Marriage and Family

Paper #3 – Lesbian and Gay Relationships

The “sexuality” video for this class briefly defines sexuality and talks about the different focuses for sociology of sexuality research, including sexual orientation. For this assignment, you will learn more about prejudice and discrimination experienced by those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. Please read through the Heterosexuality Questionnaire below:
Heterosexuality Questionnaire
Martin Rochlin

What do you think caused your heterosexuality?

When and how did you first decide that you were a heterosexual?

Is it possible that your heterosexuality is just a phase you may grow out of?

Is it possible that your heterosexuality stems from a neurotic fear of others of the same sex?

If you have never slept with a person of the same sex, is it possible that all you need is a good same-sex lover?

To whom have you disclosed your heterosexual tendencies? How did they react when you told them?

Why do you heterosexuals feel compelled to seduce others into your lifestyle?

Why do you insist on flaunting your heterosexuality? Can’t you just be who you are and keep it quiet?

Would you want your children to be heterosexual, knowing the problems they’d face?

A disproportionate majority of child molesters are heterosexuals. Do you consider it safe to expose your children to heterosexual teachers?

Even with all the societal support marriage receives, the divorce rate is spiraling. Why are there so few stable relationships among heterosexuals?

Why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex?

Considering the menace of overpopulation, how could the human race survive if everyone were heterosexual like you?

Could you trust a heterosexual therapist to be objective? Don’t you fear that the therapist might be inclined to influence you in the direction of his/her own leanings?

How can you become a whole person if you limit yourself to compulsive, exclusive heterosexuality and fail to develop your natural, healthy homosexual potential?

There seem to be very few happy heterosexuals. Techniques have been developed that might enable you to change if you really want. Have you considered trying aversion therapy?

Write a 2-3 page paper answering the following questions:

Pick 5 of the above questions and answer them. Make sure you state which question you are answering. If you do not identify as being heterosexual/straight then replace that term with a more appropriate identification or answer more generally about your sexual orientation.

Did you find the questions hard to answer? Were some harder than others? If so, which ones? What, specifically, was so difficult?

How did the questions make you feel?

What does it say about our society that gay, lesbian, and bisexual people are asked similar questions?

What can you do in the future if you hear someone asking these questions to someone else?