In nature, relationships and sexuality between individuals of the same sex do not represent any anomaly, In fact, it is a relatively common practice It was men who, in different cultures, considered these practices as something anomalous, denatured, etc. So, the homosexuality In humans it is condemned in different degrees of intensity by almost all societies on the planet.
But, What are the most widespread myths about the gay community?
What does science tell us about gays? Uncovering some myths about homosexuality
The homophobia and the cultural mistreatment of homosexual people does not usually make the news, and among the many myths and falsehoods that have been proclaimed against homosexuality, prejudices based on their supposed inability to be fathers or mothers, their promiscuity, or the correlation between homosexuality abound. and pedophilia/pedophilia.
Nevertheless, a good number of studies dismantle this string of myths
5. Homosexuality goes against nature
It should be noted that, in the animal kingdom, homosexuality is very present This is something much more common than one might assume. There are many species that maintain sexual relations with individuals of the same sex, practices linked to survival, the strengthening of social and emotional ties, biological adaptation and factors associated with the evolution of species.
The recurring myth that homosexuality is something that goes against the laws of nature and that we should only maintain relationships with individuals of the opposite sex is not supported from a natural perspective. In addition to the human being, There are 1,500 animal species that have homosexual relationships such as penguins, swans, chimpanzees, giraffes… In this sense, the scientific community that studies animal biology agrees that not every sexual act has the reproductive function as its purpose.
4. Homosexual relationships are promiscuous and short-lived
One of the most repeated clichés about homosexuals is that their romantic relationships are more superficial, or less lasting, or less “romantic” than heterosexual relationships. This idea doesn’t seem to make much sense either. Several investigations developed by the University of Washington overthrew the stereotype with contrasted data.
They collected data over 12 years on the development, relationship and activity of homosexual couples, finding that 20% of them had ended the relationship during this period. By contrast, The progression of this breakup percentage data turned out to be lower than that of heterosexual couples Several researchers pointed out that the conclusions should begin to consolidate greater respect for same-sex couples, away from clichés and phobias.
3. Many pedophiles are homosexuals
Many people agree that pedophilia is one of the most macabre and reprehensible crimes that exist, and point out that homosexual men are the ones who are usually the protagonists of these infamous acts. Of course, this generalization leaves homosexuals in a terrible place.
For this reason, many researchers have studied this topic to see to what extent this cliché was true, and the results have concluded that such a relationship is non-existent. For example, research from the Clark Institute of Psychiatry in Canada showed photographs of children and adolescents of both sexes to homosexual and heterosexual men, while recording data on the subjects’ sexual arousal. The results showed that heterosexual men tended to be more aroused than homosexual men, particularly when viewing photos of girls
Years later, at the University of Denver, Colorado, 265 children who had been victims of sexual abuse by adults were studied. In 82% of the participants, the aggressor was a heterosexual person from the child’s immediate environment. Only two cases were recorded (out of a total of 265) in which the criminal was a homosexual person. Consequently, the researchers concluded that the link between homosexuality and pedophilia not only had no empirical support, but that it was a much weaker relationship than in people hetero.
2. Homosexuals cannot raise children well
Those opposed to gay marriage tend to also be against the adoption of children by homosexual couples. They allege that homosexual parents can negatively influence the child, since “the child needs a mother and a father to be able to grow up correctly.” However, the data once again reveal that these claims are not supported by reality.
In 2011, a study was conducted that explored a total of 90 adolescents. Half of them, 45, lived with same-sex parents, while the remaining 45 were children of traditional families. Some factors of their daily life and their academic and social performance were analyzed, and It was reported that both groups obtained symmetrical results with the note that children of homosexual parents had slightly higher academic grades.
Other studies concluded that Children raised in same-sex families were less likely to participate in vandalism or delinquent than children of heterosexual parents. “The data suggests that children raised with same-sex parents are just as valid and perform equally well (or even slightly better) than children raised with heterosexual parents,” said Tim Biblarz, a sociologist at the University of California.
In somewhat retrograde environments, homosexuality is often called a ‘disease’. This idea comes from people who maintain that homosexuality is an inclination that can be “cured if an appropriate path is followed.” However, human and biological sciences, and especially genetics, have indicated that attraction to people of the same sex part of a genetic characteristic, and therefore has a biological basis
To test whether genetic material was linked to homosexuality, scientists have observed and compared identical twins (who share all the genes) and fraternal twins (who share approximately 50%). The results showed that almost all of the identical twins shared the same sexual inclination, but the same did not happen with the fraternal twins. This suggested that there is a genetic factor responsible for determining the sexual orientation of the individual.
Other investigations have provided data indicating that Some biological factors, such as exposure to certain hormones in utero, can also influence the subject’s sexual orientation It seems that certain physiological differences, such as some shapes of the inner ear between heterosexual and lesbian women, contribute to reinforcing this idea. “The data support the theory that asymmetries in the central nervous system exist between individuals with different sexual orientations, and that these differences may be linked to early factors in brain development,” explains Sandra Witelson, professor of neurosciences at the University of McMaster, Canada.
