The word homosexual
Homosexuality
1. History
As has been frequently noted, the ancient Greeks did not own terms or concepts that correspond to the contemporary dichotomy of ‘heterosexual’ and ‘homosexual’ (e.g., Foucault, 1980). There is a wealth of material from ancient Greece pertinent to issues of sexuality, ranging from dialogues of Plato, such as the Symposium, to plays by Aristophanes, and Greek artwork and vases. What follows is a brief description of ancient Greek attitudes, but it is important to recognize that there was regional variation. For example, in parts of Ionia there were general strictures against lgbtq+ eros, while in Elis and Boiotia (e.g., Thebes), it was approved of and even noted (cf. Dover, 1989; Halperin, 1990).
Probably the most frequent assumption about sexual orientation, at least by ancient Greek authors, is that persons can respond erotically to beauty in either sex. Diogenes Laeurtius, for example, wrote of Alcibiades, the Athenian general and politician of the 5th century B.C., “in his adolescence he drew away the husbands from their wives, and as a young bloke the wives from their husbands.” (Quoted in Greenberg
(Image credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
If you're a member of a stigmatized group, such as a person of color or a lgbtq+ man or woman, even the smallest of discuss can be fraught with small discomforts, slights, and aggressions.
Such casual offenses necessitate not be intentional. Indeed, they often aren't.
For example, consider the word "homosexual," which Jeremy Peters writes "probably sounds inoffensive" to most people. I am a straight man who considers myself to be politically aligned with the struggles of gay men and women, and I frequently use the designation (including just last night). I was surprised then to learn that the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) listed it as an revolting term back in 2006.
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I thought it was strange that
What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?
What Does The Bible Speak About Homosexuality?
Introduction
For the last two decades, Pew Investigate Center has reported that one of the most enduring ethical issues across Christian traditions is sexual diversity. For many Christians, one of the most frequently first-asked questions on this topic is, “What does the Bible speak about attraction to someone of the same sex?”
Although its unlikely that the biblical authors had any notion of sexual orientation (for example, the phrase homosexual wasn't even coined until the late 19th century) for many people of faith, the Bible is looked to for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives; and this most certainly includes our sexuality.
Before we can jump into how it is that Christians can maintain the authority of the Bible and also affirm sexual diversity, it might be helpful if we started with a brief but clear overview of some of the assumptions informing many Christian approaches to understanding the Bible.
What is the Bible?
For Christians to whom the Bible is God’s very written word, it is widely understood that God produced its contents through inspired
Has 'Homosexual' Always Been in the Bible?
Reprinted with permission from The Forge Online
The word “arsenokoitai” shows up in two different verses in the bible, but it was not translated to express “homosexual” until 1946.
We got to sit down with Ed Oxford at his residence in Long Beach, California and talk about this question.
You have been part of a research team that is seeking to comprehend how the decision was made to put the word homosexual in the bible. Is that true?
Ed: Yes. It first showed up in the RSV translation. So before figuring out why they decided to exploit that word in the RSV translation (which is outlined in my upcoming book with Kathy Baldock, Forging a Sacred Weapon: How the Bible Became Anti-Gay) I wanted to see how other cultures and translations treated the same verses when they were translated during the Reformation 500 years ago. So I started collecting old Bibles in French, German, Irish, Gaelic, Czechoslovakian, Polish… you name it. Now I’ve got most European major languages that I’ve collected over time. Anyway, I had a German friend come back to town and I asked if he could support me with some pa
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
Source: Matthew Baxter, used with permission
Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. The date was chosen to commemorate the judgment to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the Planet Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.
In the spirit of this day, let's grab a look at the word "homosexual" to realize why it is now considered to be offensive.
Same-sex attraction or “homosexuality” is the state of “being sexually or romantically attracted to people of one’s own sex.” Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer are the main preferredterms to describe people who are attracted to members of the same sex. This sexual orientation is the opposite of “heterosexuality”, a “sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite sex,” which is known colloquially as being “straight.” (This is contrasted with “bent” as slang for gay.)
Before the word “homosexuality" emerged, sexual relationships between men were labeled “sodomy.” Sodomy is derived from Latin Sodoma, the name of the town in the Biblical tale of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Manual of Genesis (19)