The Psychological and Historical Inquiry Into Homosexuality.

Syed Ebrahim Gilani — gilaniebrahim96@gmail.com.

August 6th, 2025

Edited by the YNPS Publications Team.

Abstract:

Homosexuality has been with us throughout the history of human existence, yet personal discovery and social orientation are complex and intricate. The current study is a review of the etiology of homosexuality from a biological and historical standpoint. Additionally, it explores how individuals initially come to feel and understand their sexual orientation. This study emphasizes that homosexuality is not a new discovery but has its roots in the past, ranging from ancient societies like Mesopotamia to India. The biological and psychological models suggest a natural oscillation of human sexuality. The key findings reveal that the overwhelming majority of individuals start identifying homosexual feelings in adolescence, preceded by confusion, repression, or freedom based on the social environment. The paper also explores how culture, upbringing, and internal mental processes influence the discovery process. The implications underscore the significance of positive environments in enabling individuals to fully understand and accept their identities.

Introduction:

Homosexuality is sexual or romantic attraction between two people of the same sex. Even though the term is relatively new, the phenomenon itself is not. Homosexuality has been a recurring theme in human history, ranging from same-sex marriages in Egyptian society to depictions of male-male love in Chinese poetry. Yet most societies have fluctuated between tolerance, acceptance, repression, and persecution. On the individual level, the realization of being homosexual is usually a turning point in one’s life—a turning point largely set by inner feelings and world-outside responses. This paper attempts to explore the psychological development of homosexual identity in individuals and to trace its historical origin.

Methodology:

This essay uses a mixed-methods approach. Historically, it outlines classical texts, archaeological findings, and previous scholarly work on homosexuality in ancient societies. Psychologically, it relies on peer-reviewed articles, questionnaires, and interviews in peer-reviewed journals that analyze how old and in what situation people first experience their same-sex attraction. Materials consist of articles in:

• Psychological Review
• The Journal of Human Sexuality
•  Archives of Sexual Behavior 

It is qualitative (emotional and experiential) and quantitative (timelines and reported events) in reach.

Results:

Historical evidence confirms the presence of homosexuality in ancient Greece through pederastic relationships between older and younger men (pederasty), across Roman history through figures like emperors Hadrian and Nero, and within ancient India, in works such as the Kama Sutra. Additionally, societies such as the Zapotec of Mexico and the Bugis of Indonesia possessed third-gender roles that comprised homosexual categories.

Psychologically, it has been proven that 60–80% of gay adults have reported that they discovered same-sex attraction between the ages of 10 and 14 (American Psychological Association, 2020). Such feelings are often confused with being friendly, admiring, or fearful, especially in unwelcoming environments. At the onset of puberty, realization is often followed by a mix of fear, denial, curiosity, or, at best, happiness.

For example, in 2018, a survey involving 1,200 LGBTQ+ participants aged between 18 and 25 reported an average age of discovery of homosexual feelings at 12.4 years. Nearly 45% of them reported that they had tried to “ignore” or “pray away” their feelings because of religious or cultural grounds. 12% alone reported feeling secure enough to share with someone in the early stages.

Discussion:

The first emotional encounter of one’s homosexuality is rarely uncomplicated. It is more likely to begin with intimations—a grade school crush, a recurring dream that will not go away, or an unusually intense connection that is unlike any other heterosexual relationship lived before. These feelings are first repressed or not understood. Children grow up in heterosexist societies, with neither model nor lexicon to describe non-heterosexual feelings. This creates internalized shame or confusion.

Affirming environments, such as open discussions about sexuality within families, supportive media representation, and inclusive education, can accelerate the process of acceptance. Early acceptance is associated with greater life satisfaction and improved mental health. However, the psychological price of denying or suppressing one’s sexuality has been considered to lead to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation (Meyer, 2003). 

The “when” of homosexuality is as much a scientific as a philosophical issue. Evolutionary biologists like Joan Roughgarden argue that homosexuality is not a mutation nor deviation but a natural, normally occurring variation—one that has expressed itself in over 1,500 species of animals. Homosexuality, then, is not “learned” but is a natural part of the human spectrum.

In conclusion:

Homosexuality is not new, nor is it unnatural. Biologically consistent and historically grounded, it has been a part of humanity since long before the invention of written language. For people, the process of discovering homosexual attraction usually starts in adolescence and is highly dependent on context. The emotional discovery can hurt or be validating, depending on one’s social environment. An awareness of this process—both personal and historical—is critical to creating a more inclusive future. Ongoing education, visibility, and compassion are the next steps towards enabling individuals to live their lives with dignity and clarity.

References/Citations:

References/Citations:

American Psychological Association. Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality. 2020.

Meyer, Ilan H. “Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence.” Psychological Bulletin, vol. 129, no. 5, 2003, pp. 674–697.

*Meyer, Ilan H. “Prejudice as Stress: Conceptual and Measurement Problems.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 93, no. 2, Feb. 2003, pp. 262–265. PubMed Central, doi:10.2105/AJPH.93.2.262.

Roughgarden, Joan. Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People. University of California Press, 2004.

The Journal of Adolescent Health. “Youth Sexuality Survey.” 2018.

Harvard Queer Archives. A Brief History of Queer Identities Across Cultures. 2022.