> At 06:58 PM 4/13/99 -0600, you wrote:
> > it is almost as if whites define themselves as whites through
> >negation - they are not black.
> >
> > rather like the way men define themselves as men - they don't have
> >feminine attributes.
> >
> > the way heterosexuals define themselves as heterosexuals - they
> >don't have homosexual relationships.
>
> While undoubtedly many whites, men, and heterosexuals define themselves
> this way, I'd be cautious about stating absolutes like these. There are 2
> billion men on the planet, with considerable variation among them. I
> imagine that there are well over 3 billion heterosexuals with diverse views
> of their sexuality. It's also likely that such views can change over time.
> That's certainly an assumption in the field of education where much effort
> is devoted to enlightenment along these lines.
>
> Peter
Indeed, it can be expected that SOME individuals, through exposure to such
concepts as ennumerated above may choose to buy-in to such notions,
picking the "as good as any" route. Others, of course, may take great
pains to develop some oppositional self-definition. I, for one, have
never considered either of these polar views. Adding fuel to the fire,
many sexologists subscribe to the notion, for instance, that
heterosexuality-homosexuality lie along a continuum; therefore, such
definitions cannot be conceived as polar opposites under such a construct.
+ Dan +
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