Sexuality and Gender

         While, it's not been a subject entirely touched on in either chapter one or two, I do find the inter-generational love between men and boys and how it relates to homosexuality curious. A man in love with a boy, whether companionably  or passionately, is not only taboo but criminal in modern society. While I'm not personally advocating for the rights of pedophiles who harm children, I do think that inter-generational love (whether "gay" or not) is something that should be more accepted in society like it used to be. Given the little history I know about sexuality and the even smaller amount I know about homosexuality I was very surprised to see that a lot of what we assign as history for gay people is also used as support in inter-generational communities. It definitely makes me think about the Catholic Church scandals more critically. Additionally, I wonder what our society would look like if sexuality and preference were more accepted regardless of age group. We know that developmentally, a lot of sexual tendencies manifest earlier. These tendencies and curiosities of childhood often influence our life long preferences. At what age does a person know who they are sexually?
          Chapter two discussed at length the ideas and works of Havelock Ellis, considered to be a pioneer in the scientific study of sexuality. I found myself agreeing with a lot of his ideas and can see how some of his insight can be applied to today. I don't fully buy into the belief that people engage in same-sex behaviors because of accidental absences, but I really did enjoy his connection to prison life. "For example, he writes that '[p]rison life develops and fosters the homosexuality tendency of criminals, but there can be little doubt that that tendency, or else a tendency to sexual indifference or bisexuality, is a radical character of a very large number of criminals" (p.49).  Criminology is a topic of personal interest for me, as well as prison life. Statistically a lot of men engage in same-sex behaviors while serving time. I don't believe that makes a man gay.
          I don't discount Ellis's influence scientifically, but I think with what we know now about gender, sexual practice and desires, and the differences between behavior and identity, that somehow sexologists of yesteryear missed the mark.  Your gender (whether assigned or identified) doesn't make you more prone to homosexuality. Ellis believed that his own love for men was a natural part of him (History II, p. 58) but that homosexual tendencies of women happened as a result of family life, or social pressures. I don't believe you can have it both ways. I also believe you can engage in same sex behaviors, but identify as heterosexual because sexual behaviors are different than emotional and loving connections.

Online Identity

My chosen identity on both sites, was not really something that I considered in terms of what it would imply, or how I wanted to be represented. There is not much listed about me on pbworks, because for me that is the more serious (or formal) of our interactions. As for my ning profile, I wanted to include pictures that I feel best represent the things I am or most care about. I wondered what people would learn about me in a face to face setting, and for me the pictures that reflect that are everyday things. My husband and I have wonderful, smart, amazing, diverse, artistic, and independent children. For me, the way my children are reflect who I am as a parent, which in its own way makes up my identity. I don't know that I've ever considered a label for myself, but if I were to pick one it wouldn't be straight, or gay, or student, or wife, or white, or female. It would be Mom. I feel incredibly blessed for my life and my family, and I look at everything as if it's an adventure.