What Makes A Person A Homosexual Or

A Heterosexual? Essay, Research Paper

What makes a person a homosexual or a heterosexual? To many of us it is specifically the fact that if one has sexual intercourse with another from their own sex they are considered to be a homosexual. If one is to have sexual relations with the opposite sex, they are considered to be a heterosexual. What if someone has sex with both of the genders? This type of person is to be considered a bisexual. My question is if these standards hold true in all cases? If a woman is pushed away by the male gender, such as Celie was by her father and Albert, and experiments sexual acts with another woman does this still classify her as a lesbian? Or is she to be considered a bisexual? Maybe, she could even be considered a heterosexual. I believe those years of abuse towards Celie, from her father and her husband drove her away from the male sex. They gave her nothing but pain and anguish, which caused her to become bitter towards males and the idea of heterosexuality. Both men brought her nothing but pain, so how can you blame Celie for having a sexual affair with another woman. In The Color Purple, Alice Walker, portrays Celie as a lesbian, however it is not because she has sexual relations with woman, it is because she has been driven away by the male gender due to the abuse she suffered through as a child to an adult.

As a child Celie was constantly harassed and abused by her father, Fonso. We see in the beginning of the novel that ?Celie?s dad is expressed with bad imagery. He shows this by raping Celie, and beating her?(Jefferson 1). As a small girl Celie was unable to defend herself from her fathers never ending torture. It was brought to our attention that Fonso would use Celie for sex in the first letter that Celie wrote to God:

?Just say you gonna do what your mammy couldn’t. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggled it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my *censored*. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and get used to it?( Walker1-2 ).

It is evident that Celie was held against her will and raped on many different occasions. The idea of sex to her is lie on the bed while the man does what ever he wants to due. Sex to her was something that was expected, it was never intended for her pleasure it was only for Fonso. Not only would Fonso abuse Celie physically he would also abuse her mentally, telling her that she was ugly, fat, and dirty to Albert trying to sell her instead of Nettie:

? She ain’t fresh tho, but I spect you know that. She spoiled. Twice. And she big already; She ugly. But she ain’t no stranger to hard work. You can do everything just like you want to and she ain’t gonna make you feed it or clothe it; She ugly. Don’t even look like she kin to Nettie. But she?ll make the better wife. She ain’t smart either, and I?ll just be fair, you have to watch her or she?ll give away everything you own. But she can work like a man? ( 9 ).

This statement by Fonso proves the point that no respect or love was shown towards Celie. She was a piece of property that was currently owned by Fonso, he could do whatever he wanted to do at anytime. At this point in Celie?s life she is already afraid of men, and looking at woman as tender creatures: ? I don?t even look at mens. That?s the truth. I look at women, tho, cause I?m not scared of them? ( 6 ). Even at the age of fourteen, young Celie is deathly afraid to even look at a man. Stated from George Stade, ?men are pretty, spiteful, ?hurtful,? and treacherous?(Stade 264). The only comfort that she is able to find is in the eyes of woman, Nettie. Women don?t abuse other women, they cherish one another and are capable of fully understanding what the others are going through.

The marriage Celie and Albert shared was nothing off of what she had to endure at home with Fonso. Celie?s role was once again clear to her, obey her master at all costs. Just as it was with Fonso Celie was constantly being hit and raped. Having sex with Albert was never a positive moment for Celie. There was never love involved, it was basically Albert doing whatever he wanted to do. Celie explains to Shug the chore of having sex with Albert:

?Mr.___ can tell you, I don?t like it at all. What is it like? He git up on you, heist your nightgown round your waist, plunge in. Most times I pretend I ain?t there. He never know the difference. Never ast me how I feel, nothing. Just do his business, get off, go to sleep?(Walker 81).

Celie has just explained to Shug how she has never experienced pleasure with herself, not even with Albert. The man never even asked her how she felt. The relationship that Celie and Albert had was one of a take-take relationship, instead of a give-take relationship. Albert always instructed Celie to do things instead of asking her impute on situations. Even on their wedding night, barely knowing Albert at all, was forced to have sex with him. Through all of the horrible events that are taking place before her eyes Celie still thinks positive thoughts. However, it is only through the realization that Shug Avery has also had sex with Albert. Again Celie shows us that she is doing what the man says, and fanaticizing about what a woman could do for her. When Albert notices that Shug has returned, Celie was just as excited as Albert to see her back: ?Shug Avery i