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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.
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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.
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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.
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