---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [A]t least since the late nineteenth…"
description: "\"“[A]t least since the late nineteenth century when the primary role in categorising sexual behaviour and naming what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘perverse’..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/richard-dunphy-49790_gay_a-t-least-since-the-late-nineteenth-cent_2495448.jpg"
---

#  \[A\]t least since the late nineteenth century when the…

![“[A]t least since the late nineteenth century when the primary role in categorising sexual behaviour and naming what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘perverse’ passed, in most industrial societies, from the religious to the medical and scientific professions, we have lived with the notion of distinct…” quote by Richard Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/richard-dunphy-49790_gay_a-t-least-since-the-late-nineteenth-cent_2495448.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/richard-dunphy-49790_gay_a-t-least-since-the-late-nineteenth-cent_2495448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/richard-dunphy-49790_gay_a-t-least-since-the-late-nineteenth-cent_2495448.jpg)

> ““\[A\]t least since the late nineteenth century when the primary role in categorising sexual behaviour and naming what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘perverse’ passed, in most industrial societies, from the religious to the medical and scientific professions, we have lived with the notion of distinct categories of people labelled ‘homosexual’ and ‘heterosexual’. (The category ‘homosexual’ was coined by the Viennese writer Karol Benkert in 1869, ‘heterosexual’ emerging somewhat later.) Since that time, new discourses have tried to establish the male ‘homosexual’ as a distinct type of person - as opposed to same-sex attraction or same-sex acts being seen as a potential in everyone. As Peter Tatchell \[‘It’s Just a Phase: Why Homosexuality is Doomed’, in Simpson (ed.), Anti-Gay, London: Cassell. 1996\] puts it, ‘prior to that time … there were only homosexual acts, not homosexual people … \[For\] the medieval Catholic Church … homosexuality was not … the special sin of a unique class of people but a dangerous temptation to which any mortal might succumb. This doctrine implicitly conceded the attractiveness of same-sex desire, and unwittingly acknowledged its pervasive, universal potential””

[Richard Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dunphy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage outlines how modern societies historically categorized sexual behavior into “homosexual” and “heterosexual,” tracing the terms’ origins and noting that earlier views saw only acts, not identities, and that same‑sex desire was considered a universal temptation.

**In simple terms:** Historical labels for sexual orientation emerged, shifting from behavior to identity.

Key Takeaway

Recognize that sexual categories are socially constructed and fluid.

Themes

history sexuality social constructs identity formation

Mood

analytical critical thought‑provoking

Type

academic explanatory

When to use this quote

- gender studies
- sociology
- psychology
- human rights advocacy

Key Concepts

categorization medicalization cultural shift identity politics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do cultural contexts shape sexual identity?
- What implications does labeling have for personal identity?

A Different Perspective

The analysis may overlook non‑Western perspectives and contemporary fluid identities.

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[Categorising Sexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categorising-sexual-1007381/) [Category Homosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/category-homosexual-1007384/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Heterosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual/) [Heterosexual Category](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual-category-1007380/) [Homosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) [Homosexual Coined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual-coined-1007382/) [Homosexual Distinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual-distinct-1007383/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Lesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesbian/) [Same-sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same-sex/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Type of person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type-of-person/)

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