Theory of Character and Characterization

15

a. Types of Homosexuals

There are also various attempts have been made to categorize homosexuals. Although such labeling is crude and stereotyped at best and misleading at worst, it nevertheless does give some idea of the range of homosexual patterns and life-styles, and also of the impact of societal pressures on those who commit homosexuality. There are the classification of homosexual as in Our Sexuality 1983: 483 written by Crooks and Karla. i. The Blatant Homosexual This type of homosexual deals with the individuals who are fit by the popular stereotype of the homosexual-the lisping, limp-wristed, swishing caricature of femininity, in the case of male. On the other side, his lesbian counterpart, called the “butch”, “dyke” or “stud” flaunts her masculinity, even to the point of trying to look like a man. Some transvestites, who enjoy wearing the clothes and often assuming the behavior of the opposite sex, fit in this category too. However, as we shall see, many transvestites are not homosexual. ii. The Desperate Homosexual The so-called desperate homosexual tends to haunt public toilets “tearooms” or steam baths and it is apparently driven to homosexual behavior but unable to face the tensions of establishing and sustaining a serious homosexual relationship. iii. The Secret Homosexual The members of this type range across all class and racial lines, but they tend to come from the middle class and to hold positions that they try to protect by 16 concealing their homosexuality. They have double lives. One is what so-called by “normal” life, the other is homosexual life. People who are included in this type are extremely skilled at camouflage and at “passing” as straight. They generally prefer subdued clothes, and maintain a suitably conservatives appearance. Often they are married but their partner and also people around them never know about their homosexuality. Only a few close friends, their lovers, and occasionally their psychotherapists know about their homosexuality. However, living in continuing fear of detection and possible social sanctions often adds to their adjustive problems. iv. The Adjust Homosexual The members of this type accept their homosexuality. They have normal job and act as like normal people, and most of them also settle down or live in a homosexual community and usually belongs to a group of homosexual friends. Some of them are trying to build a steady and real relationship, moreover they even get married to homosexual partner. v. The Situational Homosexual There are various situations in which an individual engage in homosexual behavior without any deep homosexual commitment. As the example, both males and females may engage in homosexuality in prisons and other institutions, but such individuals usually resume heterosexual behavior on their release. Some prisoners act as homosexual prostitutes. They may merely engage in homosexual practices for the only reason, economic advantages. vi. The Homosexual Prostitutes 17 This type engages in homosexual only for money and materials. vii. The Bisexual This type engages in both homosexual and heterosexual practices during a sustained period of their lives. All the theories about the types of homosexual which are mentioned above can be applied to facilitate the reader to analyze the type of Otoko’s homosexuality. This study uses the theory of secret homosexual to do the analysis of Otoko’s homosexuality.

b. The Causal Factors of Homosexuality

There are some possible conditions which may contribute to the development of homosexuality. In his book, Coleman states three possible causal factors may contribute the development of homosexuality. Those are biological factor which consists of genetic and hormonal factors, psychosocial factor which consists of negative conditioning of heterosexual behavior, homosexual experience and its positive reinforcement, family patterns, and general socio-cultural factors, and interactionist factor which draws upon both biological and psychosocial factors Coleman, 1976: 101-103. a Biological Factor Biological factor is factor where homosexuality are the result of some characteristic of the physical organism, such a person’s ratio of male hormone androgen and female hormone estrogen. The imbalance of the hormones might be 18 caused by gene patterns inherited from the parents. Although there is a possibility that homosexuality is caused by genetic and hormonal factors, but the truth of this statement still be doubtable and quentionable. Many studies that had been done, however, have produced widely differing results, and also no agreement has been reached on the truthfulness of this statement. b Psychosocial Factor Psychosocial stands for psychological-social. It refers to the quality of an individual’s relationship with other people during that person’s childhood and adolescence that find out whether the person becomes homosexual or heterosexual or maybe that person will change into asexual who is not interested to all physical love making. As Coleman said, “A variety of circumstances may lead to conditioning in which heterosexual behavior becomes an aversive stimulus” Coleman, 1976: 595. i Negative conditioning of heterosexual behavior An individual may shifts from heterosexual behavior to homosexual behavior because bad experiences which are causing severe stress thus lead on trauma with hisher previous heterosexual partner. It has been proved by the findings of the study of homosexuals that has been done by the Institute for Sex research: Preliminary findings in the study of homosexuals being carried out by the Institute for Sex Research showed that some lesbians shifted from heterosexual to homosexual behavior after disillusioned with their heterosexual partners. Coleman, 1976: 595