Sexual Orientation Wilkerson Summary

The topic that I chose was the article on Wilkerson, consider reasons for regarding sexual orientation as something chosen and reasons for regarding sexual orientation as something fixed and merely discovered. The author included a definition in the beginning of the text "Sexual orientation" is usually understood to refer to one's persistently recurring sexual desires for members of the sex that attracts one. In this respect, it differs from "sexual identity," which refers to self-consciously living as a person with a sexual orientation. Although many people identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and live with that self-understanding, either privately or publicly, most identify as heterosexual” (Wilkerson 195). Including this quote is important
“Edward Stein disregards both self-identification and behavior and thinks of sexual orientation as a "disposition" to engage in specific sexual acts with people of one or the other gender, thereby prioritizing people's desires and psychological features over their behavior” (Wilkerson 196). One could argue that this part of the text that says some women and men who sleep with people of the same sex, but like them to show qualities of the opposite sex this is a choice, but biologically they are still attracted to the opposite sex just enjoy sex with the same sex. There was a story the author told about a woman who was in love with a man and loss him which broke her heart, but after meeting a friend who was a female she found that she was attracted to her emotionally and sexually (Wilkerson 200). This could explain that when people suffer a heart break and they feel that no man could replace that love they move on to the opposite sex, so it is still a choice not something that biological. “The story of Edward Stein disregards both self-identification and behavior and thinks of sexual orientation as a "disposition" to engage in specific sexual acts with people of one or the other gender, thereby prioritizing people's desires and psychological features over their behavior” (Wilkerson
I felt that the only choice they had was keeping their life style a secret because they do not want to be criticize by people who may not understand their sexual preferences. The thing that changed my mind is when my best friend in high school had a similar story as the one told after her boyfriend of two years cheated she decided she was done with the entire race of guys and started dating girls, but most of the girls resembled boys then when she found another guy she decided that she is no longer gay. Also, another thing that I feel is if one is truly attracted to something how can they hide it or keep it away from people that they love. I feel that if it is really you then one can never be what some call “trapped in the closet”, so to answer the question now that reading the article I do not believe that sexual orientation is something that one can be born with its something that they choose to