6-02-06, 10:24 am

Concerning the issue of AIDS, it is important to share the experiences and judgment of the distinguished sexologist Celestino Vasallo Mantilla, a doctor in medical sciences and chief of the Sexology Department of Calixto Garcia Hospital’s medical school in Havana.

Dr. Vasallo notes that “sexuality is very complex, as are the issue sexual preferences and orientation. Though these are now widely discussed, they should not be considered contemporary problems – they have always existed. We are traditionally familiar with heterosexuality, or sexual relations between a man and a woman, but we know that there was homosexuality since ancient times, among Greece and Rome’s upper classes. In those states it was accepted by that elite and intellectuals of the times.

“We can recall the stories of Julio Cesar’s and Alexander the Great’s armies, within which these kinds of relationships were allowed as legionaries remained away from their homes for long periods of time. We are also reminded of the thesis that heroes transmitted courage and other qualities to their subjects through sex. These myths and beliefs encouraged such relationships.

“There was also social and cultural acceptance of homosexuality in the 1960s. This resulted from “sexual liberation” and movements for gay and lesbian rights. No one continues to speak of homosexuality as an illness. Psychiatric science discounted that notion in the 1970’s. This issue is one of sexual preference, or —as it is usually called— “sexual orientation.”



Biological, Chromosomal and Gonadal Sex



Professor Vasallo asserts that “from humanity’s very beginning, people have been sexual and social beings, from their births to their deaths.”

“We can therefore talk about diverse theories of sexual origin, such as the biological one – since at the embryonic stage, an individual’s sex is determined as male or female owing to the existence of XY or XX chromosomes. Here, genetics play a fundamental role,” he maintains.

“This determination of one’s sex as a result of their chromosomes gives way to gonadal sex. When we are between 12 and 16 weeks old, our brain already has hormones flowing through it. These are androgynous hormones or testosterone within males, and progesterone or estrogen within females. These are produced by sexual glands, which determine anatomic and genital characteristics. This is the culmination of the prenatal embryonic process. According to studies carried out, due to the influence of these hormones in the brain, so-called male and female differentiation continues to take shape; this can predetermine whether an individual takes on sexual tendencies of one kind or another, while taking into consideration cultural influences.

“Of course, there could be chromosomal anomalies with anatomic and functional consequences,” says Dr. Vasallo.

The professor points to scientific research conducted after the Second World War on 100 homosexuals; they had been the offspring of malnourished women who had carried their pregnancies to term while in a concentration camp. It was discovered that chromosomal and gonadal sex inversion had taken place among the individuals studied. This decreased the testosterone levels of the men and increased the androgynous levels among the females.

“There were other theories, such as Freud’s ideas concerning the Oedipus and Electra complexes, relating to dependence upon one’s mother from a psychological point of view. It was also said that at certain stages of life and psychological development —adolescence— sexual orientation is already determined. Today, we know this is not so; from the social and cultural points of view, one’s mother, family and society determine a child’s sexual identity between the ages of three and five.

“The child identifies himself with a predetermined role: what is called social sex, or what is expected from them as a boy or girl. Today, if the boy or girl does not adequately behave in day care or at school, they say the boy is gay and the girl acts like a boy – they make fun of them.

“In my personal opinion, everything is predetermined by genetics, though there are social and cultural influences; these explain why people are heterosexual or have homosexual preferences.”



A Means of Measure



“People generally consider people to be homosexual or heterosexual, and do not accept a middle ground. However, Kinsey showed another variation though a study carried out in the past century on the behavior of American men and women. He described a scale ranging between 0 and 6, where 0 was principally heterosexual and 6 was predominantly homosexual. Kinsey noted how an individual could rank as follows:



- rank 1 (principally heterosexual, but at some time having had a homosexual relationship),

- rank 2 (principally heterosexual, but having had more than one homosexual relationship),

- rank 3 (where an individual practice the two relationships equally, or “bisexuals”),

- rank 4 (principally homosexual, but on more than one occasion has had heterosexual relations),

- rank 5 (principally homosexual, but has had a heterosexual relation)

- rank 6 (principally homosexual)



“Masters and Johnson accepted this scale in the 1960s, and nowadays all in the field of sexology are familiar with it.



Which is the Trigger?



“The trigger can be the other person —their physical, intellectual or emotional attraction— keeping in mind that sometimes a homosexual can have physical contact and not others. Then again, another can he can be with the other person, taking care of her or him, in a social-sexual relationship that satisfies them both.

“I had a heterosexual patient who came to my office for counseling because, unfortunately, he was feeling quite bad with guilt and fear. He had had a homosexual relation after a few drinks at a party and was now experienced anguish over the fact that other people knew what had happened. These cases require psychiatrists or sexologists; these professionals have to counsel and advise the patient that it is they themself who has to define their preference.

“I know a case of a heterosexual woman who had relations since her adolescence, but she changed partners quite often. It may have been that she liked “changing the situation,” but it also could have been that she was sexually unsatisfied. In this case, she found a friend that she felt attracted to, had sexual relations, and later the friend became her preference.

“With respect to bisexuals there are men who have married and lived a heterosexual life, only to later discover a homosexual relationship that is different and new at the same time. These can be like stories which sound like soap-opera tales.

AIDS, the Greatest Problem

“I think that the preference of the individual is a very important right. In the 1960s sexual liberation created favorable conditions for homosexuals and lesbians. Today however, people should be educated that the most common means of transmitting the HIV-AIDS virus is through men having sex with other men, whether they are ‘homosexuals’ or not, because there are many men who have sex with other men but do not consider themselves homosexuals.

“Unfortunately, studies say homosexuals are those who suffer most from AIDS transmission. In addition, drugs or alcohol abuse contribute to the problem, because these act on the individual’s consciousness so that they disregard certain precautions. Protection should always be present.

“In Cuban soap-operas, the theme of ignorance about AIDS has been presented recently. The dramatization’s character Amanda lacked basic knowledge about the disease. The show also dealt with the common illusion that “it’s not going to happen to me.” Regrettably, anyone can suffer the fate. To avoid it, we must ensure that sexual relationships are as organized as possible. If there is someone outside your partnership, you need to protect yourself.

“There are many people who are latent homosexuals; they do not have the opportunity to express it, but it could emerge at any moment.

“There are bisexual and homosexual marriages, despite society’s warning not to get married or even have kids.

“Additionally, percentage of bisexuals around the world is greater than that of homosexuals. According to studies, pure homosexuals are 4 to 7 percent of the population, though there are possibly more in certain societies. Bisexuals make up 11 to 15 percent —though some people say 20 percent— and heterosexuals are between 75 and 80 percent.

“What’s most important is HIV-AIDS prevention. This doesn’t mean people abstaining from sexual relationships; rather, people must be more concerned with protection and selection,” said Vasallo.