human sexuality 5

Recently, some religious organizations have taken stands on specific issues regarding sexual orientation. Why are issues of sexual orientation of such significance to religious bodies? Is it possible to encourage tolerance for people who are different from oneself without weakening one’s own firmly held moral stance on an issue? Why or why not?
Why is sexual orientation a master status for many gays, lesbians, and bisexuals? Is this master status more closely associated with how people perceive themselves or how other people perceive them? How do macro-level social structures in society contribute to microlevel patterns of human behavior?