Sexual orientation is actually a characteristic of living things covering the entire fauna in the world. Human beings are attracted psychologically to males or females or both or to opposite genders or even neither of the two. Sexual orientation refers to the romantic attraction of a creature to another. The studies in this sector always turn out to be of proper significance as it is an integrated part of the human life. The creations by God have exhibited an attractive force between the genders inevitably. The paper has undertaken the identification of the varied factors affecting the sexual orientation in male and female along with recognition of common and distinct ones among those factors.
The sexual orientation of an individual can be homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual which is always influenced by genes, hormones, state of mind or other societal factors. This concept leads to opposition to “the Darwinian prediction according to which natural selection should progressively eliminate the factors that reduce individual fecundity and fitness.” (Iemmola and Camperio-Ciani 2008, 393). The genetic step cannot be modified but are passed from the parents to their children.
The differences in the male and female sexual orientation have been the keen area of psychological studies. It is explained that “the male model of sexual orientation has been rejected in women.” (Diamond 2008, 18). That implies the truth of the differences in the sexual orientation of male and female. “The challenge of sexual orientation in women and understanding how biological influences function in women remains to be adequately addressed.” (Diamond 2008, 18). These were the proclamations of Brian Mustanski and his colleagues who were psychologists investigating the facts of sexual orientation. The surveying made effectively can only identify the truth hidden behind the sexual behavior in humans.
“One reason that questions about the origin of sexual orientation are so controversial is that they highlight larger philosophical divides between people with an essentialist perspective on sexuality and those with a social constructionist perspective.” (Diamond 2008, 19). The traits of society and philosophy have influenced the studies on sexual orientation of males and females. The orientation analysis leads to the fact that even the societal and philosophical factors are also equally influential.
The analysis on the male and female sexual orientation leads to various conclusions with respect to the maternal line. The male homosexuals have predictors for their existence. The first one is “the prevalence of homosexuals in the maternal line, suggesting possible genetic factors in the X-chromosome.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 3).
If homosexuals were present previously in the maternal relationship, there will be a chance for the birth of another homosexual. The second prediction can be done by “the number of older brothers of homosexuals, suggesting a possible maternal immunization effect.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 3). A boy with many elder brothers can be predicted to be as a homosexual, which shows resistance from the maternal line.
The case of females is also influenced by the maternal lines. The existence of fecundity and maternal history are interlinked as well. “Another result is that females in the maternal lines of homosexuals are significantly more fecund than in he maternal lines of heterosexuals.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 3). This explains the presence of genetic traits of homosexuality from the maternal lines with the history of homosexuals. Also, least prediction can be done in the case of the heterosexual maternal lines.
The fecundity can be examined to obtain the fact of their companionability with various biological factors. “The observed differences in the fecundity are compatible, at present, with either physiological or behavioral causes (e.g. lower abortion rate or increased ability to find mates, respectively), or both.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 4). Thus the degree of fecundity may vary from person to person with respect to those factors. Again, it becomes clear on the effect of genetic traits on the homosexuality or heterosexuality in humans. The surveying and intense studies put the lights on the conclusion that “finally, we emphasize that over 79% of the variance in male sexual orientation in our sample remains unaccounted for by the factors of an excess of maternal homosexual kin and number of homosexual brothers.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 4).
The coexistence of the mother with her children, both male and female, has great work to do with the sexual orientation of the child. Exposure to parental sexual orientation does influence the children in developing their own orientation. That is, instead of having a genetic touch, direct observance can deeply affect the sexual orientation of a child in future. “In many societies, such as in northern Italy, mothers spend a lot of time with children of both sexes, especially during the early years, which are critical for the development of sexual identity and orientation,” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 4). proposes Bailey & Zucker. Accordingly, it becomes clear about the fact that the maternal culture as well helps in the cultivation of behavioral traits of the children. The development of the sexual instincts in future depends equally on the genetic and cultural aspects of the maternal line to which the child is exposed to. The words of Cavalli-Sforza &Feldman explain, “One may also speculate about co-evolution between genes and culture.” (Camperio-Ciani et al. 2004, 4).
“Scientific inquiry into the nature and development of same-sex sexuality continues to be one of the most fascinating areas of sexuality research. It is also one of the most controversial.” (Diamond 2008, 17). This explains the fact that the same sex sexuality is being the center of discussion nowadays with much hot discussions of varied views. The maternal links through the genes and culture which is identified as the major traits resulting in the raising of sexual behavior and orientation is only a very small digging out of the vast unknown sea of nature of human sexuality.
Further investigations on the matter identify the influence of social, behavioral, developmental interactions of a person during his period of growth. “Sexual thought, behavior, and development are governed by a range of interactions between biological and social processes that can be exceedingly hard to disentangle.” (Diamond 2008, 17). The environment in which an individual is grown often influences the cultivation of sexual orientation within the individual.
The genders have much to do with the sexual orientation of a person. Scientists have different opinions related to the genetic influence but in the case of gender influence they unite with the same view; “they do agree on one thing: the developmental pathways that operate for men are probably different from those that operate for women.” (Diamond 2008, 18).
Investigations carried out by various psychologists lead to development of varied conclusions on the dependence of sexuality on gender in human beings.
Janet Hyde is a psychologist who investigated on the matter of the same-sex sexuality who “concluded in her review of genetic research on sexual orientation that female same-sex sexuality was “under theorized” and probably required an altogether separate explanatory model.” (Diamond 2008, 18). She identifies that the gender has influence on the matter as prominent as the other factors of influence. The same-sex sexuality investigatory results are very less reported for the females compared to the males. During the earlier period of investigations on the matter, both males and females were considered together. But, the later stages show that studies were concentrated on the males alone. This resulted in the fact that was concluded by Janet Hyde. Thus, female sexual orientation remains uninvestigated and unveiled.
The overall investigations show that the influence of social and cultural set up along with various biological experiences contribute to the sexual orientation of both the genders. “Feminist social constructionists have called particular attention to the political context of our experiences of sexuality.” (Diamond 2008, 21). The personal experience of the females adds to the development of sexual behaviors in females. “Over the course of history, societies have consistently constrained and controlled female sexuality by restricting not only women’s sexual behaviors but also their thoughts and feelings.” (Diamond 2008, 21). These male innovations in the world overruling the females have been identified by the feminists and they even explain that to be another factor influencing the female orientation.
The female sexual orientation has been less investigated but the studies carried out establish various influences on it. “Girls internalize cultural and social factors, which then shape their experiences of sexuality at a deep level.” (Diamond 2008, 21). Thus, to be clear, the feminists define the negative as well as positive influence of various factors.
The investigation thus grows through the entire social, cultural, biological, genetic etc. prevalence of males and females. “Scientific research is a fundamentally social practice that relies on the same cultural preconceptions that govern general society.” (Diamond 2008, 24). So, the studies on sexual orientation are actually scientific research. Every research has its own conclusion resulting from the various observations. The scientific research on sexual orientation in males and females can be concluded with the fact that “the genetic one is not, however, the only explanation for sexual orientation variety; other physiological and environmental effects contribute.” (Iemmola and Camperio-Ciani 2008, 398). Thus to be clear, the social, cultural experience, genetic and gender factors with the childhood exposure to maternal behavior, contribute to the sexual orientation of an individual.
Bibliography
Camperio-Ciani, Andrea et al., Evidence for Maternally Inherited Factors Favouring Male Homosexuality and Promoting Female Fecundity: Discussion. The Royal Society, 2004.
Diamond, Lisa M. Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire: Chapter 2: Gender Differences in Same-Sex Sexuality. London: Harvard University Press, 2008.
Diamond, Lisa M. Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire: Chapter 2: Gender Differences in Same-Sex Sexuality: Origin Stories: Essentialism Versus Social Constructionism. London: Harvard University Press, 2008.
Diamond, Lisa M. Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire: Chapter 2: Gender Differences in Same-Sex Sexuality: Who Gets Studied? London: Harvard University Press, 2008.
Iemmola, Francesca, and Camperio-Ciani, Andrea. New Evidence of Genetic Factors Influencing Sexual Orientation in Men: Female Fecundity Increase in the Maternal Line: Abstract. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2008.