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surveys have suggested that only 2% to 4% of Americans are
homosexual. About 2% of us have had one gay or lesbian encounter
within the last year (Michael, Gagnon, Laumann & Kolata, 1994). On
the other hand, sometime during their lives, 7% of men and 4% of
women have had sex with the same sex and between 4% and 6% of
both genders admit being attracted to the same sex. So, according to
this survey, somewhere between 2% and 10% of us will respond when
asked in an interview if we have or have had some homosexual
interests. We still have little idea what percentage of our population is
bisexual or is attracted to the same sex for only lust (or love) or is
only occasionally attracted, e.g. when drunk, to the same sex or has
homosexual contacts and thoughts only during certain periods of life,
e.g. when young, or is unconsciously attracted in some indirect ways,
for instance loves telling dirty jokes to the same sex.
Several other sources have estimated that between 25% and 40%
of all men and around 20% of all women have had sex to the point of
orgasm with someone of the same sex. These figures may be inflated.
It is also claimed, in addition, that between 10% and 15% of
heterosexual teenagers and adults are aware of some temptations to
explore having sex with someone of their own sex. Moreover, an
unknown percentage of people are "turned on" by viewing films of
attractive persons of their own gender nude and engaging in some
sexual activity. Likewise, it isn't uncommon to be envious of and
excited by well endowed persons of the same sex. Still others
fantasize, dream, or read occasionally about homosexual activities
with some pleasure. Kinsey believed that we all have a mixture of
heterosexual and homosexual tendencies; thus, individuals can be
placed along a gradient from almost entirely heterosexual to almost
totally homosexual, most of us being somewhere between the
extremes. So, it isn't an either-or situation, all "man" or all "faggot,"
all "woman" or all "lesbian."
For many readers, the idea of being even a little gay/lesbian and
attracted to our own sex will be very repulsive. For 2000 years, Jews
and Christians have been explicitly taught that homosexuality is "an
abomination," "a crime against nature," "a sin," etc. Within most
denominations, however, there are groups supportive of
Anti-gay and lesbian attitudes are deeply instilled in our society. In
1990, 80% of Americans think homosexuality is wrong. Moreover,
92% of homosexuals have been threatened or verbally abused; 24%
have been physically attacked for being gay. For centuries,
homosexuals have been persecuted, castrated, considered abnormal,
given shock treatment, assaulted by "gay-bashers," and killed by the
hundreds of thousands by Hitler along with Jews, Russians, and other
"undesirables." Why such a violent reaction to people just loving or
being attracted to each other and harming no one? We don't know for
sure, but we know the anti-homosexual prejudice is culturally or
psychologically engendered, not innate, because some cultures have
approved of homosexuality. Psychoanalysis suggests homophobia
arises because we fear or hate our own unconscious homosexual
tendencies. Some sociologists say our culture teaches males to hate
