Smilla said:
I'm just working on that topic (education in Ancient Greece), but the theory that homosexuality would teach young men "social hierarchy through humiliation" is news to me. Could you tell me your sources, please?
The way most authors here describe it, homosexuality was socially approved if it happened in the mentor/student relationship between a respected citizen and a young man of good family. It was not regarded as a humiliating experience but an initiation in the world of men.
I can't quote my source as most of the books I read on the subject are in the library of my boarding high school.
I am sorry about that and of course that is an excellent reason to disregard anything I say in my post.
But in case I just expressed myself badly, I will elaborate (again, here, no sources will be provided
).
Sexuality, whether with men or woman, was not sigmatized in ancient Greece like it is in Cristian societies. However, social hierarchy and status were a huge deal for the Greek (and Roman for that mater). Women were considered inferior to men. Assuming a woman role for a man, whether in everyday life or during a sexual intercourse (that what I mean by beeing effeminate), was not respected, and a humiliation. I am pretty sure that during your studies of the Greek educational system you came across texts specifying that the intercourse between a teacher and a student were codified. It was always the teacher who would assume the dominant or "man" role, never the contrary. In that sense it was an sort of social humiliation for the student, IYSWIM. Of course this was accepted and normal, since it would instigate in the young man the values of the society. And of course as you say, there was much more about this ritual, it was a real initiation. But part of it was humiliation. At least that what I read and that makes sense to me.
AFAIK, this what not considered homosexuality. There were strictly homosexual men and they were not well considered in society (because they would behave like women most of the time). I remember reading poems from homosexual men of the time, and from it you can tell there was a real stigma attached to it (again, not because of the sexual but because of the social aspect).
I would rather agree with Prince Johnny who express things perfectly IMO.
Elspeth said:
So far there doesn't seem to be a gay gene as such; there are several factors including genetic, hormonal, environmental, and bunches of things they haven't come across yet.
I do agree and I find the dea of a gay gene rather dangerous and reductive.
