Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction , or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. It "also refers to a person's sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions. Along with bisexuality and heterosexuality , homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation within the heterosexual—homosexual continuum. The most common terms for homosexual people are lesbian for females and gay for males, but gay also commonly refers to both homosexual females and males.
Universal Desire: Men and Women Respond Identically to Erotic Images
Universal Desire: Men and Women Respond Identically to Erotic Images - Scientific American
How do genes influence our sexuality? The question has long been fraught with controversy. An ambitious new study — the largest ever to analyze the genetics of same-sex sexual behavior — found that genetics does play a role, responsible for perhaps a third of the influence on whether someone has same-sex sex. The study of nearly half a million people, funded by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies, found differences in the genetic details of same-sex behavior in men and women. The research also suggests the genetics of same-sex sexual behavior shares some correlation with genes involved in some mental health issues and personality traits — although the authors said that overlap could simply reflect the stress of enduring societal prejudice.
The magazine Playgirl famously launched as a source of sexual imagery targeted at presumably heterosexual women. It just as famously ended up with a readership of mostly homosexual men. The issue with such studies is the social and cultural baggage about sex and desire that women likely bring into a controlled laboratory environment.
The range of sexual dysfunctions encountered in gay men and lesbians is the same as that found in men and women in general, and the skills needed to help them are the same. That said, there are areas of concern, both for patients and doctors, that merit particular consideration. People may encounter problems when they become aware of their homosexual orientation and try to match it to their view of an ideal self.