What is normal when it comes to sexual orientation?
Before answering this question, let’s make sure we know the definition of normal.
Normal can be defined in a variety of ways, including:
Statistically — if an individual behaves like most of the population, then the behavior is normal, and if an individual behaves like the minority of the population, then the behavior is abnormal.
Psychologically — if the individual’s behavior is bringing them happiness, then the behavior is normal; and if the individual’s behavior is bringing them anxiety, then the behavior is abnormal.
Sociologically — if an individual’s behavior is increasing their potential for more relationships, then the behavior is normal; if an individual’s behavior is decreasing their potential for more relationships, then the behavior is abnormal.
Phylogenetically — if the behavior can be found in the animal kingdom, outside of humans, then the behavior is normal; if the behavior cannot be found within the animal kingdom, outside of humans, then the behavior is abnormal.
Legally — if there is no law against the behavior, then it is normal; if there is a law against the behavior, then it is abnormal.
Life’s purpose — if an individual’s behavior is consistent with life’s purpose, then it is normal; if an individual’s behavior is inconsistent with life’s purpose, then it is abnormal.
Because any one of these ways of defining normal has its upsides and downsides, the truest and most authentic way to define normal is to use all six of these ways.
So, let’s use all six of these ways to find out if homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal or abnormal.
Since most people identify their sexual orientations as being heterosexual and a smaller number of people identify their sexual orientations as being homosexual or bisexual, from a statistical perspective, heterosexuality is normal, and homosexuality and bisexuality are abnormal.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal from a psychological perspective because sexual orientation is not negatively correlated with happiness.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal from a sociological perspective because sexual orientation is not negatively correlated with the number of relationships or friends a person has.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal from a phylogenetic perspective because animals outside of humans are heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. In fact, more than 500 animal species are scientifically known to have homosexual or bisexual orientations.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal from a legal perspective in the United States because there are no laws against a person being a particular sexual orientation. However, this definition of normal is relative to where you are in the world; unfortunately, today, countries like Egypt, Jamaica, Lebanon, Singapore, and Uganda have laws against people being homosexual or bisexual.
Lastly, whether homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are normal from a life’s purpose perspective — is obviously based on one’s definition of the purpose of life. But whether this definition is rooted in god, happiness, self-preservation or reproduction; bear in mind this: people who identify their sexual orientations as being heterosexual are by far more likely to be violent to others, and homicidal, and perpetrate sexual assaults against adults, children, and their own family members than people who identify their sexual orientations as being homosexual or bisexual.
With these acts of violence in mind, heterosexuality is abnormal from a life’s purpose perspective while homosexuality and bisexuality are normal.
So, who’s normal? People who identify their sexual orientations as being homosexual, heterosexual, and bisexual are normal on five of the six shared definitions of normality, which means, to have a sexual orientation, is to be normal.
References
Jan Chaiken, Marcia Chaiken, and William Rhodes. (1994). Predicting Violent Behavior and Classifying Violent Offenders. In Understanding and Preventing Violence, Volume 4: Consequences and Control. The National Academies Press.
Copen, C., Chandra, A., & Febo-Vazquez, I. (2016). Sexual behavior, sexual attraction, and sexual orientation among adults aged 18–44 in the United States: Data from the 2011–2013 National Survey of Family Growth. National Health Statistics Reports, 88, 1–13.
Gillespie, B. J., Frederick, D., Harari, L., & Grov, C. (2015). Homophily, Close Friendship, and Life Satisfaction among Gay, Lesbian, Heterosexual, and Bisexual Men and Women. CUNY Academic Works.
Human Dignity Trust. Map of Countries that Criminalise LGBT People. https://www.humandignitytrust.org/lgbt-the-law/map-of-criminalisation/
Lehrer, J. (2006). The effeminate sheep and other problems with Darwinian sexual selection. Seed Magazine, June/July.
Thomeer, M. B., & Reczek, C. (2016). Happiness and sexual minority status. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(7), 1745–1758.
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Dr. Don Lucas, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology and head of the Psychology Department at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio Texas. He loves psychology, teaching, and research.
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