¿HOW’D THEY DO THAT? Kinsey and his associates used personal interviews to gather data about sexual activity from individuals. By making use of an encrypted recording system, Kinsey was able to assure his interviewees the utmost confidentiality. As such, the results of his interviews are considered accurate. Acting on traditions long-held in the school of taxonomy, Kinsey shunned the idea of fixed, static categories of orientation and instead adopted a seven-point scale. The scale started with zero, representing exclusive heterosexuality, reached midpoint at three, representing bisexuality, and ended at six, representing exclusive homosexuality.
¿WHAT’D THEY FIND? Perhaps the most fascinating of his findings were his studies regarding sexual orientation. According to Kinsey, nearly 46% of the male population engaged in both hetero- and homosexual acts during their lives. Kinsey's findings also suggest that orientation can change over time. For example, though many cite Kinsey's data to argue that 10% of the population is gay, Kinsey in fact stated that during early post-puberty 10% of males were more homosexual than heterosexual.
¿SO NOW WHAT? So now we know two important things: almost half of the male population will engage in sexual acts involving both sexes; and sexuality can change over time. How do these simple facts (I would stress the word facts here) play in the current debate over homosexuality? First off, with regards to the debate over ethics the question seems already answered. Almost half of our male population will engage in a same-sex activity. How can such a common and normal activity be unethical? Ethics in our society has largely been a question of normality. In the 50's it was considered abnormal to be a Communist, as a result other abnormalities which were (and still are) considered unethical, like pedophilia, were lumped into the same category as Communism (Kinsey himself was tagged for investigation by the FBI and denounced as a Communist) n7 and n8. So, homosexual acts are perfectly normal.
YEAH, BUT…Yet, it is possible for something to be normal and unethical, right? For example, stealing might be considered normal, statistically speaking, yet is mostly considered unethical. How then, to approach the question of sexuality's normality? Kinsey's data reaches across many economic, demographic, and social strata. He interviewed prisoners, prostitutes, doctors, and lawyers alike. Even with the data of presupposed (and prejudged) abnormal people removed, the percentage of the male population engaging in at least one same-sex experience to orgasm remains at 37%. As such, the data of people regarded as "normal" members of society supports the 37% figure. Clearly then, since almost four tenths of normal (and thus approved) members of society engage in homosexual activities, the activities are normal, and thus are not unethical. Secondly, since sexuality can change over time, the right's "confused teen" argument is silly. Many who oppose homosexuality argue that many teenagers who express homo- or bisexual tendencies are merely "confused," likely a result of unstable homes and loose morals. Often cited are teens who once claimed a specific orientation and now are different. Guess what folks, that's normal and the entire debate is flawed. Kinsey found that only 4% of white males were exclusively homosexual from the time of their adolescence to their interview. That figure suggests exclusive homosexuality is, statistically, abnormal. As of now I am unable to find the figures for exclusive heterosexuality, but similar results may be expected. The majority of results fell within the bounds of zero and six, suggesting that sexuality is much more fluid than commonly believed. This data entirely dismantles any biological arguments conservatives or others may advocate for the unfavorable treatment of "gays." Yes, you're right; it takes a man and a woman to procreate. Guess what, sex is more than one night of fun and eighteen years of (potentially rewarding) hell.
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS SOMETHING COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD & FEARED. ALMOST UNIVERSALLY CONSIDERED TABOO, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEXUALITY ARE STRIKINGLY MISSING FROM OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CURCHES & FAMILIES. WHY IS SOMETHING SO NORMAL PERCEIVED AS ABNORMAL? WHY WON’T ANYONE SPEAK UP ON THE SUBJECT? IN THE END IT ALL COMES DOWN TO SHADES OF GRAY. SEXUALITY, JUST LIKE ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE, IS A MATTER OF DEGREES. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG, BLACK OR WHITE, GAY OR STRAIGHT…THERE IS ONLY PEOPLE…
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