HDF110 Week 9 Notes: Sexual Orientation
Beliefs about the LGBTQ+ Community
● For many of us, beliefs come from family, friends, and people we know who
identify as LGBTQ
● ***Don’t forget that each of us has been influenced by IDEOLOGICAL power:
power of media/other institutions that spread ideas
● Still many individuals who disagree with the LGBTQ movement for equality:
○ Many cite “religion” as reason; reference Bible to believe that their
religion forbids homosexuality
○ EX- Many translations of bible use word ‘sodomy’ when referring to
same-sex acts, but many scholars show this to be gross
misinterpretation
■ word sodomy derived from name of infamous Biblical town of
Sodom that God ultimately destroyed for its sins
■ Scholars believe that sins committed in Sodom were not referring
to homosexuality, but referencing sin of being
uncharitable/abusive to strangers-- in those days, person’s
survival might depend upon charity of strangers
○ Only a brief look at 1 of references used from Bible by homophobics--
■ many interpretations of ALL of verses cited by these people (as
explained in Pharr’s Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism)
■ Message to be taken from this-- consider context info that’s
written and what was happening historically & culturally at that
time of writing
Why there is an Emphasis on Sin in Sexuality:
● Word ‘homosexual’ didn’t appear in bible until 1946
● 7 or 8 bible verses used to argue homosexuality is a sin; all of these verses are
debated by religious scholars and none come from Jesus