Sexuality has always existed, and yet, at the same time, it has not. While we cannot deny that people have had sexual orientations, preferences, and desires since the dawn of time, my almost complete undergraduate history degree has taught me that "sexuality", as we think of it today, has not always existed.
In the late 19th Century, North America saw the arrival of a group of scientists, theorists, and intellectuals who called themselves the Sexologists. Now, as the name suggests, you would think that this would be some sort of Justice-League style group of superheroes that save the world (or give the world..whatever your preference may be) of sexuality. While they may have done something along those lines, they did something far more interesting. Sexologists began to coin terms such as homosexual and heterosexual, grouping individuals within society into these categorical bins. Joe was a homosexual, Jane was a heterosexual, Bill was a transvestite, Mark was scientifically concluded to be "the other".
Now before this, sexuality did not really exist; or it did not exist in the same manner. Although sexuality existed in the sense that it was real, it was not a defining factor of who one was. Nonetheless, as the Sexologists stepped on the scene, individuals were given new identities; core identities; which were ultimately marked by their sexuality.
It was not until the 1990s that a strong and collective movement was able to fight back this idea. Those that adopted "Queer Theory" acknowledged that while sexuality did exist naturally, its categories were social constructions. These constructions often were linked and influenced by concepts of power, authority, and control within society, and usually did not stand for what they actually were said to represent. These Queer Theorists promoted the idea that sexuality was a position, but not an ultimate and full marker of who one was at his or her core. While the Sexologists suggested that sexuality was static; that which could not be changed; Queer Theorists offered the counter that sexuality was in fact fluid; malleable, replaceable, and changing.
Many people, in my view, have fallen into the "sexologists trap", and may I suggest that we have a much to learn from the Queer Theorists (although hardcore Christians may have to adopt a new title...after all, aren't we against queers?).
The Westboro Baptist Church (
www.godhatesfags.com) is a good place to start. The WBC, started by Pastor Fred Phelps, is located in Kansas, and is a self-proclaimed "Old School Baptist Church". What does that mean? Well, it means that they believe that they are one of the few churches left who follow the Bible according to scripture. More important to this topic is that they believe that it is their responsibility to preach to the world, as they say scripture professes, hate for individuals who support things like abortion, publicized sexuality, and homosexual rights. They are well known for their protests and demonstrations at american soldiers' funerals, proclaiming their message that men like these are dying as punishment for the United States' acceptance of homosexual rights. This goes nicely with their "GOD HATES FAGS" and "AIDS CURE FAGS" signs, which they happily hold.
Now why do I mention them? Although I do not known anyone personally that 1. believes what they are doing is right, and 2. has taken their faith into such a ridiculous extreme, I believe that there is still a message we can learn from them. While we may not be "the most hated family in the world", we, like the sexologists and the WBC, as people sometimes get into the habit of categorizing people instead of seeing them as individuals in and of themselves. Psychology has taught me that as humans, we tend to groups similar things together, well, because we have poor memories and believe that shortcuts (or quick triggers) help us be more efficient (while many Starcraft players nod in agreement). Sure this makes sense for lists, items, and maybe even plants. But for people?
Why is it that I can list 3 names: Lance Bass, Freddy Mercury, and Elton John, and all we can think of is one word (musicians?). But it goes beyond sexuality. It appears in the office place, on campus, within our classes, or even the food court. We love to stigmatize the individual; we love to categorize the independent.
What made Jesus an interesting character is that he saw people for who they were. In my readings of the gospel, it seems quite clear that Jesus looked past identities that society had placed on people, groups that individuals willingly or unwillingly were part of, and looked at the person right at the core of who they were. In one instance, he eats dinner with the poor-moraled thief Zaccheus, and in another, chills by a well for an afternoon with the whore of the community. The only one who, in my opinion, had a right to lay judgement onto those around him, simply didn't. Maybe, one may argue, he couldn't; because all he could see was an innocent and beautiful individual beneath all the layers.
Whether you believe in a God or not, it doesn't matter; there is a lesson to be learned. If we as humans started to see people beyond the categories society has placed them in, beyond the peripheral identities that define them, and into the core of who they were, the world would be a different place. For one, it would be a whole lot easier to love people. We love the idea of world peace and although hippies are few these days, many still believe in the banner that "love is all you need". If we started to see people for who they were, I believe that we will be able to find something good within them; something that is lovable about each and every single person you may meet.
Further, if we started to see people as individuals; if we saw Bob as Bob, and not a custodian, or saw Jane as Jane, and not the mayor; we would start giving people the credit they truly deserve. We know and interact with so many people daily, and yet most of them mean nothing to us. But when we see people as individuals in and of themselves, we begin to realize that people are more than the categories we allocate them to. Students in your class do not just think about early modern european thought all day, they experience joy; co-workers do not just make deadlines, they cry and feel pain too.
Homosexuals do not just have sex all day, they pray and experience faith as well.
