homosexuality

homosexuality
Erotic attraction or activity, including sexual congress, between individuals of the same sex, especially past puberty. SYN: homoerotism, homoeroticism.
- ego-dystonic h. a psychological or psychiatric disorder in which an individual experiences persistent distress associated with same-sex preference and a strong need to change the behavior or, at least, to alleviate the distress associated with the h.; no longer a DSM-recognized diagnosis; now included under sexual disorder, not otherwise specified.
- female h. erotic predisposition, or activity, including sexual congress, between two women past the age of puberty.
- latent h. an erotic inclination toward members of the same sex not consciously experienced or expressed in overt action, as opposed to overt h. Use of this term is disappearing because of both its potentially iatrogenic effect and the inability to validate the phenomenon by techniques outside of psychoanalytic theory. SYN: unconscious h..
- male h. erotic predisposition, or activity, including sexual congress, between two men, past the age of puberty.
- overt h. homosexual inclinations consciously experienced and expressed in actual homosexual behavior.
- unconscious h. SYN: latent h..

* * *

ho·mo·sex·u·al·i·ty .hō-mə-.sek-shə-'wal-ət-ē n, pl -ties
1) the quality or state of being homosexual
2) erotic activity with another of the same sex

* * *

n.
the condition of being sexually attracted, covertly or overtly, by members of one's own sex: it can affect either sex (see also lesbianism). The cause of homosexuality remains unclear, although there is some evidence of a genetic basis. Homosexuality is no longer regarded as a psychological disorder, but help is sometimes offered to individuals wishing to change their sexual orientation. There are no drugs available for changing sexual orientation, although it is possible to depress the sexual drive. Persons seeking help for their homosexuality are more likely to benefit from counselling to reduce any anxiety and guilt that may be associated with the condition, rather than trying to change their sexual behaviour.
homosexual adj. n.

* * *

ho·mo·sex·u·al·i·ty (ho″mo-sek″shoo-alґĭ-te) [homo- + sexuality] sexual orientation toward or activity with those of the same sex, as distinguished from heterosexuality.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • homosexuality — 1892; see HOMOSEXUAL (Cf. homosexual) + ITY (Cf. ity) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Homosexuality — Sexual orientation Orientations Asexual · Bisexual · Heterosexual · Homosexual …   Wikipedia

  • homosexuality — /hoh meuh sek shooh al i tee/, or, esp. Brit., / seks yooh /, n. sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one s own sex. [1890 95; HOMO + SEXUALITY] * * * Sexual interest in and attraction to members of one s own sex.… …   Universalium

  • Homosexuality —    Until 1977, censorship regulations, which applied both to Spanish and foreign films, banned homosexuality as a central part of a film s plot, and before 1963, representation of sexual perversions was simply unthinkable. Of course, one of the… …   Guide to cinema

  • Homosexuality —    Until 1977, censorship regulations, which applied both to Spanish and foreign films, banned homosexuality as a central part of a film s plot, and before 1963, representation of sexual perversions was simply unthinkable. Of course, one of the… …   Historical dictionary of Spanish cinema

  • HOMOSEXUALITY — Among the sexual perversions proscribed as criminal offenses in the moral code of the Torah are homosexual relations between males (Lev. 18:22). Both offending parties are threatened with capital punishment (Lev. 20:13), though minors under 13… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • homosexuality — The term homosexual describes those who have sex with, or are sexually attracted to, persons of the same (Greek:homo) sex. It was devised in 1869 by a Hungarian doctor (Benkert), as part of the emerging medical and scientific discourse around… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Homosexuality —    The legal ban on homosexuality was repealed in the Russian Federation in 1993, and homosexuality was removed from the official list of mental disorders in 1999. Since then, Russia has seen an emergence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and… …   Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation

  • Homosexuality —    The larger part of Dutch society had rejected sexual relationships between members of the same sex until the last decades of the 20th century. Although things have changed rapidly since then, discrimination of gays and lesbians still exists,… …   Historical Dictionary of the Netherlands

  • homosexuality — Sexual relations between members of the same sex. The question whether homosexual practices are of legal concern raises questions of the proper extent of the law, and of the way a distinction may be drawn between the public and the private . It… …   Philosophy dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”