9781422283837

14 STAY I NG MENTAL LY HE ALTHY

There is no simple answer to this question because “normal” is an extremely difficult word to define. Likewise, the ways in which same- sex attraction and gender identity have been regarded over the course of history have dramatically changed—and continue to evolve.

Historical Views on Homosexuality

In the eleventh century, Saint Peter Damien introduced the term sodomy. It was taken from the biblical story of Sodom, where the sinful behavior of the inhabitants led to the destruction of the city. The word became commonly used to refer to a particular type of sexual intercourse be- tween two men. In Europe, and later in America, sodomy was consid- ered a crime based on biblical law.

In the 1800s, German lawyer Karl Heinrich

Ulrichs was one of the first to speak out on behalf of LGBT people.