性行为的发展

正如前述的那样，欧洲古典文学中提供过许多同性性欲行为的例子。尤其古希腊和古罗马神话、哲学和诗歌为青少年提供了对他们自己性别成员感觉到性欲吸引力的角色模型。这样的青少年到处都占少数，但是他们所关切的这个问题需要得到认可。

就对待同性性欲行为（same-sex erotic behavior）的态度来看，从一个国家到另一个国家，从一个历史时期到另一个历史时期，我们都能够观察到各种各样的态度，不过基本上说来，可以概括出以下几种态度：

• 淡化。同性性欲行为不被认为是“不得了的事”，并且被人有意地不屑一顾。
• 禁止。同性性欲行为受到指责、被禁止和受到惩罚。
• 容忍。同性性欲行为不情愿与不自在地被容忍。
• 接纳。同性性欲行为完全被接受。

其结果是，我们可以在全球各种多样化的社会里、有时甚至可以在同一个社会里找到所有这4种态度的事例。在最近的数十年里，大多数西方国家已经发生了从禁止到容忍的态度改变，并且有一些国家已经发展到完全接纳。这种变化是由于“同性恋解放”运动和精神病治疗手册修改的结果。该手册已不再把“同性恋”作为疾病单元列举出来了。

彩虹旗 于1978年由吉尔伯特·贝克为旧金山同性恋自由日游行所设计。其后，它就成为全世界公认的“同性恋者解放”的象征。                                                   The rainbow flag                                                      was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. Since then, it has become a symbol of "gay liberation" that is recognized all over the world.

尽管有了很大的进步，甚至在现代社会里，一些青少年仍然因为他们的性取向而感到困惑。这样的困惑可能包括被他们的同伴和父母所拒绝，还包括宗教信仰的冲突、孤独感、压抑感，甚至有自杀的念头。

所以，诚实止于虚假，不要再捏造什么所有的青少年始终只对另一个性别成员有性兴趣。我们必须承认存在不同的性兴趣。换一个角度说，这也意味着教育家们也不应该扣留或审查古典文学原著，或另一方面，不应该为了支持世人的片面观点而伪造历史。的确，任何对现实的公正研究揭示，青少年同性性欲行为不是、也曾经不是罕见的现象。当然，上述对待古典文学作品的做法常常都是短暂的现象，可是这恰恰是为什么绝不应该草率地给同性性欲行为贴上标签和进行诬蔑的另一个理由。另一方面，这些少数已经把自己视为“拉拉”和“同志”的十几岁的青少年在悦纳自我的过程中需要人们的支持。

Stages of Development: Adolescence

Erotic Behavior 6

As mentioned before, European classical literature offers many examples of same-sex erotic behavior. Especially ancient Greek and Roman mythology, philosophy, and poetry provide role models for adolescents who feel erotically attracted to their own sex. Such adolescents are in the minority everywhere, but their concerns need to be recognized.
From one country and historical period to another we can observe varying attitudes toward same-sex erotic behavior, but basically they can be summarized this way:

• Indifference. The behavior is not considered “serious” and is deliberately ignored.
• Prohibition. The behavior is condemned, prohibited, and punished.
• Toleration. The behavior is reluctantly and uneasily tolerated.
• Acceptance. The behavior is fully accepted.

At present, we can find examples of all four attitudes in various societies around the globe and sometimes even within the same society. Most Western countries have, in the last few decades, moved from prohibition to toleration, and a few have proceeded to complete acceptance. This has been due mainly to the “gay liberation” movement and the revision of medical handbooks which no longer list “homosexualty” as an illness.

In spite of much progress, some adolescents still have problems because of their sexual orientation, even in modern societies. Such problems can include rejection by their peer group or by their parents, religious conflicts, a feeling of isolation, depression, and even thoughts of suicide.
Honesty therefore demands an end to the pretense that all adolescents are always interested only in the other sex. The existence of differences in sexual interests should be acknowledged. This also means, among other things, that educators should not withhold or censor classical texts or otherwise falsify history in order to support a one-sided view of the world. Indeed, any candid look at reality reveals that same-sex erotic behavior in adolescence is not, and never has been, uncommon. Of course, it is often a transitory phenomenon, but this is another reason why it should never be hastily labeled and stigmatized. On the other hand, those few teenagers who already see themselves as “lesbian” or “gay” need support on their way to self-acceptance.