"I have known few
homosexuals who did not practice their tendencies. Such people are
sinning against God and will lead to the ultimate destruction of the
family and our nation. I am unalterably opposed to such things, and
will do everything I can to restrict the freedom of these people to
spread their contagious infection to the youth of our nation." - Pat
Robertson, May 24, 1994 letter.
This argument is based on several misunderstandings: that homosexuals are more prone to molest children and that it is possible to recruit children into homosexuality and that homosexuals carry out such acts of recruitment.
On the issue of molestation, this is what Dr. Gregory M. Herek at the Psychology Department of the University of California at Davis has to say: "The empirical research on adult sexual orientation and molestation of children does not show that gay men are any more likely than heterosexual men to molest children. This is not to suggest that molestations of children by adult homosexual men never occur. They do. But molesting children has nothing to do with whether a man is heterosexual or homosexual."
On the issue of recruitment, this idea imposes two theories: that homosexuality can be induced by conscious acts and that homosexuals wish to and do recruit.
The first theory is obviously based on assumptions. First, almost all the research in psychology and biology indicate that homosexuality is a part of a person's inner personality, just seeing gays or gay couple or living with gays can’t turn a person into a homosexual, “homosexuality is caused by genes and not by the environment (Search for the Gay Gene: Dean Hammer and David Copeland), thus proves that homosexuality can’t be induced. As for the second theory, that homosexuals wish to and do recruit, this is without any basis. For a person to recruit, first he should have the ability to induce homosexuality to someone, it’s already proven by science that homosexuality can’t be taught or be imposed so no recruitment can occur.
It is often said that homosexuals wish to portray homosexuality in an attractive manner in the media and in the schools in order to attract young, impressionable children. This accusation is incorrect, for it’s possible to influence the sexual orientation of a youngster by means of movies, articles, or factual classroom information. Even if that were the case, the heterosexual lifestyle is clearly so predominant in society (which heterosexuals most often do not even reflect upon), that the impressions taken by youngster must be much stronger from that side than from the side of homosexuality. Weinberg, President of The American Psychiatric Association stated in 1977: "A parent's fear that their child will be recruited at school or elsewhere is without scientific foundation".
The information about homosexuality in media and schools is desired by gays and lesbians solely to help kids who feel attracted to kids of their own sex to accept those unchangeable feelings. The sole purpose is to make these kids feel better about who they are, because most of us who grew up with homosexual feelings felt quite lonely and scared of society's reaction. Good information can help these kids to grow up healthy and self-confident. Gay and lesbian teens are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and account for up to 30% of all completed suicides among teens - in 1989, suicide was the leading cause of death among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989). Therefore, honest information, positive role models, support from well informed teachers, counselors and friends could be of a great help to a teenager who is struggling with his or her sexual orientation.
To conclude, then, the claim that homosexuals pose a threat to children is defaming and without basis. Homosexuals, just like heterosexuals, generally love and care for children and wish them only to lead good, rewarding, and honest lives.
This argument is based on several misunderstandings: that homosexuals are more prone to molest children and that it is possible to recruit children into homosexuality and that homosexuals carry out such acts of recruitment.
On the issue of molestation, this is what Dr. Gregory M. Herek at the Psychology Department of the University of California at Davis has to say: "The empirical research on adult sexual orientation and molestation of children does not show that gay men are any more likely than heterosexual men to molest children. This is not to suggest that molestations of children by adult homosexual men never occur. They do. But molesting children has nothing to do with whether a man is heterosexual or homosexual."
On the issue of recruitment, this idea imposes two theories: that homosexuality can be induced by conscious acts and that homosexuals wish to and do recruit.
The first theory is obviously based on assumptions. First, almost all the research in psychology and biology indicate that homosexuality is a part of a person's inner personality, just seeing gays or gay couple or living with gays can’t turn a person into a homosexual, “homosexuality is caused by genes and not by the environment (Search for the Gay Gene: Dean Hammer and David Copeland), thus proves that homosexuality can’t be induced. As for the second theory, that homosexuals wish to and do recruit, this is without any basis. For a person to recruit, first he should have the ability to induce homosexuality to someone, it’s already proven by science that homosexuality can’t be taught or be imposed so no recruitment can occur.
It is often said that homosexuals wish to portray homosexuality in an attractive manner in the media and in the schools in order to attract young, impressionable children. This accusation is incorrect, for it’s possible to influence the sexual orientation of a youngster by means of movies, articles, or factual classroom information. Even if that were the case, the heterosexual lifestyle is clearly so predominant in society (which heterosexuals most often do not even reflect upon), that the impressions taken by youngster must be much stronger from that side than from the side of homosexuality. Weinberg, President of The American Psychiatric Association stated in 1977: "A parent's fear that their child will be recruited at school or elsewhere is without scientific foundation".
The information about homosexuality in media and schools is desired by gays and lesbians solely to help kids who feel attracted to kids of their own sex to accept those unchangeable feelings. The sole purpose is to make these kids feel better about who they are, because most of us who grew up with homosexual feelings felt quite lonely and scared of society's reaction. Good information can help these kids to grow up healthy and self-confident. Gay and lesbian teens are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and account for up to 30% of all completed suicides among teens - in 1989, suicide was the leading cause of death among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989). Therefore, honest information, positive role models, support from well informed teachers, counselors and friends could be of a great help to a teenager who is struggling with his or her sexual orientation.
To conclude, then, the claim that homosexuals pose a threat to children is defaming and without basis. Homosexuals, just like heterosexuals, generally love and care for children and wish them only to lead good, rewarding, and honest lives.
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