the spectrum of sexuality
Living Sexuality
sexual orientation exists on a spectrum. Between the polarizing categories of “gay” and “straight,” there is a diversity of experiences and orientations. Intuitively, I think we understand this, yet our culture loves to categorize people into easily-definable boxes….…We are fond of thinking that we know more about another person than they know about themselves. The truth is that we are all on a journey of self-discovery…
…there are more than two categories of human sexual experience.
Becky has more to say about this issue - be sure to check out the post on her site.
The post puts well some conversations I’ve had lately and a position I have long [intuitively] maintained - that it is silly for people to try to peg Ted Haggard (or anyone for that matter) as either straight or gay - usually to promote their own agenda or make themselves feel “safer” about their own experiences and understanding about sexual identity and behavior (and straights and gays both do it).
We do ourselves and everyone else in our lives a huge disservice when we limit ourselves to such a restrictive view of sexuality.
I will say, for the record, that I believe Haggard has issues that extend FAR beyond his own person sexual identity - abuse of power is a serious issue and he abused his position of power in many ways - the worst of which was sexual. Having said that, I do wonder if he would have abused his power in a sexual way if he didn’t have such a perverted view of sexuality imposed on him by fundamentalist Christianity.
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- Posted by Mak at 04:50 pm
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your last statement is the best of all, and was probably my biggest concern for Haggard when the cat was let out of the bag: would he really be able to get the help he needed from within his fundamentalist christian faith?