Sexuality is one of the oldest entity as human being exist. It is an enchanting public issues.

There are a lot of materials show the ancient Greece related to the issues of sexuality. Some related with the celebration, and it was approved. Sexuality is corellated with the religious ritual. Greek Gods, such as Zeus, had stories of same sex exploits attributed to them, as did other key figures in Greek myth and literature, such as Achilles and Hercules.[1]

Homosexualism over History and Civilization

The ancient Greeks did not have contemporary dichotomy of heterosexual and homosexual concept. In the ancient Greece, even a married man or a man with relationship with woman, female lover, he also engaged with other man sexually as well. The ancient Greek did not distinguish sexual desire or behaviour by the gender of the participiants. It was based on the role of the participant had in the sex act, active pentrator or passive penetrated. The active penetrative was associated with masculinity, higher social status, and adulthood, whilts the passive was associated with the femininity, lower social status, and youth.

It was common that adult man had same-sex relationship with older man or an adolescent youth. The minimum age was twelve years old. When the adolescent youth grew his body hair, it was the time he is considered as a man. The relationship must be ended then.

Based on history, there were some men noted for the interest of same-sex. Alexander the Great and the founder of Stoicism, Zeno of Citium, were known for their interest in other men.

In pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyah), homosexuality act was common act. It was so common among the Arabs.

John Boswell in his Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality argues that many passages takes as condem nations of homosexuality are more concerned with prostitution, or where same-sex acts are described as “unnatural” the meaning is more a kin to ‘out of the ordinary’ rather than as immoral[2].

Justinian’s Code stated that persons who engaged in homosexual sex were to be executed, although those who were repentant could be spared. That is why in the old times people who conducted homosexuality usually hide it from the society as there was no tolerance through it.

It is different today. Homosexuality is not a taboo to show off and to be talked publicly now. It is talked everywhere. Someone could show his/her sexual orientation openly. In the reason of human’s right, they also have the same-rights as others.

Gay or lesbian. Two terms used to refer the person who engages the homosexual act. Gay refers to a same-male-interested while lesbian is used for same-woman.

As iphis and Ianthe, both women fell in love each other but doubt to express it at first. But, as tim eis changing they are brave enough to show it.

Telethusa, a pregnant women, never stop praying to the God and Goddeses, asking for a baby boy, since her husband demanded her to bear a son or he will kill the baby. Isis, the Mother of Goddess, Goddess of Fertility granted that everything would be okay. No worry about the delivery and the baby.

When the due time is arrived, the worse thing comes. What Telethusa worries become a real. She gives birth a baby girl. She hides the reality and raises the new born as a boy. She names her Iphis. A suit name for both baby boy and baby girl.

Refusal towards a daughter is not a myth. In the pre-Islamic era, a father would bury alive his baby girl/daughter because it was believed that a daughter only would bring disgrace to her father (parent). A daughter has no use in patriarchal system. No sin to be needed to do this action.

(And when the female buried alive shall be questioned: for what sin was she killed?)

[81:8-9]

Another problem encounters. The girl Iphis falls into the same sex, Ianthe. With Juno’s mercy, Iphis becomes a man.

[1] Homosexuality. Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

[2] ibid