Cypriot parents are more likely to accept their daughter’s homosexuality rather than their son’s, according to a Medical Centre of Sexual Health study.
The study, based on data collected over a period of eight years, shows that male homosexuality is more ‘taboo’ and less likely to be accepted by society compared to female homosexuality.
According to the Director of the Centre Thanos Askitis more than six in ten people who seek counselling, want to talk about matters of male homosexuality.
“Homosexual women will not experience the same rejection or pressure to ‘change’ from friends or family as homosexual men will, thus women are less likely to visit specialists to guide them or tell them how to manage their sexual orientation,” Askitis said.
Seven in ten parents (four in five mothers) that visit the Centre to discuss their child’s homosexuality, want to talk about their sons, Askitis added.
Mothers are the first to face their child’s coming out “as they are closer to them emotionally.” Also, mothers often ‘blame’ themselves for their child’s sexual orientation thinking that it is a result of their own mistakes. Additionally, mothers many times try to “protect the secret from the fathers,” who are less likely to visit specialists, feel to too ashamed to talk, get angry and ask for ‘change,’ Askitis notes.
However, in the long-term, the study says, fathers accept their child’s sexual orientation more maturely than mothers, who seem to break down and request the change of their sons’ sexual orientation.
Cypriot parents are ignorant about homosexuality and fear about the future of their children, as well as for their own as they believe that they will be socially stigmatised and rejected by their social circle if their child is homosexual, the study concludes.
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https://in-cyprus.com/news/local/expert-the-sexual-behaviour-of-cypriots/
