Homosexuality as a master status assignment

So if sexuality has had so much power in the past and still continues to be a force of control, why is homosexuality criticized? Sexuality, as was used previously, refers to the dominant heterosexual behavior. Heterosexuality is the norm, and since this norm has so much power, it is even more dominant. Homosexuality then becomes even more distinct and contradictory to this norm. It is contrary to most of the developments that were brought about by homosexuality, such as the focus on procreative behavior and men’s analysis of women’s bodies.

Language alone can socially define normality and establish either a positive or negative association with terms. Both males and females are vulnerable to this social phenomenon of having master status. Typically, ‘ gay’ refers to a male of homosexual orientation and ‘ lesbian’ refers to a female. These terms were once very negatively used, but are becoming more acceptable as more people are coming out as openly being attracted to the same sex. This is not to say that homosexuals have escaped the master status by accepting the term’s used to define them.

To support their cause and to fight for acceptance in society, it would be beneficial to convince people that sexual orientation is biologically determined. “ Research indicates that people who believe that homosexuality is a choice are more likely to condemn it than are those who believe gays and lesbians are born that way” (Loftus 2001: 779). The master status of homosexuality has been in effect throughout history for centuries. It first became an issue at the closing of the seventeenth century when the display of sexuality became taboo.

Before then, sexual practices were commonly displayed in public and it was seen as shameless. But a century later, “ on the subject of sex, silence became the rule” (Foucault 1978: 3). Since what society saw as ‘ normal sexual activities’ was hidden, sexuality against the norm became forbidden. Although opinions and actions against homosexuals have only varied slightly in the past few centuries ??? there have been a few major changes. The master status of homosexuality has in no way disappeared completely, but in recent decades it has faded. Homosexuals have been fighting for social equality for many years.

This was the first time there was a way for a same-sex couple to have all the rights of marriage, without having a ceremony. A domestic partnership is very similar in that it does not have a formal marriage ceremony, but gives same-sex couples most of the legal benefits that married couples have. Civil unions and domestic partnerships removed the religious aspect of marriage and are based on only legal and social rights. So now what is the excuse for 36 states prohibiting all types of legal recognition as a couple to homosexuals?

The only characteristic that keeps these people from gaining legal recognition is their sexual orientation; this should not be the dominating status in considering eligibility for marriage. The master status of homosexuality defines couples. The norm of society says that a couple is a man and woman, but this excludes all homosexual couples. To put this in perspective, two people who have never met and are intoxicated with alcohol are able to marry in Vegas with a third person they do not know as their witness.

Now, many decades later, this requirement has been formally eliminated, but de facto discrimination is still prevalent. That is, instead of there being an outright law prohibiting homosexuality in the military, now it is an unspoken understanding people are supposed to have. The military is not the only occupation that discriminates against homosexuals. Even the most skilled worker’s talent may be overlooked by their orientation. If the most gifted doctor submitted a resume that had the ‘ homosexual’ box checked, all other criteria may be thrown out; because who would want a gay or lesbian doctor?

This is a common opinion of many people in society. Even in occupations much more ordinary than doctors, homosexuals face unfairness based only on their sexual orientation. They can face discrimination even in jobs that require no prior work experience or high-education completion. Often gay men and lesbian women are not even considered as candidates for these jobs. Jobs of this sort really show the problem that is occurring. When homosexuality is the only reason for not hiring a person, it makes the master status really stand out. Religious views are often blamed as being the basis of categorizing homosexuals as deviant by being.

From the eyes of a gay man or a lesbian, belonging to a group that is not part of the dominant heterosexual society overshadows all else. In a personal information survey, checking the homosexual box should eliminate the rest of the questions because once that is taken into account, nothing else seems to matter. Works Cited Cory, Donald Webster. 1951. The Homosexual in America. New York: Greenberg. Cory, Donald Webster, John P. LeRoy. 1963. The Homosexual and His Society. New York: The Citadel Press. Foucault, Michel. 1978. The History of Sexuality Volume 1: An Introduction.

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