SEXUALITY: What’s it all about? A Presentation to 9th Graders by Kathleen Baker Saint Agnes Academy

Catholic school, Catholic mission Dean of Students B.A. in Theology; Master of Divinity; M.Ed. in Administration Who I am and Why I’m here…

MOVIES & TELEVISION How are sexual relationships and attitudes portrayed? How much is consistent with Catholic values?

Catholic teaching is often C O U N T E R C U L T U R A L: Goes against society or culture’s values

CATHOLIC FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF

HUMAN DIGNITY All people are made in God’s image. All people are by nature GOOD, by God’s design, no matter who they are or what they do. This goodness cannot be earned or lost.

Our choice: Be who we are…GOOD. Or Act against our good nature, choose against who we are, do evil. Human dignity…the freedom to choose….

To learn what it means to be good, Catholics turn to… Sacred Scripture Church Tradition

What’s it all about???

SEX… …something you do; an activity you choose SEXUALITY… …part of your identity; who you are

The Goal: …for your actions to match or be appropriate to who you are

SEXUALITY GENDER GENDER ROLE ORIENTATION

GENDER Male or female NOT chosen

GENDER ROLE IDENTITY Learned Refers to how you are supposed to live out your gender: what actions and attitudes are appropriate Taught by family, the society, ethnic group, religion Can vary from time period to time period

SEXUAL ORIENTATION Not chosen…discovered. Refers to one’s predominant emotional and sexual attraction 3 kinds: –Heterosexual…to opposite gender –Homosexual…to same gender –Bisexual…to both

HeterosexualHomosexual

SEXUAL ORIENTATION... Not fundamentally or primarily a tendency toward acts Psychosexual attraction toward particular persons A dimension of one’s personality

HETEROSEXUAL A person who sustains a PREDOMINANT, PERSISTENT, psychosexual, physical, and emotional attraction to the opposite sex.

HOMOSEXUAL A person who sustains a PREDOMINANT, PERSISTENT, psychosexual, physical, and emotional attraction to the same sex.

ALWAYS OUR CHILDREN by the U.S. bishops Every person has an inherent dignity because he or she is created in God’s image. One’s total personhood is not reducible to sexual orientation or behavior. To gay and lesbian children: You are a child of God, gifted and called for a purpose in God’s design.

STEREOTYPES Homosexual persons are attracted to ALL same-sex persons…not true! Homosexual persons are sexually promiscuous or pedophiles…not true!

Sexuality… is about who you are. Sexual Activity… is about what you CHOOSE to do.

SEXUAL INTEGRATION = Integrating sexuality into the total of who we are

Sexuality + Choices + GOD Possibility of chastity

CATHOLIC FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF

CHASTITY = the virtue of living out one’s sexuality according to God’s will is lived out differently according to vocational lifestyle and sexual orientation all are called to be chaste

Sex symbolizes: * God’s covenant love * God’s creative nature

CATHOLIC FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF

Sex in Marriage has 2 inseparable purposes: UNITIVE PROCREATIVE

UNITIVE PURPOSE expresses their mutual love expresses their permanent commitment expresses their faithfulness mirrors God’s faithful love

PROCREATIVE PURPOSE The sex act is open to co-creating new life with God, the Creator of all life The couple is open to the gift of children. The couple will try to be responsible parents if blessed with children.

What kinds of behaviors would violate the unitive purpose of marriage? What kinds of behaviors would violate the procreative purpose of marriage?

Fertility Cycle: designed by God with periods of fertility and periods of infertility

Church teaching: You can take advantage of the fertility cycle to try to delay having a child for responsible reasons Natural family planning

NFP is about choices… when to abstain from sex, when to engage in sex: periodic abstinence.

Contraceptives Not accepted by the Church used to block or alter the fertility cycle’s natural rhythms can also have dangerous side effects

CATHOLIC FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF

Human life begins at conception.

4 week fetus

8 week fetus

6 month fetus

Abortion Direct abortion is an action taken to intentionally destroy an embryo/fetus. It is always immoral.

Rape, Sexual Assault, Manipulation Forced sexual activity is always wrong. It is rape if someone takes advantage of someone who is drunk: the intoxicated person is not free to consent.

Drinking lessens one’s ability to think and to choose: don’t do it. Women tend to be more susceptible to alcohol. Be alert for “date rape drugs.”

Rape After-Care Do not take a shower. Go to the hospital and have a rape kit done. We can try to prevent pregnancy in this circumstance.

Certain drugs can be given to prevent pregnancy. A Catholic Hospital will try to determine ovulation, will give drugs to prevent pregnancy and infection; but will not give “morning after pill.” It’s not okay to cause abortion.

Chastity for Heterosexual Persons

Heterosexual Orientation Only one dimension of one’s sexuality and personhood Not chosen Inclines one toward acts that can be unitive and procreative if choices for chastity are made.

Heterosexual Activity Must respect both purposes of sex in order to be chaste To intentionally sexually arouse someone, if unmarried, is contrary to the purpose of sexual activity and is therefore “disordered.”

Premarital Sex?????? NO ! ! ! (So how far can we go?)

Not that far ! ! ! Would you be okay with parents seeing what you’re doing? Sr. Jane? Are you expressing affection or lust?

Do your actions make chastity harder for either of you? Don’t lead him on ! Women are cyclical… Men are not.

What are some behaviors that might make chastity harder for people your age?

Chastity for Homosexual Persons

Homosexual Orientation Only one dimension of one’s sexuality and total personhood Inclines one toward activity that cannot be procreative & is in that sense against God’s order or “disordered” Not chosen

Homosexual orientation cannot be sinful. Sin must be chosen: freely with knowledge deliberately. Orientation is not chosen.

Homosexual Activity Cannot be chaste because it cannot be open to procreation Homosexual persons can still have close friendships. Homosexuals deserve compassion because chastity is so difficult.

The Catholic Church reminds us that ANY MALICIOUS ACTS toward homosexuals or anyone else are always immoral.

What might be some difficulties that homosexual teens might encounter?

Difficulties homosexual teens might encounter... Fear that others might find out meanness or ugliness by others: homophobia silence about the subject: homosexuality as “taboo”

no one to talk to: isolation hard to connect with others like oneself the silence makes good role models hard to find hard to develop good self- concept

Homosexual teens show an increased rate of depression, suicide, alcohol abuse, and drugs.

Gays and lesbians are more likely to be verbally or physically attacked, or even killed.

MATTHEW SHEPARD What is it in our society that perpetuates the attitudes that makes this violence okay? Do you believe that the young men who committed this crime could have viewed Matthew Shepard as a fellow human being?

Two women, girlfriends of the perpetrators, stood and watched. Have you ever stood by and watched someone be harassed or insulted or hurt? Why didn’t they get involved?

SAA Policies/Catholic Teaching Respect all people. Help your friends do the same. It’s okay to disclose homosexual orientation in an appropriate manner. Seek guidance first.

It’s okay to claim symbols related to homosexual orientation because the orientation is not sinful. It’s not okay to use symbols or slogans to promote immoral behavior or to act contrary to Church teaching.

Final Thoughts for Students It’s hard to figure out sexual identity…a homosexual encounter may not mean the person is gay or lesbian. Seek support from a “safe” adult if you have questions.

Keep your own house clean: don’t judge others. Be supportive and help each other LIVE CHASTITY & RESPECT FOR ALL.