Lemyao Shimray
What makes a woman a woman and a man a man? Is being a gay really a choice? Why does lesbian prefer woman? How did transsexuals manage to get a foot on both sides of the fence? Are you who you are because you have an aggressive mother, or your father was emotionally cold? Or is it the environment you are brought up around.
Research shows that, six to eight weeks after the conception, during the first form of the test, a male fetus(XY) receive massive dose of male hormones, and then the second dose of to alter the brain from a female. If the male foetus does not receive enough male hormones at the right time, one or two natural alteration may happen firstly, a baby boy may be born with a brain structure that is more feminine then masculine, a boy who will not likely be gay by puberty. Secondly a genetic boy may be born with a fully functioning female brain and a set of male genitals. This person will be transgender. Sometimes a genetic male is born with a set of both male and female genitals which in India is known as ‘ hijra’ or eunuchs by others.
Geneticist Anne Moir in her ground- breaking book ‘ Brainsex’ documents the many cases as genetic boys being born looking like girls and being raised as girls, only suddenly to find that have penis and testicles that ‘ appear’ at puberty. Many parents were shocked that their ‘daughters’ suddenly had a penis and reverted to male appearance. This change occurred despite all the social conditioning and social pressure for female behaviour. One such account throwing lights to understand more is the international number 1 Best seller book ‘Why men don’t listen and women can’t read maps’ by Allan and Barbara Pease.
HOMOSEXUALITY HISTORY
Among the ancient Greeks, homosexuality was not only permitted, it was highly respected as well. Status and poems were written in its honour. The Greek believe that male homosexuality served a noble, higher purpose and it inspires youths to become worthy members of the community. They also found that young gay’s men proved to be some of their most courageous, successful warriors as they would fight ‘side-by-side in love with each other ‘. Alexander the great who conquered half the world at such a young age was among one of them and in Roman times, Juliuse Ceasar was described as ‘every woman’s man and every man’s woman’.
When Christianity frowned on some- sex relationships and God reportedly brought vengeance down on the City of Sodom, homosexuality was banned, disappeared into the closet, and wasn’t seen in public until recently.
Older generation still believe that homosexuality is a recent phenomenon and an ‘unnatural act’. The reality is that it has been around for as long as a male and foetuses missed out on their sufficient share of male hormones. Among Primates, homosexuality behaviour is used as a way of bonding members of a group or as a form of showing submission to a superior, as is also the case with cattle, cocks and dogs. The Victorian era refused to acknowledge that homosexuality existed and, even if it did, it must be the devils work and would be severely punished as we enter the 21st century the younger generation started raising queries about the world of third sex and their genetically subsided behaviour which mankind contempt as unnatural.
Lesbianism gained its name from the Greek island of ‘Lesbos’. It has never been looked upon with the same contempt’s as male homosexuality. Probably because it is associated more with intimacy, and not labelled so much as ‘perversion’.
IS IT GENETIC OR A CHOICE?
In ‘Brainsex’(modern books) and talk language (Harper Collins), Moir revealed the result of her research which highlighted what scientists have known for years- Homosexuality is inborn, not a choice.
There is no solid evidence that upbringing affects the likelihood of a child becoming homosexual. Not only is homosexuality mostly inborn, but the environment in which we are raised plays lesser role in our behavior that was previously though. Scientist have found that as an adolescent or adult, parent’s efforts to support homosexual tendencies in their off-spring has practically no effect. And because the impact of males hormones (or lack of it) on the brain is the main culprit, most homosexuals are male due to the concept of X, Y chromosomes formation during their foetus stage.
For every Lesbian (female body with a masculinized brain) there are about 8 to 10 gay men. If the gay and lesbian movement was to embrace this article and, if the education system taught these findings, homosexual and transsexual people would not encounter as much prejudice. Most people are more tolerant and accepting of a person who has inborn difference then they are of a person who, in their opinion, makes an unacceptable choice. Take for example, Thalidomide babies, Parkinson’s sufferers, Autism or people who have cerebral palsy. The public is more accepting of these people because they are usually born with these conditions, as opposed to homosexuals who supposedly choose their lifestyle.
Can we be critical of a person who is born left handed or dyslexic? Or with squinted eyes or white hair? Or with female brain in a male body? Most homosexuality believe that their homosexuality is a choice and, like many minority groups, often use public forums to display their ‘Choice’ which generate negatives attitude from many members of the public.
Sadly, statistics collected from research in 2003 shows that over 30% of teenage suicides are committed by gays and lesbians, and the one out of every three transgender commit suicide. It seems that the realization of being stuck in the ‘wrong body’ for the rest of their lives where society blames them for it is too much for them. A study into the upbringing of these homosexual teenagers has shown that most were raised in families or communities that taught hatred and rejection towards homosexuals or in religions that had tried to save some of the ‘ victim’ with prayer or therapy. According to the article that was published in ‘The Hindu’ on ……………..(search for it)
CAN THE CHOICE BE CHANGED?
Gays and lesbians do not choose their sexual orientation any more than heterosexuals do. Most researchers believes that homosexual is an orientation that is unchangeable, most homosexual develop in the womb, that homosexual partners are firmly fixed by around the age five and that it is outside the control of the person. In short homosexuality is an orientation that is unalterable. It’s not a definitely choice. In order to suppress homosexuality feelings for centuries, techniques have been use in form of included breast amputation, castration, drug therapy, uterus removal, electric shock therapy, prayer meetings, spiritual counseling and exorcism. No therapies have ever succeeded. The best they have been able to achieve is to make some bisexual confine their sexual activities to members of the opposite sex or force some homosexual to become celibate through guilty of fear, and to push many others to suicide.
There is a greater then 90% chance that you, the readers are heterosexual. Think about how difficult it would be to feel sexually attracted to someone of your own sex and you begin to understand how it is virtually impossible to create feeling that do not already exist. If it was a choice as many proclaim, why would any intelligent person choose a way of life that expose them to so much hostility, prejudice and discrimination? Hormones are responsible, not human choices.
