There is very little awareness around us on issues of sexuality. Raising awareness is one of the major tasks of the WSG and this page is an effort to clear some of the questions that we are constantly confronted with. Most of us have been asked these questions at different times by many people.
• Who is a lesbian?
A lesbian is a woman who is sexually attracted to other women. The name comes from the Greek island ‘Lesbos' where Sappho who was a poetess known for poetry celebrating love between women, lived and taught.
• Who is a homosexual person?
A homosexual is a person who is sexually attracted to a person of the same sex. Both men and women can be homosexual – a woman who loves women and a man who loves men.
• Who is a gay person?
‘Gay' is another word that means homosexual. As such a ‘gay person' is a homosexual man or woman. In this sense, the word ‘gay' is used in phrases such as ‘the gay community' or ‘gay symbol'. However, more commonly it is used to refer to homosexual men – ‘gay man', ‘gay sex' etc.
• Who is a bisexual person?
A bisexual person is someone who is sexually attracted to both men and women. While some bisexual people say they are equally attracted to both sexes, other bisexual people are more attracted to one sex (it can be the opposite or the same sex) than the other. There is a common misconception that bisexual people have relationships with both men and women at the same time. While there may be some bisexual people who conduct multiple relationships at the same time (like some heterosexual and homosexual people do too) this does nor mean that it is the general behaviour of bisexuals.
• What is the difference between transgendered and transsexual people?
Transsexual people generally feel that they were born in a body that does not suit their gender. For example, a man could feel that he is a woman born into a male body. Some transsexual people change their body by undergoing ‘sex reassignment surgery'. Transsexual people who have not had sex reassignment surgery are termed ‘pre-operative transsexuals'. They are also known as ‘transgendered' people in Sri Lanka and in other countries.
However, ‘transgender' is also term that includes many people, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual, who do not conform to the notions of gender in the society they live in. The word is here used to denote the fact that such people cross the gender boundaries.
• How do you become a lesbian (or homosexual)?
In the same way that no one really ‘becomes' heterosexual, no one ‘becomes' a lesbian or homosexual. You become aware of your feelings for the same sex in the same manner that you become aware of your feelings for the opposite sex. Some LGBT people keep their feelings secret for fear of repercussions, but there are others who are open about their sexuality (to varying extents).
Though there are many theories as to whether one becomes homosexual due to genes or factors to do with upbringing, these issues have not been resolved. The ‘gay gene' theory has now been disproved.
• Can you be gay or lesbian without ever having a sexual experience?
Sexual orientation is not decided by sexual experiences. One does not need to have a sexual experience or encounter to know that you are attracted to men or women. We generally know whether we are sexually attracted to someone (whether male or female) a long time before we have sex.
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• Do women become lesbians because they have had bad experiences with men?
No. Bad experiences with men are not the reason for lesbians preferring women to men, it is their attraction for women. If all women who have bad experiences with women became lesbians there would not be many heterosexual women left!
• Is homosexuality an illness? Can it be cured?
No, homosexuality is not an illness or a mental disorder, though many people think it is. In 1973 American Psychiatric Association voted to remove the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder from the Diagnostic and Social Manual. In 1990, the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. However, most professionals in the mental health field still remain homophobic, thinking that they can ‘cure' homosexuality or make homosexuals ‘heterosexual'.
Due to the stigma and discrimination that people from the LGBT community face during their lives, they do face a higher risk in terms of mental health.
We have tried to answer the basic questions that people have about the LGBT community. If your question has not been answered on this page or
if you have comments and/or complaints about any information or opinions on this page,
please write to us at info@wsglanka.com
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