Defining Me (Ithaca: Cornell Prof all but admits homosexual indoctrination of kids is real)

©Ithaca Times 2005 ^ | 4/27/05 | By: Karen Gadiel

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ritch Savin-Williams, professor of clinical and developmental psychology and chair of the human development department at Cornell University has studied teenagers for more than 30 years. His new book, The New Gay Teenager, documents new developments in adolescent sexuality, including a level of comfort in diversity their elders could only envy. Today's teens, says Savin-Williams, generally don't require a sexual definition in order to express who they are.

And being oneself might be anywhere on a broad sexual spectrum between having thoughts of attraction toward someone of the same sex to dating to having sexual experiences, with both the opposite sex and same-sex partners.

And teens are getting many of these diversity messages from media models and their parents, says Savin-Williams. Among them, "That same-sex sexuality is not such a big deal - not so much as in my generation, when it was hugely a big deal. In fact, if we gave high school kids the right to vote, we'd have same-sex marriage."

This in itself may not be a surprise because political and social experimentation are also a part of the teen years, "Sometimes when I interview my college students, even they are amazed at what's going on with the younger kids," Savin-Williams says.

"Here's what's intriguing," he continues. "The fact is that high school kids reflect their parents. Issues like racism and sexism are not declining with their cohorts. This is the one 'ism' that seems to have the widest generation gap. Why? I'm only speculating, but somehow, they don't think this will be adaptive for their kids in the future."

And as more and more people disclose same-sex sexuality - including friends, family members and admired celebrities - it can be increasingly difficult and unrewarding to divide into "us-and-them" exclusions.

"There is a reality that even those mammoth differences that used to exist are getting considerably smaller," he says.

Also, the definition of "gay" is increasingly harder to pin down. "For me, the word gay is technically a sexual identity label. What has happened is that it's become a very generic word to refer to anyone with same-sex attractions. I'm referring to a much wider group of things. I'm hoping we can accept a wide range on the sexual spectrum - most of us are somewhere in between [gay and heterosexual]," he notes.

For many people of all ages, love is situational, based on the person rather than gender. "If that were really freed up, you'd find a lot of same-sex couples [who would say], 'That's now what I am, this is who I love.'" Interestingly, these relationships are not an accurate predictor of the person's sexual future. This holds true particularly for young women, Savin-Williams explains. "[Women] tend to be more fluid, not exclusively genitally focused. Increasingly, I'm finding boys who are of the same belief and attitude. That gives me hope.

"I know male individuals who are gay but married and in love with a woman. That's there all along the spectrum - they fell in love with the woman but that's not their primary sexual attraction," he said.

On the flip side, he explains, a straight person could fall in love with someone of the same sex. "In the past, they would never pursue this. Now in the same-sex-friendly youth culture, the straight people could pursue their romantic relationships without being tied to only one sex," Savin-Williams says. "If we could build relationships on love rather than on genitals, that's probably more conducive to what we are or should be as human beings.

Debbie Tennant, a guidance counselor at Ithaca High School for he past 15 years, still sees occasional name-calling. "Kids are more accepting of the differences, but not always - some kids will be quick to label someone and use some labels people used in the 1970s and lash out in very hurtful ways," she says.

At the same time, she adds, "There are wonderful kids in the Gay-Straight Alliance, and they're confident and proud, regardless of who they are, enjoying their friends for who they are."

Di Constantinides, an educator for Planned Parenthood and one of the advisors to Ithaca High School's Gay-Straight Alliance, points out that a lot of the students in the group don't identify as gay but might have gay parents, siblings or close friends.

"I think that in lots of ways Ithaca is really lucky," Costantinides says. "It's very liberal, and people who have liberal attitudes do have an effect on the atmosphere. The right-wing ideology also does - it's not a place free of those. That's definitely in Ithaca and in Ithaca High school but we're a little shifted to the left because of the way politics goes."

The freedom to be oneself - whoever and whatever one is - offers tremendous possibilities to everyone, Savin-Williams says. "I do believe that this opening up of sexuality to acceptance does profit all of us in very significant ways. It allows straight people to have more flexibility, allows people to meet on more equal terms, so I don't keep looking for a person with particular genitalia but the person who is attracted to me as a person."

[Behind Liberal Lines]

"Here's what's intriguing," he continues. "The fact is that high school kids reflect their parents. Issues like racism and sexism are not declining with their cohorts. This is the one 'ism' that seems to have the widest generation gap. Why? I'm only speculating, but somehow, they don't think this will be adaptive for their kids in the future."

In other words, he's saying that kids get their attitudes from their parents...except on gay issues where there is a wide generation gap. Gee, that gap couldn't be caused by kids being exposed to an incessent drumbeat of homosexual indoctrination, could it?

And as more and more people disclose same-sex sexuality - including friends, family members and admired celebrities - it can be increasingly difficult and unrewarding to divide into "us-and-them" exclusions.

Why, yes...yes it could be.

For many people of all ages, love is situational, based on the person rather than gender.

Hold on, professor...I thought homosexuality was a genetic trait a person couldn't control. Now you're telling me it is situational?

"[Women] tend to be more fluid...Increasingly, I'm finding boys who are of the same belief and attitude. That gives me hope.

Yes, he's saying its situational.

It gives him hope. It scares a lot of the rest of us.

Debbie Tennant, a guidance counselor at Ithaca High School for he past 15 years, still sees occasional name-calling. "Kids are more accepting of the differences, but not always - some kids will be quick to label someone and use some labels people used in the 1970s and lash out in very hurtful ways," she says....At the same time, she adds, "There are wonderful kids in the Gay-Straight Alliance...The Gay-Straight Alliance has grown significantly from 4-5 people two years ago to 35 to 40 now, he says.

In other words, the Ithaca School system has a club to expose straight kids to homosexuality.

"...Ithaca is ...very liberal, and people who have liberal attitudes do have an effect on the atmosphere."

Which is why Ithaca is the City of Evil.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

City of Evil bump:

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Thank you, MTV.

[warsaw44]

Ping for later, sadly

[randog]

..."In fact, if we gave high school kids the right to vote, we'd have same-sex marriage."

Absolutely, as well as:

1) Legal drinking age of 15;
2) Compulsory schooling mysteriously ending around the 8th grade;
3) Age of consent around 12, 13 years old...

It's amazing how so-called "intellectuals" really can't think their ideas through.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Thank you, MTV

What, you think MTV airing all those "real world" eps about three-way sex during the afterschool hours set a bad example?!?!

The DEVIL you say.

[/sarcasm]

[John Robertson]

They are NOT reflecting their parents, in all cases. They are spewing back the 24-7 indoctrination by their teachers and much of the MSM--much of which is dictated either by gays or those embracing the gay agenda.

[goodnesswins]

YEP...what YOU said......here's a tidbid....HE SAID....

"I'm hoping we can accept a wide range on the sexual spectrum - most of us are somewhere in between [gay and heterosexual]," he notes.

[Eagle of Liberty]

You forgot:

4) Would vote to never have to go to SCHOOL!

[Hugin]

'That's now what I am, this is who I love.'" Interestingly, these relationships are not an accurate predictor of the person's sexual future. This holds true particularly for young women, Savin-Williams explains. "[Women] tend to be more fluid, not exclusively genitally focused.

Probably true. Women tend to be less fixed in their sexuality than men. Interesting that he then turns around and expresses the idea that the only differnce between men and women is plumbing. Rather contradictory.

Increasingly, I'm finding boys who are of the same belief and attitude. That gives me hope.

Yeah, he hopes he can get some.

[AbeKrieger]

Hey, I just parent them properly and explain to them what is acceptable and what is not. I make absolutely certain that STDs and specifically AIDS is involved in every discussion about alternate sexuality (as well as normal) that we have in my home.

[AbeKrieger]

Increasingly, I'm finding boys who are of the same belief and attitude. That gives me hope.

It gives me jhope too. Hope that people of this mindset are far less likely to breed. Filter them OUT!

[NativeNewYorker]

The author.

[NativeNewYorker]

He has served as an expert witness on same-sex marriage, gay adoptions, and Boy Scout court cases and is on numerous professional review boards, including co-chair of the American Psychological Foundation's Roy Scrivner Small Grant Awards. He has written junior high school curriculum for the Unitarian Universalist Association, Beyond Pink and Blue: Exploring Our Stereotypes of Sexuality and Gender.

http://www.queertheory.com/academics/scholars/names/scholars_savin-williams.htm

[DBeers]

ping.

[Chode]

the Peoples DemocRATic Republic of Ithaca PERVERTED Evil!!!

[AnnaZ]

He has served as an expert witness on... Boy Scout court cases...

Of course he has.

[Personal Responsibility]

This holds true particularly for young women, Savin-Williams explains. "Women tend to be more fluid, not exclusively genitally focused

Wait, wait. I thought there were no differences between the sexes? Someone call those Harvard professors! Stat!

[EdReform]

BTTT

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1)

What We Can Do To Help Defeat the "Gay" Agenda

Myth and Reality about Homosexuality--Sexual Orientation Section, Guide to Family Issues

Deciphering 'Gay' Word-Speak and Language of Confusion

[BykrBayb]

EEEWWWWWWW!!!!