that there is a greater tendency for cross-gender propensities to persist into adulthood among respondents from blue-collar backgrounds. Effeminate respondents from such backgrounds were found to be disproportionately involved in same-sex sexual activities during adolescence. They were also sexually responsive to same-sex persons earlier. The interpretation is offered that early homosexual experiences reinforce cross-gender propensities among blue-collar respondents because of the greater gender role dichotomization found in blue-collar culture. Such reinforcement may explain the tendency for there to be greater persistence of cross-gendering among blue-collar men.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Homosexual Men

Due to the number of sexual encounters and variety of practices, men who have homosexual experiences have increased incidence and prevalence rates of many diseases. Diseases that are covered here include hepatitis A and B, syphilis, gonorrhea, condylomata accuminata, herpes simplex, AIDS (acquired immune-deficiency syndrome) and several enteric diseases, namely amebiasis, giardiasis, shigellosis and salmonellosis. An overview of each disease is included along with diagnostic testing and treatment regimens. This report concludes with a system of risk assignment and recommendations for frequency of sexually transmitted disease screening.

Homosexuality and Lesbianism.

DefinitionsHomosexual behaviour often occurs among persons who do not have a settled homosexual orientation. Sometimes, as among prisoners, it can be the direct result of lack of contact with the opposite sex. Around puberty, especially among males, it may represent the easiest way of testing sexual performance. In Kinsey's great survey of American white males, 37 per cent had had at least some overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm since adolescence, 10 per cent had been more or less exclusively homosexual for at least three years between ages 16 and 55, but only 4 per cent remained so all their lives. Kinsey regarded sexual preference as potentially changeable and a matter of degree, not the clear, permanent dichotomy that had been popularly supposed.

Sensation seeking in homosexual and heterosexual males.

The study was designed to test the relationship between the personality trait of sensation seeking and homosexuality. Previous studies had shown a relationship between the trait and variety of heterosexual activity but had not shown a relationship to homosexual behavior. This study compared 19 male homosexuals associated with a gay club in a university, 16 control students belonging to a social club at the same university, 13 members of a gay church group, and 19 members of a nongay church group on conservative vs. liberal attitudes toward religion and politics, attitudes toward homosexuality, heterosexual and homosexual experience scales, and the sensation seeking scales. The control (nongay) church group had more conservative attitudes, less heterosexual experience, and lower sensation scores than the other groups. But the control university group did not differ from the gay university group on any of the sensation seeking scales and differed from the gay church group on only one of the subscales. However, the gay university group was also higher than the gay church group on this subscale, so the difference was probably a function of the younger ages of the university groups than the gay church group. It is concluded that male homosexuals, as a general group, do not differ from heterosexuals on the sensation seeking trait, although the trait might be related to variety of homosexual behavior and partners, just as it is to variety of heterosexual experience.

Seminal fluid excretion of cytomegalovirus related to immunosuppression in homosexual men.

Seminal fluid samples from 84 Danish homosexual men were successfully cultured to determine the prevalence of cytomegalovirus excretion. Ten (15%) out of 66 men positive for the antibody were found to be excreting the virus. Although the proportion excreting was inversely related to age (p less than 0.01), three men aged over 30 and with many years of homosexual experience excreted the virus. In addition, a 50 year old man with Kaposi's sarcoma excreted the virus. A further study of the ratio of T cell helpers to suppressors in the men aged over 30 and a series of age matched non-excreting homosexual control or heterosexual men showed that those excreting cytomegalovirus in their seminal fluid had statistically lower ratios (all less than 0.77) than the controls (p less than 0.05). Excretion of cytomegalovirus may be related to re-emergence of latent infection in immunosuppressed homosexual men.

Effects of sexual orientation on interpersonal judgment

Gagnon and Simon (1973) and Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhard (1953) have suggested that homosexuals are perceived by heterosexuals as being obsessed with sexual matters and that derogation of homosexuals extends to those with relatively minimal proportions of homosexual experience. These notions were examined by exposing male and female subjects to same-sex or opposite-sex stimulus persons varying in their proportion of heterosexual/homosexual experience and self-rated sexual orientation. All persons were evaluated with regard to likability, work partner desirability, intelligence, morality, and adjustment, and rated along a number of dimensions assessing perceptions of sexuality. Results were that exclusive heterosexuals were seen as more likable, moral, and well-adjusted than all persons with homosexual experience, but bisexuals with less than half total homosexual outlet were regarded as more likable and as more desirable work partners than persons with more homosexual experience. Exclusive heterosexuals, and bisexuals with up to half of their total sexual outlet being homosexual outlet, were rated higher on factors tapping perceived sexual desirability and sexual activity than persons with a greater proportion of homosexual experience. Results were discussed with respect to the meaning of homosexual experience in interpersonal perception.

De-moralizing morality: where Dover's Greek Homosexuality leaves us.

Though a landmark book paving the way for additional work by classicists on a previously taboo subject, Dover's Greek Homosexuality presents a basic problem. His definitions and overall approach to the topic tend to trivialize the Greek homosexual experience by isolating sexual behavior from its cultural context, by refusing to acknowledge mutual eroticism on the part of homosexual lover, and by focusing primarily on the “common man's” view of homosexual practices. This paper addresses these issues and describes the greater social role that homosexuality played in Greek character and culture.

Incestuous experiences within homosexual populations: a preliminary study.

The incidence, frequency rates, and effects of both homosexual and heterosexual incestuous experiences within lesbian and male homosexual populations are examined. Twenty-nine female homosexuals and 54 male homosexuals from diverse demographic backgrounds were administered a 16-page anonymous questionnaire designed to capture a wide range of demographic, personality, life history, and attitudinal information. Differences in family characteristics that exist between individuals who have experienced nuclear family incest, extended family incest, and those who have never experienced incest are investigated. Differences that exist between the two populations, incest and nonincest, were also studied.

Make‐Believe Families and Homosexuality Among Imprisoned Girls

ABSTRACTMethodological issues associated with measuring homosexuality and make‐believe families were examined. A clear operational definition of each was then used to measure their incidence and relationship to each other. Data from the staff and inmates of three coed and four all‐female training schools indicated that homosexuality and make‐believe families were as prevalent in coed as in female institutions, and that most make‐believe family groupings consisted of asexual sister‐sister and mother‐daughter relationships. Homosexual marriages were rare, and girls who did not adopt make‐believe family roles were just as likely to report homosexual experiences as those who were in families. Thus, correlations between homosexual experiences and being in a make‐believe family were weak and negative. Explanations are suggested for the nonobvious findings and the results are compared to other reports in previous literature.

The Making of the Modern Homosexual.

Is the a type of person that has been with us-in various guises-throughout history? Is he or she simply a being that we are slowly discovering and understanding better? Or is the simply an invention of our century? The authors of this original and important new work take this last view and argue that although same-sex sexual experiences may have existed throughout history, the notion of the is a peculiarly modern idea which has profound consequences in the structuring of recent homosexual experiences. The essays in this book take the contemporary construction of the homosexual as their common concern.

Peptic ulcer in childhood. Psychological factors.

Thirty children (20 girls and 10 boys, aged 6-16 years) with primary peptic ulcers, matched in paris for age, sex and socio-economic standard to a group of 30 ulcer-free controls, were submitted to a structured psychiatric interview, a structured 'present psychiatric state' examination and to personality and intelligence tests. With one exception all patients suffered from duodenal ulcer; 3 male patients had personalities with psychopathic elements, 7 patients had nicknames, 5 suffered from psychiatric disorders, 3 had attempted suicide in the past, and 3 had had homosexual experiences. These parameters were negative in all controls. The patients had lower mean IQ, worse scholastic adaptation, more anxious and overprotective parents, higher frequency of faddiness in food and lower frequency of nail-biting than the controls. Psychotraumatic events had preceded the onset of ulcer symptomatology in 11 cases. The findings are discussed and the contribution of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of childhood peptic ulcer is stressed.

A profile of women who seek counseling for sexual dysfunction

Abstract This study is based on a statistical analysis of 240 client records. The task of the study was to determine the variables inherent to women with diagnosed sexual problems. Data were secured for 93 variables in four classifications—sociological, sexological, psychological, and counseling. Frequency distributions revealed sociological characteristics which were representative of young, middle-class, well-educated women, except for a greater incidence of divorce and separation. Typical sexual experiences included extramarital relationships, oral and anal intercourse, masturbation, and childhood sexual contacts with adult males who were either a member or friend of the family. Compared to other reports of sexual experience, clients showed greater frequencies of intercourse, homosexual and extramarital experience, and childhood sexual contacts with adult males, but less frequency of orgasm. In addition, mean T-scores were moderately elevated (60–69) for eight of 13 MMPI scales.

Coming Out: Similarities and Differences for Lesbians and Gay Men

“Coming out” is the developmental process through which gay people recognize their sexual preferences and choose to integrate this knowledge into their personal and social lives. A number of experiences are critical in this process: the awareness of same‐sex attractions, first homosexual experience, coming out in the gay world, labeling oneself as gay or homosexual, coming out to friends, family, and co‐workers, and coming out publicly. Several areas of psychological theory relevant to the coming out process are discussed, including identity formation, self‐disclosure and self‐validation, and sex‐role socialization. In addition, differences are noted in the coming out experiences of men and women related to conformity to and violation of sex‐role expectations, as well as to political and legal issues.

Gay Male Fantasies and Realities

The sexual fantasies of 47 gay men were studied using an open‐ended questionnaire to determine the influences of fantasy on developing a gay identity and lifestyle. Early fantasies, occurring around age 12, preceded interpersonal sexual experience by an average of four years. They functioned as a source of self‐knowledge about respondents' affectional preference and influenced early homosexual experiences. Current affectional and sexual fantasy themes were related to respondents' lifestyles or desire for a male affectional relationship.

Primary peptic ulcer in childhood. Psychosocial, psychological and psychiatric aspects.

Twenty-five children with radiologically confirmed primary peptic ulcers were investigated. All patients suffered from duodenal ulcer and there was an unexpected female preponderance. The frequency of introverted personalities was greater in the patients than in the controls. Five patients suffered from psychiatric disorders, three had histories of suicidal attempts and three reported homosexual experiences. Six patients had nicknames. Eight patients had been operated on for appendicitis. The above parameters were negative in all control cases. The patients had lower mean IQ, worse adaptation to school, more anxious and overprotective parents, higher frequency of faddiness in food and lower frequency of nail-biting than the controls. The onset of symptoms was preceded by psychotraumatic events in eight cases. The findings suggest that the manifestation of the genetic background of duodenal ulcer is strongly influenced by environmental factors and factors associated with the personality of the patients.

Sexual correlates of homosexual experience: An exploratory study of college women

One of the more important contributions of the pioneering Reports was to break down sexual sterotypes. Previous to its publication (Kinsey, et al., 1948; Kinsey, et al., 1953) an almost universally held assumption was that the homosexual role included a lack of interest in the opposite sex (McIntosh, 1968). Kinsey and his associates found that current homosexuals have far more heterosexual experience in their background than heterosexuals have had homosexual experience. This was especially true of women. However, it is possible to make an even stronger statement than this: until their early 20s, Lesbians report at least as much heterosexual contact as, and in some respects, significantly more than, is true of heterosexual women. In a study by Saghir and Robins (1973: 242-265) significantly more of the homosexual women in their sample said that they had engaged in sexual intercourse with a man than was true of their matched heterosexual controls (79 percent versus 58 percent). On almost all indicators of heterosexual involvement the two groups were remarkably similar, with Lesbians exhibiting, for some measures, greater levels of activity and involvement. After their early 20s, however, the heterosexual activity of the homosexual women in the Saghir and Robins study declined rapidly, while it climbed for the heterosexually inclined women. The dimensions along which the Lesbians displayed significantly lower levels of involvement, even during and before their early 20s, were: (1) frequency of intercourse (76 percent of the homosexuals but 32 percent of the heterosexual controls having intercourse with a man less than once a week); (2) experience of orgasm in intercourse (61 percent of homosexuals but 32 percent of heterosexual controls never having experienced orgasm in heterosexual intercourse); (3) emotional and sexual indifference toward

Homosexuality: Behaviors and attitudes

To assess the incidence of homosexual experiences, heterosexual experiences, associated attitudes, and related demographic characteristics, a sexual behavior and attitudes questionnaire was administered to 4251 university students. The rate of homosexual experiences was found to be appreciably lower than that commonly reported in the literature and was not significantly related to race, religion, or region of residence. Individuals with homosexual experiences, compared to those without, tended to be more liberal in their views toward socially deviant sexual behavior in general, did not demonstrate fewer heterosexual contacts, and did not report significantly more guilt or anxiety about their sexual behavior.

Heterosexual interest in homosexual males.

Androphilic, ephebophilic, and homosexual pedophilic males were compared on heterosexual interest and arousal potential. The former was measured by the subjects' retrospective reports and the latter by penile responses to pictures of females. The penile responses of the ephebophilic and homosexual pedophilic groups to pictures of physically mature females were not different from those of androphilic males. In the present study as well as in an earlier one, the ephebophilic males responded significantly more to physically mature males than to physically mature females. Homosexual pedophilic males showed little difference in responses to physically mature males and females. In retrospective reports of heterosexual interest and experience and of development of homosexual interest and activities, there were only two differences among the groups: as opposed to androphilic males, a relatively greater number of ephebophilic and homosexual pedophilic males indicated that up to age 15 or later they had felt attracted exclusively to females and that they had been seduced in childhood or early adolescence by a male. These results will have to be replicated before being accepted as reliable. As in some earlier studies, there was a weak but significant correlation of degree of "feminine gender identity" with age at onset of homosexual interest and with heterosexual interest or experience. A higher degree of feminine gender identity went together with less heterosexual interest and experience and with an earlier onset of homosexual interest and experience.

Predictors of multiple drug abuse.

As part of a larger interview study previously reported, 100 regular marihuana users, and their use of other drugs have been analyzed. Forty-eight subjects were found to have used two or less other drugs, and 52 were found to have used more than two other drugs (mean 7.5). Early antecedent and concomitant behavioral events significantly associated with use were sought to describe a possible syndrome. Childhood discipline contacts, truancy and dropout, age of first illicit drug use, first illicit drug not being marihuana, poor high school socialization, inordinate parental conflicts, poor adolescent adjustment, antisocial behavior, police contacts, homosexual experiences, and self-defeating behavior in adolescence were found to predict later polydrug use from among this population. The methodologic pitfalls of distinguishing antecedents from concomitants are discussed.