Essentialist Analysis

Dear Ms. Cavalier,

I understand that we do not see eye to eye on most of the issues I brought up in my previous letter. I also understand how you wish for me to convey that I understand what we have discussed in class over the past couple months from a sociological perspective. I would like to go ahead and explain that now and then perhaps further explain where I was coming from originally.

There are two basic ways to view the reality of homosexuality: through the essentialist model and through the social constructionist model. The essentialist argues that homosexuality is a "natural, universal category that exists independent of culture, time, or situation". (David Greenberg) They regard the fundamental reality of homosexuality as residing
She answered no, because that was the life he was used to, and to change it now would be more detrimental to him then just staying the way he was.

Bottom line is homosexuality is a form of deviant behavior simply because most members of our society do not approve of it, and because this disapproval takes the form of condemnation and punishment of homosexuals and strained, difficult relations betweens straights and gays.

I would like to clear up one issue if you have time... the difference between deviance and sin as I see it. Not all deviant behavior falls under the category of sin. However, all sin is deviant in my opinion. I do not believe sin to be socially constructed as deviance is. I believe people interchange the words more often than they should. I still hold true to my personal semi-absolutist perspective of sin. I believe that there is a sense of wrong that is not tied in to culture or society; I believe that this sense of wrong is because there is indeed an absolute when it comes to right and wrong. I further believe that we, as a human race, never achieve at keeping any standard of right and wrong, much less the absolute standard that I've referred