Homosexuality

**Homosexuality** is a sexual orientation. A homosexual person is romantically or sexually attracted to people of their own gender. Men who are romantically or sexually attracted to other men are called gay. Women who are romantically or sexually attracted to other women can be called gay as well, but are usually called lesbians. People who are romantically or sexually attracted to men *and* women are called bisexual. There is not much evidence that the social environment is a cause of homosexuality.

Doctors used to treat gay people as if they had mental illnesses. However, homosexuality is no longer called a disease by doctors in many countries. There are some religious and non-religious groups who still try to 'cure' homosexuality. This is sometimes called 'conversion therapy'. In therapies like this one, homosexual individuals have tried to become heterosexual and have even claimed they were changed, but most people do not believe it is possible. A homosexual person can be fired from a job because they are gay, even if they are a good worker. Homosexual people can be denied renting a home or being able to eat in a restaurant because of their sexual orientation.

In some countries, homosexual people can experience violence. For example, Islamic law is used in some places to kill homosexuals or place them in jail. Some groups believe over 4,000 homosexual people have been killed in Iran since 1979 because of their sexual orientation. In 2005, after fourteen months of prison and torture, two teenage boys were hanged in Iran for homosexuality.

In modern times, homosexuality has become more accepted in Western countries. Most western countries have laws that protect homosexuals from violence and discrimination.

In the United Kingdom, homosexuality used to be a crime. Oscar Wilde, the famous Irish writer was imprisoned for it, and as a result, it destroyed his reputation and career as a wit and playwright. Alan Turing, the man who helped the Allies in World War II by breaking the Enigma Code used by the Germans, was convicted of this crime and according to some speculations he ultimately killed himself over the effects of the attempt to cure his homosexuality.

Today in the United Kingdom, homosexual people are safer. Homosexual sex between adults is not a crime. Gay and lesbian couples can marry. Gay people can be in the military.

In most of the world, homosexual people still do not have the same rights and freedoms that heterosexuals have.

## Homosexual behaviour in animals
s in the New York Central Park Zoo (similar to the picture) became known internationally because they live as a couple. Later they were given an egg that needed hatching and care. They successfully cared for and hatched the egg.]]
Homosexual behaviour has also been seen in animals. Homosexual, transgender and bisexual behaviour includes sex, courtship, , pair bonding, and parenting. Homosexual behaviour is widespread among animals. Bruce Bagemihl did research in 1999. It shows that homosexual behaviour has been observed in close to 1500 species, from primates to gut worms, and is well documented for 500 of them. The sexual behaviour of animals takes many different forms, even within the same species. The motivations for these behaviours are only partly known, mainly because the respecive species has not been fully studied yet. According to Bagemihl, "the animal kingdom [does] it with much greater sexual diversity—including homosexual, bisexual and nonreproductive sex—than the scientific community and society at large have previously been willing to accept."

## Related pages
* Heterosexuality
* Bisexuality
* Pansexuality
* Asexuality
* Antisexuality

## References 
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## Other websites 
There are national and international groups or organizations for the LGBT community. These organizations are often political. They fight for the rights and safety of homosexuals.

Some of the more important political organizations are:
* The International Lesbian and Gay Association
* The Human Rights Campaign
* *GLAAD*, The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation 
* Stonewall UK
* The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission 
* Egale Canada