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Straight

Straight, also known as , is a characterized by relatively enduring patterns of emotional, romantic, or to individuals of the opposite . This orientation predominates across human populations, with empirical surveys consistently showing that the majority of adults—often exceeding 80-90% in representative samples—report exclusive or primary opposite-sex attractions and behaviors. Biologically rooted in and reproductive complementarity, heterosexuality facilitates natural propagation through the union of gametes, aligning with evolutionary pressures observed in mammalian including humans. Research attributes its development to a interplay of genetic, prenatal hormonal, and environmental factors, though twin studies indicate moderate without deterministic outcomes. In modern contexts, straight has drawn ideological critique under frameworks like heteronormativity, which frame it as a socially imposed rather than an empirically dominant trait, despite affirming its and stability in most individuals. Such debates often intersect with broader controversies in research, where political sensitivities have historically constrained inquiry into variations while underemphasizing heterosexuality's adaptive . Notwithstanding these, longitudinal evidence underscores that self-identified straight individuals typically exhibit low rates of same-sex attraction or behavior, distinguishing the orientation from spectrum-based fluidity models lacking robust replication.

Fundamental Meanings

Geometric and Mathematical

In , a straight line is a one-dimensional figure with no thickness or , extending infinitely in both directions and uniquely determined by any two distinct points. defined it as "a line which lies evenly between its end points," emphasizing uniformity along its length. This construct satisfies 's postulates, such as the ability to draw a straight between any two points and extend it indefinitely. Key properties include serving as the shortest path between two points in , where any deviation introduces greater length. Points lie on a straight line if they are collinear, meaning no three such points form a with positive area. In coordinate geometry, a straight line maintains a constant , expressed by the equation y = mx + c, where m is the and c the , ensuring uniform direction throughout. A straight angle measures precisely 180 degrees or \pi radians, formed by two rays sharing an and extending in opposite directions along a line. This equates to two adjacent right angles and contrasts with or acute angles by aligning fully with the line's direction. In broader , straight lines underpin concepts like parallelism, where two lines never intersect if separated by a constant , as per the parallel postulate.

Physical and Descriptive

In the physical sense, "straight" denotes the absence of curves, bends, angles, or irregularities in an object, path, or structure, representing a , . This property is fundamental in fields like and , where a —typically a rigid bar with precisely machined parallel surfaces—serves as a reference for and , ensuring accuracy within tolerances as fine as 0.001 inches for tools. Descriptively applied to human anatomy and appearance, "straight" characterizes features exhibiting linearity or erect alignment, often implying or aesthetic norms. For instance, straight hair consists of shafts that grow without natural curls or waves, resulting in a smooth, flat-lying due to the hair follicle's symmetrical shape, which contrasts with elliptical follicles producing wavy or coiled hair. Straight refers to an upright spinal alignment where the back remains unstooped, supporting balanced weight distribution and reducing strain on musculoskeletal structures; deviations, such as slouching, correlate with increased risk of chronic , as evidenced by ergonomic studies showing optimal posture maintains the natural , thoracic, and curves without excessive flexion. In dental contexts, straight teeth describe aligned where incisors, canines, and molars follow a parallel, non-overlapping arrangement, achievable naturally or via orthodontic intervention like braces, which apply controlled forces averaging 1-2 newtons to reposition teeth over 12-24 months. This alignment facilitates efficient mastication and minimizes risk, with misalignment affecting up to 90% of populations in untreated cases globally.

Metaphorical Extensions

Moral and Ethical Connotations

The metaphorical use of "straight" to denote moral uprightness and ethical stems from its literal sense of being undeviated, extended to describe conduct free from deceit or , with records of this application dating to the 1530s in English. This contrasts sharply with "crooked," which implies moral deviation or , reinforcing a of ethical straightness versus ethical bending. The phrase "straight and narrow" encapsulates this moral framework, referring to a life of , , and adherence to law-abiding norms, derived from biblical imagery in Matthew 7:14 (", and narrow is the way") adapted into modern idiom by the to signify disciplined virtue over licentiousness. Similarly, "straight arrow" characterizes a person devoted to clean living, , and straightforward dealings, originating in mid-20th century usage to praise unswerving ethical reliability without compromise. In ethical contexts, "straight" thus privileges directness in judgment and action, aligning with principles of rectitude—defined as moral straightness from Latin rectus (straight, right)—over oblique or self-serving maneuvers, as evidenced in historical associations with upright and fair . This usage underscores a causal in , where moral paths are seen as linear and predictable, deviating only through willful distortion, a view persistent in legal and philosophical texts emphasizing probity.

Conventionality and Normality

In metaphorical usage, "straight" signifies adherence to conventional norms, moral integrity, and undeviating conformity to societal expectations, extending from its literal sense of linearity and absence of curvature to imply uprightness and reliability. This connotation appears in phrases like "the straight and narrow," which denotes the path of ethical or law-abiding conduct, evolving from the biblical "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way" in Matthew 7:14, with "strait" (meaning narrow or restrictive) popularly supplanted by "straight" by the 19th century to emphasize direct moral progression. Historically, "going straight" emerged in early 20th-century American English to describe criminals reforming and abandoning illicit activities for lawful living, reflecting a transition from deviance to normative behavior, as documented in slang dictionaries from the period. Related terms include "straight-laced" (often variant of "strait-laced"), originating in the 17th century to critique individuals bound by rigid propriety, akin to tightly laced garments enforcing physical restraint as a metaphor for self-denial and conventional decorum. "Straight arrow," coined around the mid-20th century in U.S. vernacular, portrays a person of unswerving honesty and traditional values, evoking an arrow's direct flight path. In broader , "straight" contrasts with or , denoting someone conventional in , opinions, and habits—free from narcotics, unconventional pursuits, or deviation from standards—as seen in mid-20th-century usage where it implied and . This sense underscores a cultural valuation of predictability and alignment with prevailing social structures, though it can carry undertones of rigidity when critiquing overly conformist individuals. Empirical surveys of English dialects, such as those in the Oxford English Dictionary's historical corpus, confirm its persistence in denoting "normal" or unadorned straightforwardness across regions, with peaks in usage tied to post-World War II emphasis on societal reintegration.

Sexual Orientation

Definition and Historical Usage

In the context of human , "straight" refers to a pattern of enduring romantic, emotional, and primarily directed toward individuals of the opposite , typically facilitating reproductive pairing between males and females. This orientation aligns with observable biological imperatives for species propagation, as evidenced by cross-cultural patterns of mating behaviors documented in anthropological studies spanning millennia. The term is often used interchangeably with "heterosexual," though "straight" carries connotations of conformity to prevailing societal norms regarding sexual partnering. The usage of "straight" to denote heterosexual originated as within homosexual s in the early , contrasting those who adhered to conventional opposite-sex attractions with those identifying as homosexual. By 1941, a in George Henry’s Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns, a clinical compilation of case studies on non-heteronormative behaviors, explicitly defined "straight" as a term employed by homosexuals to mean "not homosexual," with "to go straight" indicating a cessation of homosexual activity in favor of heterosexual relations. This reflects an inversion where the majority was labeled from the perspective of a minority , drawing on broader English idioms like "straight and narrow" for moral rectitude or "straight" as unbent and direct, implicitly opposing archaic slurs such as "bent" for homosexual deviance dating back to at least the 19th . Prior to its adoption in sexual slang, "straight" lacked a specific denotation, appearing instead in general for or propriety, as in 14th-century usages for uncurved physical forms. Its sexual application proliferated post-World War II amid urban communities in the United States, where it signified escape from criminalized same-sex pursuits toward legally sanctioned heterosexual unions, amid a backdrop of psychiatric classifications pathologizing until 1973. By the mid-20th century, the term entered mainstream lexicon through media and literature, solidifying as a descriptor despite its subcultural roots, though some critiques note its reinforcement of norms without empirical challenge to innate attractions.

Biological and Genetic Basis

Heterosexual orientation, characterized by primary to individuals of the opposite sex, aligns with the evolutionary imperative for in humans, as evidenced by its near-universal prevalence across populations and its direct facilitation of propagation through opposite-sex mating. This reproductive adaptation is supported by and genetic records indicating that human ancestors, like other sexually reproducing , exhibited behaviors consistent with heterosexual pairing to ensure species continuity, with deviations appearing as rare variants rather than the norm. Twin studies provide empirical support for a genetic component in , including , with monozygotic twins showing significantly higher concordance rates for heterosexual orientation compared to dizygotic twins, suggesting heritability estimates ranging from 30% to 50% for overall orientation stability. For instance, in large-scale analyses of over 3,000 twin pairs, familial aggregation patterns indicate that clusters within families, implying shared genetic liabilities that predispose toward opposite-sex attraction as the modal outcome. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), while primarily identifying loci linked to same-sex (e.g., five significant variants in a of 477,522 individuals), underscore the polygenic nature of , where heterosexual outcomes predominate due to the cumulative effect of common alleles favoring reproductive fitness over rare variants associated with non-heterosexual traits. No single "heterosexual gene" exists; instead, emerges from the interplay of thousands of genetic variants, each with small effects, explaining why DNA alone predicts orientation with limited accuracy (8-25% variance attributable to ). Prenatal hormonal influences, particularly androgen exposure, play a critical role in establishing heterosexual orientation by sexually differentiating the during fetal , with typical levels organizing neural circuits for opposite-sex attraction in both males and females. Studies of , where females experience elevated prenatal androgens, reveal shifts toward male-typical behaviors but generally preserve heterosexual orientation, supporting the hypothesis that standard hormone profiles reinforce species-typical attractions essential for . Evidence from (2D:4D) proxies for prenatal testosterone exposure further correlates lower ratios (indicating higher exposure) with enhanced heterosexual responsiveness in males, while deviations correlate with atypical orientations. These biological mechanisms interact with genetic factors, as epigenetic modifications responsive to intrauterine hormones can modulate , contributing to the stability of heterosexual in the majority of individuals. Environmental postnatal influences modulate but do not override these foundations, as longitudinal data show orientation stability emerging by in most cases.

Prevalence and Stability

Heterosexual orientation predominates in population surveys, with approximately 85-86% of U.S. adults self-identifying as straight in 2024-2025 Gallup polls aggregating and web-based responses from over 12,000 adults annually. Globally, a 2021 survey across 27 countries found 80% of adults identifying as heterosexual, based on self-reports from over 19,000 respondents aged 16-74. These figures contrast with higher non-heterosexual identification among adolescents, such as 25.3% in U.S. aged 13-17 per 2019-2021 analyses of data, suggesting potential age-related reporting differences influenced by social or developmental factors. Self-identification metrics, while widely used, may reflect cultural shifts or response biases rather than innate prevalence, as physiological measures like genital arousal show greater consistency with majority heterosexual patterns in lab studies. Longitudinal research indicates high stability in heterosexual over time, particularly when assessed via consistent self-reports or objective metrics. In a 10-year study of over 2,000 U.S. adults from the MIDUS , the majority retained their baseline orientation, with heterosexual participants exhibiting fewer shifts than bisexual or homosexual ones, though exact percentages varied by and measurement wave. A seven-year of over 3,000 U.S. adults found monosexual identities (including heterosexual) more stable than plurisexual ones, with only 8.7% overall changing identities across waves from 2013-2019, implying over 90% retention for straights given their baseline majority. Stability exceeds 80% in multi-wave adolescent-to-adult tracking from the Add Health survey, where heterosexual youth were least likely to report changes over six years, though females showed modestly higher fluidity rates than males. Objective markers reinforce stability: genital arousal patterns in longitudinal assessments align more fixedly with heterosexual norms than self-reported identities, which can fluctuate due to recall or social desirability biases. Changes, when observed, often involve non-heterosexual groups or transient explorations, with reversion to heterosexual identification common in adulthood; for instance, early-adulthood tracking shows relative stability post-adolescence, with women's trajectories evidencing more variability than men's. These patterns hold across short- and long-term scales, as evidenced by repeated measures in diverse samples, underscoring heterosexual orientation's robustness against reported fluidity claims that may overstate change via self-report vulnerabilities.

Societal Debates and Empirical Critiques

Societal debates surrounding often center on its status as a biological versus a socially imposed construct, with critics in and arguing that "heteronormativity" enforces rigid binaries and marginalizes non-heterosexual identities. These perspectives, prevalent in academic literature, posit heterosexuality as a product of cultural power dynamics rather than innate predisposition, drawing on qualitative narratives from sexual minorities who report experiences of exclusion. However, such claims frequently rely on interpretive frameworks over quantitative data, and sources advancing them often emanate from institutions with documented ideological skews toward deconstructing traditional norms, potentially inflating perceptions of fluidity without robust causal evidence. Empirical longitudinal studies consistently demonstrate high stability in heterosexual identification, with over 80% of individuals maintaining consistent across and into adulthood, particularly among those identifying as exclusively from the outset. For instance, in a 10-year , heterosexuality exhibited the greatest persistence compared to bisexual or homosexual identities, with changes more common among groups and often involving shifts toward exclusivity rather than away from it. Critiques of hypotheses, which emphasize changeability especially in women, highlight methodological limitations such as reliance on self-reports from non-representative samples and of with , arguing that true orientation—defined by predominant attractions—remains largely fixed for the vast majority. These critiques underscore that fluidity claims, while influential in and , lack generalizability, as population-level data from large cohorts show minimal aggregate shifts, with heterosexual prevalence holding steady at 92-97% across nations and time points. Further scrutiny arises from evolutionary and demographic perspectives, where heterosexuality's alignment with justifies societal preferences in legal and familial structures, as pairings inherently cannot produce without third-party intervention, impacting rates and child welfare outcomes. Experimental evidence indicates that exposure to narratives promoting fluidity can prompt temporary loosening of self-reported heterosexual exclusivity, suggesting cultural messaging influences labeling more than underlying attractions, a dynamic that challenges constructivist views by implying orientations are resilient to social priming absent biological overrides. disparities, with non-heterosexuals showing elevated risks for mood disorders (prevalence ratios up to 2.16 for bisexuals versus heterosexuals), are often attributed to minority in heteronormative critiques, yet causal analyses reveal factors like behavioral risks and inherent incompatibilities with species-typical , warranting skepticism of purely environmental explanations. Overall, while debates persist in ideologically driven , empirical affirm heterosexuality's predominance and as adaptive realities rather than arbitrary impositions, informing pragmatic policy over ideological deconstructions.

Gaming and Sports

Card Games and Poker

In poker, a straight is a hand consisting of five cards ranked consecutively, regardless of , such as 7♥ 8♦ 9♠ 10♣ J♦. It ranks sixth in the standard poker hand hierarchy, above three of a kind but below a flush, making it a moderately strong holding that often wins uncontested pots but loses to higher combinations like full houses or better. The highest determines the straight's value, with examples including a queen-high straight (Q-J-10-9-8) or the straight (A-2-3-4-5), where the functions as low but cannot wrap around to form sequences like K-A-2-3-4. Standard rules prohibit wrap-around straights, ensuring sequences must follow numerical order without cycling the between high and low in the same hand, a established to maintain consistent and prevent disputes in . In variants like Texas Hold'em, players form straights using any combination of hole cards and community cards, with the probability of hitting a straight by the river estimated at around 4.6% when drawing to an open-ended straight draw on the flop. Straights beat three of a kind, two pair, and one pair but are vulnerable to overcards or draws completing flushes or higher straights, influencing strategic decisions such as semi-bluffing or folding marginal draws. The straight's inclusion in poker hand rankings evolved during the game's 19th-century development from earlier card games like poque and brag, with early rulesets around listing "straight sequence" alongside pairs but initially ranking it variably or omitting flushes to prioritize sequences over suited hands. This gradual standardization reflected debates on hand strength, as straights proved rarer than pairs yet more achievable than flushes in five-card draws, leading to their fixed mid-tier position by the late 1800s amid poker's spread along the . In non-poker card games, sequential combinations akin to straights appear as "runs" in rummy variants, where three or more consecutive cards of the same score points, but the unsuited "straight" terminology remains distinctly tied to poker. In terms of rarity, a straight occurs in approximately 0.392% of five-card poker hands, or roughly 1 in 255 deals, underscoring its value in betting structures like no-limit Hold'em where implied justify chasing open-enders. Professional play emphasizes and board when pursuing straights, as disguised holdings like gutshots carry higher variance and fold compared to overt pairs.

Billiards and Other Competitions

, also known as 14.1 continuous, is a pocket billiards game played on a standard table with fifteen numbered object s and a cue ball, where players score one point for each legally pocketed object ball called in advance. The game proceeds continuously, with players re-racking fourteen balls after pocketing that many, leaving the fifteenth on the table to resume play, typically racing to 150 points in competitive formats. Originating around as a successor to earlier continuous variants, it emphasized , , and endurance, becoming the dominant professional discipline by the 1920s. In competitions, served as the basis for world championships from 1911 to 1990, with revivals in events like the 14.1 Tournament and modern challenges such as the AZ Billiards Challenge, where players compete under cue-ball-foul-only rules and varied racking methods. Notable records include Willie Mosconi's verified high run of 526 consecutive balls in 1954 during an , recognized as the official benchmark for sanctioned play, though unofficial feats like Jayson Shaw's 832-ball run in 2025 highlight ongoing advancements in and under less restrictive conditions. The game's decline in popularity by the late 20th century stemmed from the rise of faster-paced formats like , yet it persists in niche tournaments testing all-around shot-making without group restrictions. Straight rail billiards, a foundational variant played on a pocketless table with three balls (one red object ball and two white balls, one serving as cue), requires the cue ball to strike both object balls in sequence for each point, without initial rail contact mandates in basic rules. Dating to the early as the precursor to more complex carom games like and three-cushion, it prioritizes positional control and carom accuracy over speed, with scoring continuing until a predetermined number of points. Competitively, it featured in early international matches and U.S. exhibitions, influencing modern carom disciplines, though overshadowed by evolutions demanding cushion interactions; its simplicity underscores fundamental billiards principles of ball collision and path prediction. In broader pool competitions, a ""—where the cue ball aligns directly with the object and center—represents the baseline test of alignment and speed control, essential for building runs in games like or , with errors amplifying over distance due to minimal cut angle forgiveness. Mastery of straight shots correlates with tournament success, as evidenced in professional analyses emphasizing consistent center-ball contact to minimize deflection.

Subcultural Uses

Straight Edge Subculture

The straight edge subculture originated in the early 1980s hardcore punk scene in , as a personal pledge of from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs, countering the hedonistic excesses often associated with . The term derives from the 1981 song "Straight Edge" by , a band fronted by , whose 46-second track explicitly rejected substance use with lyrics declaring, "I'm a person just like you / But I've got better things to do / Than sit around and smoke pot / I know I'm gonna stay clean." MacKaye, influenced by his observations of addiction's toll on peers and family, promoted sobriety as a form of self-empowerment rather than moral superiority, though he later distanced himself from the formalized movement it inspired. Core tenets center on lifelong commitment to drug-free living, viewing intoxicants as crutches that impair clarity and autonomy, with adherents often framing it as against both mainstream and punk's self-destructive stereotypes. While the baseline philosophy avoids , , and illicit drugs, interpretations vary; some include or prescription medications, and a subset rejects promiscuous to prioritize emotional . This gained traction through DIY punk , emphasizing personal accountability over institutional authority, and spread via zines, shows, and bands like , which in the mid-1980s linked straight edge to fitness and anti-drug militancy in songs such as "No More." The iconic "X" symbol, drawn on the backs of hands, traces to club practices marking underage attendees ineligible for drinks, which straight edgers reclaimed in the to broadcast at venues and foster community recognition. Triple "XXX" markings denote stricter adherence, sometimes signaling extensions like . The subculture's visual and performative elements, including tattoos and band logos, reinforced identity amid punk's chaos. By the late 1980s and 1990s, diversified, influencing and spawning the variant, which integrated , , and occasionally anti-abortion stances with more confrontational tactics against perceived vices. Bands like Earth Crisis popularized this intensification, blending abstinence with environmental activism, though it drew criticism for veering into vigilantism, including documented assaults on drug users in scenes from to . MacKaye critiqued such militancy as diverging from his intent, emphasizing individual choice over enforcement. Today, straight edge endures in niche hardcore communities, with active bands such as and incorporating its themes, though diluted by broader sobriety trends like sober-curious movements. Estimates of adherents remain informal, tied to festivals and online forums rather than formal membership, sustaining influence on countercultures valuing amid substance normalization. Controversies persist over dogmatic fringes, but empirical accounts highlight its role in aiding for some, with studies noting lower substance experimentation rates among committed participants compared to general peers.

Lifestyle and Drug-Related Slang

In drug-related slang, "straight" refers to an individual who is not using drugs, is sober, or abstains from intoxicants altogether. This term distinguishes non-users from those actively intoxicated ("stoned" or "strung out") or seeking substances ("on the street"). The usage appears in various glossaries of street and addiction terminology, emphasizing a state of clarity or non-intoxication without the ideological commitment of subcultural movements. In contexts tied to drug avoidance, "straight" describes a conventional or disciplined mode of living that rejects substance use, often implying reliability or adherence to norms over hedonistic or . This broader application overlaps with but predates formalized philosophies, serving as a neutral descriptor in or social settings where signals personal control rather than . Empirical observations in literature note its prevalence in user communities to self-identify or categorize others, aiding around substance access and .

Proper Names and Titles

Geographical Locations

The Street Called Straight (Arabic: الشارع المستقيم, ash-Shāriʿ al-Mustaqīm; Latin: Via Recta), located in the , , is an ancient east-west maximus road dating to the Seleucid period around the 2nd century BCE, preserved as one of the city's primary thoroughfares spanning approximately 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles). Referenced in the (Acts 9:11) as the location where the Apostle Paul regained his sight after his conversion, it features covered souks, historical chapels like the Chapel of Saint Ananias, and remnants of Byzantine and Umayyad architecture, serving as a key commercial and cultural artery amid Damascus's UNESCO-listed historic core. In the United States, Straight refers to minor unincorporated communities tied to early 20th-century . Straight, Oklahoma, in Texas County within the , emerged circa 1930–1931 alongside the construction of the Wichita Valley Railroad line to Keyes, functioning as a short-lived service point for and transport in the flat, semi-arid High Plains region at coordinates 36°52′37″N 101°26′56″W and elevation 3,130 feet (954 meters). The site, now largely depopulated, reflects the transient boom-and-bust patterns of Panhandle rail-dependent settlements abandoned after the line's 1972 closure. Similarly, Straight in Jones Township, , was a historical logging hamlet established in the late along Straight Creek, a of the East Branch Clarion River, approximately two miles south of Instanter at around 41°25′N 78°40′W. Named for the creek's course, it supported sawmills and general stores until flooding from dam construction submerged the area in the mid-20th century, leaving it as a submerged with only archival records of its and community structures.

Media and Entertainment Works

The 2007 Straight, directed by Nicolas Flessa, depicts a involving a young German-Polish social worker, her boyfriend, and a Turkish guest worker, exploring themes of and cultural tensions; it premiered at the Festival and received mixed reviews for its raw portrayal of relationships. In 2023, Mexican director Marcelo Tobar released Straight, a thriller starring as a man navigating a after a breakup, with co-stars and Franco Masini; the film, written by Scott Elmegreen, Drew Fornarola, and Tobar, earned a 5.7/10 rating on from over 700 users, praised for its emotional intensity but critiqued for pacing issues. The 2019 German television series Straight Forward, created by Wolfgang Groos and others, follows con artist Silvia Polkowski (played by ) as she plots revenge against a after her family's , blending elements with personal drama across 12 episodes; it holds a 5.7/10 rating from 339 reviews, noted for its suspenseful twists despite formulaic tropes. In literature, Chuck Tingle's 2021 novella presents a horror narrative centered on a man's with a entity challenging his , framed as queer ; published independently, it exemplifies Tingle's style of blending absurdity with social commentary on . The vocal group Straight No Chaser, formed in 1996 at , has produced entertainment works including albums like Six Pack, Vol. 1 (2004) and holiday specials, gaining mainstream exposure via a 2008 deal and appearances on programs such as ; their repertoire features covers and originals emphasizing harmonic precision without instrumental backing.