Homosexuality

Homosexuality, sexual attraction to persons of one's own sex. Female homosexuality is called lesbianism. Although many theories have tried to account for homosexuality as a deviation from the norm, in 1975 the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. Homosexuality was widely accepted in ancient Greece, and there have been prominent homosexuals throughout history. However, legal persecution and public censure have forced homosexuals to live restricted and secret lives. In the United States hostility towards and discrimination against homosexuals remains widespread. Since the 1960s the gay rights movement has fought vocally for housing, employment, and other rights. In the 1980s the AIDS epidemic provided an excuse for a new rise in anti-homosexual attitudes. Homosexual acts between consenting adult and conducted in private remain illegal in many states, although they are rarely prosecuted.