Awareness Sexuality document

Human sexuality is an integral part of life. Everyone has the right to their own sexuality, provided they do not harm others or violate their rights.
All people have the right to unbiased and up to date information about sexuality, and to an environment in which they can make informed choices about their sexuality and take responsibility for their sexual health.
Every one has a right to live free from discrimination and harassment based on their sexuality.
Human sexuality is also diverse.
The majority of people find emotional and sexual fulfilment with members of the other sex.
However, throughout human history and in every human society there are people who find fulfilment with members of the same sex, or with members of both sexes.
How we express, understand and value these different sexualities has been influenced by social, religious and political beliefs in different cultures at different times.

Words, Attitudes And Actions
'Homophobia' describes fear of and hostility towards homosexual people

This less favourable treatment can take many forms. At some stage in their lives most lesbian, gay and bisexual people experience discrimination, harassment, abuse and even violence because of hostility to their sexuality.

Recent Australian studies have shown that because of hostility to their sexuality, and because of the isolation, fear and self loathing this hostility can cause, young lesbian, gay and bisexual people are three times more likely to seriously consider suicide than their heterosexual peers.

Much of the discrimination and abuse which lesbian, gay and bisexual people experience in their lives occurs at school.

verbally or physically abusing other students because they thought those students were gay or lesbian. 8% of the students surveyed admitted to being verbally or physically abused because of their sexuality.

This is the individual's belief that lesbian, gay and bisexual people are sinful, immoral or inferior to heterosexuals, or incomplete as women or men. Such views are always learnt, and they may be shared by lesbian, gay and bisexual people themselves. In this case the homophobia is internalised.
When a lesbian, gay or bisexual person has internalised the belief that they are sinful, immoral or inferior they may hide their sexuality, try to make it mean less to them, decrease their expectations of life, or engage in behaviours which are harmful to themselves and others.
This is the dislike, fear or hatred of people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. This dislike, fear or hatred may be expressed through name-calling, verbal or physical harassment or acts of discrimination. Interpersonal homophobia can be acted out through shunning, ostracism or low level harassment. But it can also be manifested through verbal and physical assault.

This refers to social standards and norms which dictate that being heterosexual is better than being lesbian, gay or bisexual. These standards and norms are reinforced each day in television shows, movies and print advertisements where virtually every character is heterosexual and every sexual and social relationship involves a female and a male, or in the assumption made by most adults that all children will eventually be attracted to and marry a person of the opposite sex.
Often heterosexuals do not realise that these standards exist, while lesbian, gay and bisexual people are acutely aware of them. This results in lesbians, gays and bisexuals feeling like outsiders in society.

Self hatred
This is the loathing that a lesbian, gay or bisexual person can feel for themselves after taking on society's negative messages about homosexuality. Self hatred can manifest
itself as denial, withdrawal from others, paranoia about being discovered, contempt for other lesbian, gay and bisexual people, low self esteem, aggression, poor academic performance or self harming behaviour.
Resignation
Some lesbian, gay and bisexual people feel that their sexuality and other people's negative response to that sexuality is something they simply have to live with. They will reveal their sexuality to very few people and may feel the need to apologise to others who are offended by it. They may also feel the need to prove that they are respectable, responsible people, 'despite' their sexuality.
Self acceptance
Some lesbian, gay or bisexual people can become relatively comfortable with their sexuality, but still be unwilling to participate in the lesbian and gay community or tackle homophobic prejudice. They see themselves as 'the same as everyone else' and believe their sexuality is only 'a small part' of who they are.
Self love and supportiveness
This is the recognition by some lesbian, gay and bisexual people that it is important to be supportive and nurturing both of themselves and others. They will probably make an effort to educate others about homosexuality and to counteract homophobia.

Pride and celebration

Often people ask why gay people have Pride Celebrations. Pride and Celebration of who you are refers to a sense of specialness in being lesbian, gay or bisexual. People are united and you have thousands of people just like you standing up and being proud of who they are. Here we are talking about those lesbian, gay and bisexual people who feel proud of the achievements of the lesbian and gay community and seek to engender that pride in others.
This page has been produced by Leadership and Learning
EDITED BY Jay Black Members Rep PCS Proud
For people to use for education and awareness sessions or talks