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Terms and descriptions in the field of homosexuality and the Bible are often unexplained, and sometimes are unshared. Building a glossary provides some basis for agreeing terms, or at least being able to discuss them.


Browse the glossary using this index

Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL

D

Dr Robert Spitzer

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Dr. Robert L. Spitzer is a Professor of Psychiatry at the US Columbia University in New York . He is especially known as the chair of the task force of the third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), released in 1980. In 1973 he argued that homosexuality is not a clinical disorder. As a result homosexuality was declassified from its list of mental disorders. In 2001 Spitzer delivered a paper at The American Psychiatric Association, arguing that "highly motivated" individuals could "successfully" change their sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. The paper was printed in 2003 causing great controversy. It was severely criticised, and although defended by Spitzer, he has raised concerns about the inappropriate ways in which 'ex-gay' and conservative evangelicals have used his research.
Keyword(s):

G

Gay

:
A socio-political identity

H

Homophobia

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Andrew Goddard in Fulcrum May 2006 defines homophobia as – ‘The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex.’ He comments that this definition is not based on ‘rights’ but on attitudes or behaviour ‘that represent a denial of the humanity of certain people because of their imagined or actual sexual attractions, orientation, relationships of identity.’
(Pastoral Guidelines, Presbyterian General Assembly 2007)

Homosexual

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The first known appearance of the term homosexual in print is found in an anonymous 1869 German pamphlet ("Prussian Penal Code and Its Maintenance") written by Karl-Maria Kertbeny. This pamphlet advocated the repeal of Prussia's sodomy laws (Bullough et al. ed. (1996)). Kertbeny had previously used the word in a private letter written in 1868 to Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. The first known use of "homosexual" in English is in Charles Gilbert Chaddock's 1895 translation of Richard von Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis, a study on sexual practices. The term was popularized by the 1906 Harden-Eulenburg affair.

Taken from 'Terminology of Homosexuality' <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_homosexuality>. Accessed May 2007

N

non-gay homosexual

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many people think homosexual and gay are synonymous, but to be homsexual doesn't mean that a person is gay.

The non-gay homosexual, often found in churches (although they are not necessarily limited to churches) have same-sex attractions and feelings, and they may even engage in same-sex behavior, but they do not identify with the gay sociopolitical identity. Some may see themselves as having heterosexual values and want to live a heterosexual life; others are reconciled to their homosexual tendencies and do not seek to be heterosexual.

R

reparative therapy

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Aims at elimiating same-sex sexual drives. Sometimes referred to as 'conversion therapy'. Generally the view is held that sexual orientation is unchangable, and therefore reparative therapy is ethically unjustified, and unlikely to suceed. Repar\tive therapy is advocated by NARTH (National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) led by Dr Joseph Nicholosi. Nicholosi has built on the ideas of Elizabeth Moberly.