#sexuality

Polly ended her lesson with the words she lived by: man is tender by nature, the rest is invented. Everyone applauded, even Bernice who was relieved that it was finally over. ↗

— K. Ford K.

#romance #sexuality #the-concubine-s-gift #love

The root of heterosexual fear of male homosexuality is in the fact that anyone might be gay. Straight men aren't threatened by a flamboyant faggot because they know they aren't like that; they're threatened by a guy who's just like they are who turns out to be queer. ↗

— Vito Russo

#men

Homosexual,' generally used in scientific works is of course a bastard word. 'Homogenic' has been suggested, as being from two roots, both Greek, i.e., 'homos,' same, and 'genos,' sex. ↗

— Edward Carpenter

#homosexuality #terminology #men

Sexuality is general, and although only one man may be receiving the favors of a woman, all men in her presence are warm. That's the great generosity of women and the great generosity of the creator who worked it out that way, that there are no unilateral agreements of sexuality. ↗

— Leonard Cohen

#men

Oferecer o corpo como objeto agradavável, dar gratuitamente prazer: é isso o que os ocidentais não sabem mais fazer. Perderam totalmente o senso da doação. Podem até se esforçar, mas não conseguem mais sentir o sexo como algo natural. Não apenas têm vergonha dos próprios corpos, que não estão à altura dos que vemos nos filmes pornôs, mas também, pelo mesmo motivo, não sentem nenhuma atração pelo corpo do outro. É impossivel fazer amor sem um certo abandono, sem a aceitação ao mesmo tempo temporária de um certo estado de dependência e fraqueza. A exaltação sentimental e a obsessão sexual têm a mesma origem, as duas nascem de um certo esquecimento de si mesmo; neste terreno, a gente não pode se realizar sem se perder. As pessoas se tornam frias, racionais, extremamente conscientes da sua existência individual e dos seus direitos (...) realmente não são as condições ideais para fazer amor". ↗

— Michel Houellebecq

#sexuality #nature

Pain, too, comes from depths that cannot be revealed. We do not know whether those depths are in ourselves or elsewhere, in a graveyard, in a scarcely dug grave, only recently inhabited by withered flesh. This truth, which is banal enough, unravels time and the face, holds up a mirror to me in which I cannot see myself without being overcome by a profound sadness that undermines one's whole being. The mirror has become the route through which my body reaches that state, in which it is crushed into the ground, digs a temporary grave, and allows itself to be drawn by the living roots that swarm beneath the stones. It is flattened beneath the weight of that immense sadness which few people have the privilege of knowing. So I avoid mirrors. ↗

— Tahar Ben Jelloun

#eating-disorder #eating-disorders #mirrors #poetry #self-esteem

Disapproval of homosexuality cannot justify invading the houses, hearts and minds of citizens who choose to live their lives differently. ↗

— Harry A. Blackmun

#choose #citizens #differently #disapproval #hearts

In terms of sexual orientation I don't really feel I've changed. I don't feel there was a hidden part of my sexuality that I wasn't aware of. I'd been with men all my life, and I'd never fallen in love with a woman. But when I did, it didn't seem so strange. ↗

— Cynthia Nixon

#been #changed #did #fallen #feel

I just feel my sexuality is private. I'm very shy about being sexy. That part of me has been so closed to the public eye. I've sold millions of records with my clothes on. ↗

— Brandy Norwood

#been #being #closed #clothes #eye

The Jews have never been ashamed of being Jews, whereas homosexuals have been stupid enough to be ashamed of their homosexuality. ↗

— Rainer W. Fassbinder

#been #being #enough #homosexuality #homosexuals