Except, it's not. It's all a lie. I saw something like this on a Homosexual Advocacy website a few years ago. In the Q&A section, first question - why are people gay - was answered with 'we don't know.' I also read something about it in an article linking to the New England Journal of Medicine. But those were passing references or agenda driven non-profits. This is the APA, one of the key scientific and medical foundations for 'born to be gay' justification for not only allowing gay marriage, but increasingly punishing anyone who doesn't accept it. And yet it's a lie. A great big, giant, massive, huge lie. And how do we know? Because this - THIS! - is what that same APA says about the subject on its very own Freaking website:
What causes Homosexuality/Heterosexuality/Bisexuality?
No one knows what causes heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. Homosexuality was once thought to be the result of troubled family dynamics or faulty psychological development. Those assumptions are now understood to have been based on misinformation and prejudice. Currently there is a renewed interest in searching for biological etiologies for homosexuality. However, to date there are no replicated scientific studies supporting any specific biological etiology for homosexuality. Similarly, no specific psychosocial or family dynamic cause for homosexuality has been identified, including histories of childhood sexual abuse. Sexual abuse does not appear to be more prevalent in children who grow up to identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, than in children who identify as heterosexual.The 21st Century. A time of unparalleled stupidity when people are quite prepared to flush liberty and freedom down the toilet when the very agencies used to support the reasons to do so contradict the reasons used. And in the age of 'the Information Highway!' no less.
Some generations have done so for meat and circuses. Others have done so for bread and peace. Some have gone so far as to sell their birthright for a bowl of stew. But post-modern hipster brilliant enlightened types? We're taking one of the greatest political gifts in human history and tossing it for some legal drugs, unlimited orgasms, the latest iPad app, and the ability to abort or someday euthanize whatever stands in the way of our libidos. I mean, dumb and wicked generation.
On the same page where the APA says they don't know why they also say it isn't a mental disorder.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.psychiatry.org/mental-health/people/lgbt-sexual-orientation
Is Homosexuality A Mental Disorder?
No. All major professional mental health organizations have gone on record to affirm that homosexuality is not a mental disorder. In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association’s Board of Trustees removed homosexuality from its official diagnostic manual, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Second Edition (DSM II). The action was taken following a review of the scientific literature and consultation with experts in the field. The experts found that homosexuality does not meet the criteria to be considered a mental illness.
Here's what they say about people who are worried about homosexuality.
Does Stigma Still Exist About Homosexuality?
Yes. Fears and misunderstandings about homosexuality are wide spread. They present daunting challenges to the development and maintenance of a positive self-image in gay, lesbian and bisexual persons and often to their families as well. “Homophobia” is a term that refers to the irrational fear and prejudice against homosexual persons. Public opinion polls in the United States show that in the past twenty years, feelings toward gay men, lesbians and bisexuals have moved in a significantly positive direction. Nevertheless, when compared to other social groups homosexuals are still among the most stigmatized groups in the nation. Hate crimes are prevalent. Gay men and lesbians are still banned from serving openly in the US military service. Child custody decisions still frequently view gay and lesbian people as unfit parents. Gay and lesbian adolescents are often taunted and humiliated in their school settings. Many professional persons and employees in all occupations are still fearful of identifying as gay or lesbians in their work settings. Gay relationships are not widely recognized in any legal way.
This is why people compare not accepting Blacks or Asians with not accepting homosexuals.
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteMy impression (and I may be wrong about this) is that a lot of those who oppose discrimination against gay people do so in a way is a little like the way that people oppose discrimination against people who have sexual relationships with people of different races. Such opposition to discrimination against gay people does not imply that gay people are born that way – it simply implies that sexual relationships between people of the same sex are not the kind of things that warrant people being discriminated against.
It might be worth considering the comment of Francis Collins, the Director of the Genome Project:
"The evidence we have at present strongly supports the proposition that there are hereditary factors in male homosexuality — the observation that an identical twin of a male homosexual has approximately a 20% likelihood of also being gay points to this conclusion, since that is 10 times the population incidence. But the fact that the answer is not 100% also suggests that other factors besides DNA must be involved. That certainly doesn’t imply, however, that those other undefined factors are inherently alterable."
My strong impression is that for most gay people, so called reparative therapy in its currently available forms is unable to change them from gay to straight. If it did have this power, I am sure we would have heard of some changes occurring far more often than we do hear of such changes occurring. For many gay people, sexual orientation seems currently for all practical purposes unalterable. In saying this, I am not for one moment saying that I know the causes of homosexuality; nor am I saying that I think that gay people are born that way. Yet if the argument that gay people are born that way is an argument for not discriminating against gay people, then so I believe is the fact that for all practical purposes gay orientation seems for most people unalterable.
Thus I am puzzled that you think the issue of whether or not gay people are born that way is so important. I suspect that many people who speak of gay people being born that way mean that for all practical purposes gay orientation seems for most people unalterable. This may not be the most precise way of speaking. But imprecise ways of speaking are not in my view the same thing as lies.
Alex
Hi Alex! Thanks for the response, and welcome to my humble little crawlspace in the Blogosphere. I don't usually have time for much posting during the week (jobs, family, life, etc.). I'll read through what's written (both from you?) and probably post a response on the blog Proper this weekend. Basic CliffsNotes version: With a growing cry to get the government involved on finally deciding the acceptable approach to the issue, we need more than 'we have no idea, but we're pretty sure...' If it's a battle of subjective beliefs, fine, but that does create certain problems itself. But if the narrative is 'science says being gay is like being black or white', then we need to know the science actually says it. And I want people advocating it to say one way or another. It's not a right/left or blue/red thing, but I grow tired of living in an age where we seem to be able to hold a book in our hands, insist we're not holding a book in our hands, and be assured that anyone on our side of the debate will back us up. "Short" answer. More to follow. Thanks again for the thoughtful response.
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