Society & Culture

Coming out is an important and still courageous act, even in 2013. It serves multiple purposes and carries multiple meanings. Since Collins is the first male athlete to come out while still active in one of the four major professional sports leagues, the revelation is historic in a material way. This idea of Collins as a role model and public figure is very important and the concept of identity is a significant element in Collins' story. Collins' declaration affirms the compatibility of aspects of his identity: elite athlete, black and gay. It also asserts all three are important and can harmoniously coexist. It's meaningful because he is breaking new cultural ground. Athletes are icons in American popular culture and help to uphold traditional ideals of masculinity. Collins' coming out counters the dominant schema and redefines that sets those icons of masculinity apart from the image many Americans have of gay men. Collins' story is really a continuation of existing social trends, thanks to Harvey Milk who laid the groundwork for tennis superstar Martina Navratilova who enabled Jason Collins, who will in turn inspire many others. As Collins says in his Sports Illustrated interview, "I'll lead by example and show that gay players are no different from straight ones. Being genuine and honest makes me happy."

Wide-eyed expressions that typically signal fear seem to enlarge our visual field making it easier to spot threats at the same time they enhance the ability of others to locate the source of danger, according to new research.

When trying to make a love connection in just under five minutes, speed daters need to remember that it might be what you say, not what you look like, that matters most, in true courtship.

Your boss and co-workers may be more important than your morals in deciding whether or not you report unethical behavior at work study says.

Psychopaths show less activity in areas of the brain linked to empathy when they view images of people in distress, a study shows.

In the wake of recent mass shootings such as the one in Newtown, Conn., U.S. physicians are increasingly being called on to pass judgment in the permitting process on whether their patient is physically and mentally competent to safely have and use a concealed weapon. With no medical training in weapons or how to make a determination of competence to use a weapon, experts argue that standards, protocols and new policies are needed for physicians to adequately assess a patient’s physical or mental competency in gun permitting.

Children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use screen-based media, such as television and video games, more often than their typically developing peers and are more likely to develop problematic video game habits. Video games are seen as rewarding because they are visually engaging, and do not require face-to-face communication or social interaction. Researchers advise that parents need to be aware that children with ASD may have problems disengaging from these games.

The higher the man's testosterone level, the more he engages in macho overcompensation when their masculinity is threatened or provoked. New sociological study has found that male insecurity is the reason for warmongering and homophobia.

Can the Catholic Church just come out of the closet already so they do not need to be stress and spend too much money on public relations in hiding the obvious? The Vatican’s department of missionary activities recently paid $35 million to house its officials within a building that also contains Europa Multiclub. Prefect Emeritus, Cardinal Ivan Dias, one of the priestly residents of the building next to Italy's top erotic gay sauna said "gays and lesbians can be cured of their "unnatural tendencies" through the "sacrament of penance". "Sacrament of penance". Sounds like those who are into BDSM on a missionary position would say.

Animals have helped sculpt human societies throughout history, but they are not getting proper credit for their influence, says sociologists. The study was to show that animals influence the historical development of societies, and that the actual characteristics of animals, not just the meaning humans make of them, matter, It is a very important study as not only does the social construction of animals affect their fate and the way people treat them, but also the material properties of animals affect ours, conditioning the social being and the consciousness of a people.

Children as young as 3 years old understand they should share with others, but they fail to follow this rule until age 7 or 8, according to a new study.

Most teens who fail to build strong, independent relationships with peers continue to have social and romantic issues into adulthood, a study shows.