Much of the theory on the development of sexual orientation has been dominated by perspectives conditioned by heterosexist attitudes about the development of affectional differences. New theoretical perspectives on the development of lesbians and gay men are needed because the conceptual vacuum that currently exists poses serious problems in the understanding of such women's and men's lives. The difficulty in developing theory is a result of the nature of the phenomenon, complex lives changing over time, and the inevitable social and political consequences of models. For example, many gay activists and sympathetic observers prefer biological ...