Homophobia: The Untold Story pt. 4

Today I'll be continuing our multi-part ongoing series responding to Susan and her ebook "Homosexuality:The Untold Story" on CatholicEducation.org. The first three entries can be found here, here, and here, chronologically. We left off the other day with Susan's list of "known causes" for homosexuality. So far we'd dealt with Weak Masculine/Feminine Identity and Distrust of Men/Women. Today we get into full-scale homophobia.

Gender Identity Disorder
"Gender identity disorder in children regularly leads to same-sex attraction in adolescence," writes Fitzgibbons. "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Medical Disorders DSM-IV" of the American Psychiatric Association defined "Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in children as a strong persistent cross-gender identification, a discomfort with one's own sex, and a preference for cross-sex roles in play or in fantasies."

Homosexuality and transsexuality are not synonymous. I had a neighbor (we'll call her "Patty") who was born with male sex organs, identified as a woman, and who was in a long-term monogamous relationship with her partner, who was a cis sexual (not transsexual) woman. Would Fitzgibbons here consider Patty to be gay? Then there are all those lipstick lesbians and macho gay men. They identify strongly with their physical gender, yet are also homosexual.

Another theory is put forth by Linda Nicolosi of the National Association for Research and Therapy on Homosexuality in her article entitled, "Does Born That Way Mean Designed Way?"

"… In some individuals, prenatal hormones may abnormally masculinize or feminize the developing fetus. … When a pregnant woman is exposed to certain environmental pollutants which are known to have a hormone-like effect on the body, some writers theorize that differences are blurred in her developing fetus. The resulting gender distortions could affect the child's sense of himself or herself."

Okay, now that we've gotten the NARTH perspective (NARTH consisting of less than 1% of both APAs) let's see what somebody else has to say. Oh look, here's the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association HBIGDA) saying GID shouldn't even be classified as a mental health disorder, because the best treatment involves bringing the body in line with the mind, not the other way around. This is different from the body dysmorphia of say, a bulimic. I am periodically under the intense delusion that I am fat. I know rationally and factually that this is not true - I'm a size 4. My mind is what needs to be fixed, because attempts at making my body smaller didn't make me feel better. Whereas a trans gendered person who can dress, identify, and behave as the gender they feel they are do find intense relief from doing so. My body dysmorphia is a mental health condition; the body dysphoria of a transsexual is a bodily mismatch condition. Also? The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published a paper in 2000 showing that male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus (girly brains.)

Narcissism and Profound Selfishness

I told you this was gonna get insulting. Sorry to even have to copy-paste that.

Fitzgibbons describes the narcissistic person as a person who is "preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty or ideal love. For the homosexual narcissist, the goal is the pursuit of pleasure. A certain segment of the homosexual community expresses narcissism by promoting total and absolute sexual freedom. They advocate anonymous sex and extreme sexual behaviors that may explain the presence of a high degree of promiscuity in this segment of the population."

Ugh. Okay, his description of a narcissist comes straight (heh) out of the DSM-IV. I know, because I was raised by a narcissistic cult leader, and I've probably gone over that list of 9 criteria a few dozen times. However, the DSM-IV doesn't go on to make Fitz's claims about specifically homosexual narcissists. Because Fitz is making this up. A certain segment of the heterosexual community advocates the persuit of pleasure and total sexual freedom. Are you going to say this is accurate of all heterosexuals, Fitz? How about you, Susan? Are you profoundly selfish if you want to enjoy sex, or is that just the queers?

"These are the activists," Fitzgibbons said. "They want unlimited promiscuity. Their goal is to undermine Judeo-Christian morality."

Their goal is to live their lives unmolested by you and your bronze age morality. And why would anyone want to cling to such man-myths and monsters to tell them right from wrong, when we have such superior morals within secular humanism? Hundreds of atheists have composed their own, new and vastly improved ten commandments. The morality of the Bible is sorely lacking.

Dysfunctional Family Life

*Facepalm*

In the book, Same Sex Attraction: A Parent's Guide, edited by Father John Harvey and Gerald V. Bradley, Father Harvey agrees with researchers who see faulty family relationships as the source of same-sex attraction.

And which researchers would these be? Are they credible? Are they respected? Was their methodology sound, or did they start out with an agenda?

Referring to the work of Don Schmierer, Father Harvey writes, "He makes use of case histories to illustrate ways in which adolescent boys and girls can have a confused perception of their gender identity. … The fatherless home or the emotionally unavailable father joined with the dominant mother contributes to the development of same-sex attractions. … Often where divorce has taken place, the mother portrays her ex-husband in very negatives ways, and; consequently the son loses respect for the father. … In merged or foster families, one notices relationships among siblings, cousins, or neighbors that are compulsive and secretive and that can foster same-sex attractions. …"

Wow, with that kind of list it's a wonder more people aren't gay! Also, no one in the grown-up world of sexual psychology thinks this true anymore.

Spouses who verbally abuse one another in front of children may inadvertently force the children to "take sides," and, especially if there is already a distance between a child and a father, a son may begin to see his masculinity in a negative light. Marital infidelity is also a contributing factor, especially if it impacts on an adolescent boy or girl.

Again, there's no evidence. These are wild assertions, and it's a bit like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.

Other causes of SSAD are sexual abuse and pedophilia, separation from a parent during the critical time of development, or the failure of parents to encourage same-sex identification and friendships.

So let's see, children who are at risk of becoming homosexuals (according to Susan at least) are kids who: are confused about their gender identity; have domineering mothers or emotionally unavailable fathers; have foster or step families, or cousins they think are hot; experience cheating in the home, divorce in the home, bitchy moms who whinge on and on about their absentee dads, and verbal abuse between parents; are sexually abused, away from a parent, or lacked friends of their own sex to play with. Again I say, with a list like this it's a miracle anybody is straight.

In a recent interview with ZENIT News, Fitzgibbons said, "The absence of a father in the home leads to sadness, anger, difficulty in trusting and disruptive disorders. The absence of a mother is worse.

One's mother is one's fundamental basis of feeling safe in relationships; denying a child of its mother wounds the child's ability to trust and have faith in the world, which can lead to anxiety and attachment disorders."

Lacking positive role models and loving figures can seriously impact a child's life and development. But this has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

This is why same-sex marriages and adoption can be so devastating on society, because of their effect on children. Fitzgibbons points out that even in Belgium where same-sex unions are approved, same-sex couples are not permitted to adopt.

"Not all adults have the inherent right to have a child," he said, "but all children have a right to a mother and a father."

Want.To.Scream! In case I haven't shared them already with you fine folks, here are my views on same-sex marriage and adoption.



Tomorrow we'll take a look at the "health risks of the homosexual lifestyle" (and a few other "lifestyles" besides.) Tata for now. Go be *FABULOUS!*