Sexual behavior vs sexual orientation (homosexuals, choice, experience, sex)

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Are heterosexual/homosexual commintities defined by the sexual acts each community practices? Does what you do, what you have done, define you sexually?

If this is so, how do you define the group that commits sexual acts common to both communities.

[michel]

They are defined by orientation.

If they were defined by "They are defined by the behaviors each practices" a) Homosexuals would be 'practicing a choice' (which I am convinced they are not), and pervertions (OK, a bit strong, but I basically mean deviations from the norm) such as bestiality, adultery, pedophilia sex acts I do not belive to be orientations.

[EnhancedSpirit]

The word homosexual is a manmade word. Was it made to describe someone orientation or actions? I say orientation. I would describe myself as a hetrosexual female, I love men, I prefer to have sex with a man. But I have been in love with a couple of women, and had sexual experiences with them. I look at beautiful women just as much as I look at handsome men, not for sexual purposes, but to appreciate beauty. Do my actions make me homosexual? I do not think so, but someone else might think so. IF someone wants to point a finger and call me bisexual that doesn't bother me. It just means I love twice as many people, twice as much as my accuser.

If action is what counts, then my dog is homo as well, she humps anything that will be still long enough for her to get into position.

[Sunstone]

Words usually have more than one meaning. I personally use "homosexual" almost exclusively to refer to people of a particular sexual orientation. But I've heard the word used (albeit rarely) to refer to someone who has had homosexual sex, even though their sexual orientation was probably heterosexual. The meaning of words is the meaning people give them, so that's a legitimate use of "homosexual", although a potentially confusing one.