Informative Report:Issues on Homosexuality

In an APA publication, The Psychological Bulletin,³ there appeared a 31-page article entitled "A Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Students." The article, by three men from prestigious universities, was an analysis of 59 studies of childhood sexual abuse. The authors' argue that childhood sexual experiences are not necessarily harmful; they could even be quite positive. The idea that it "causes intense harm, regardless of gender," is not true. They allege that the "negative potential of CSA [childhood sexual abuse] for most individuals who have experienced it is overstated." ...is the most damaging form of CSA is a "well-ingrained prejudice . . . unsupported by research."⁴The study's three authors publicly lament: "Classifying a behavior as abuse simply because it is generally viewed as immoral or defined as illegal is problematic. . . ."

Source: New York Times, by Erica Goode
June 13, 1999
Excerpts

Bauserman said in a telephone interview that although he and his colleagues expected that their research might evoke some discussion in academic circles, the public outcry came as a surprise.

"We certainly did not expect a controversial public reaction like this," he said. "Our feeling simply was that it's going to be read by researchers in the field, and that they're going to be able to evaluate whether it makes useful points or not."

Dr. David Spiegel, a psychiatrist at Stanford University and a member of the leadership council, criticized the study, saying it had serious methodological flaws and that the researchers "use meta-analysis the way a drunk uses a lamppost -- for support, rather than illumination."

Spiegel, who with other researchers hopes to publish a critique of the journal article, said many other studies indicated that sexually abused children can suffer severe consequences. Studies have linked sexual abuse to post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, increased risk of suicide, and gastrointestinal problems.

Fowler said the major finding of the study had been overlooked amid all the hubbub. "Horrible as it is that some adults abuse children," he said, "it's good to know that there's a chance for them" to recover.

In response to charges by some members of Congress that the article was "flawed" and represented "junk science," APA took the unprecedented step of asking the Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to review the scientific merits of the study. AAAS considered the request for several months, but in October, informed APA that it would not review the study.

In a letter to APA Executive Director for Science Richard McCarty, PhD, Irving Lerch, PhD, chair of the AAAS committee said, "We see no reason to second guess the process of peer review used by the APA journal in its decision to publish the article in question. While not without its imperfections, peer review is well established as a standard mechanism for maintaining the flow of scientific information that scientists can refer to, critique or build on. After examining all the materials available to the committee, we saw no clear evidence of improper application of methodology or other questionable practices on the part of the article's authors."

Source: AP, by Jim Abrams
July 12, 1999
Excerpts

The House on Monday unanimously condemned a 1998 article in an American Psychological Association journal that concluded that some victims of child sexual abuse suffered little long-term consequences.

The House voted 355-0 to denounce the study in the Psychological Bulletin, one of the APA's 37 journals, that Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., sponsor of the resolution, called the "emancipation proclamation of pedophiles."

"Those who excuse this evil conduct, particularly those in positions of influence, are also pretty low on the food chain and deserve the harshest possible condemnation," Salmon said.

But he also praised the APA for its strong stand against child sexual abuse and noted that the resolution had been revised to reflect the APA position.

Republican Rep. Matt Salmon of Arizona, who visibly was angered by the APA's position, said, "It is beyond the realm of possibility that we're even here today talking about this. But what are we to do when we have groups like the APA who don't stand up and say that this is sick and twisted. I don't want to understand pedophiles, I want to put them in prison." By Kelly Patricia O'Meara Insight Magazine Cover Story, Vol. 15, No. 22, 05/24/99

"After much pressure, the APA has begun to undo the damage wrought by its publication of a badly conceived article that has been hailed by such groups as the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA)," said FRC's Chief Spokesperson Janet Parshall. "It's a good first step, but now the APA needs to root out the pro-pedophilic academicians who are trying to normalize child abuse. And the APA should write to NAMBLA and strongly urge them not to use this article as justification for molesting young boys." June 10, 1999 Source: Press release by the Family Resource Council

106th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 107 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress rejecting the conclusions of a recent article published in the Psychological Bulletin, a journal of the American Psychological Association, that suggests that sexual relationships between adults and children might be positive for children.

Whereas children are a precious gift and responsibility given to parents by God;

Whereas the Supreme Court has held that parents `who have this primary responsibility for children's well-being are entitled to the support of laws designed to aid discharge of that responsibility' (Ginsberg v. New York, 390 U.S. 629, 639 (1968));

Whereas information endangering children is being made public and, in some instances, may be given unwarranted or unintended credibility through release under professional titles or through professional organizations;

Whereas Congress has made sexual molestation and exploitation of children a felony;

Whereas, once published and allowed to stand, scientific literature may become a source for additional research;

Whereas the Psychological Bulletin has recently published a severely flawed study, entitled `A Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples', which suggests that sexual relationships between adults and children are less harmful than believed and might be positive for `willing' children (Psychological Bulletin, vol. 124, No. 1, July 1998);

Whereas, in order to clarify any inconsistencies between the two conclusions the authors of the study suggest and the position of the American Psychological Association that sexual relations between children and adults are abusive, exploitive, and reprehensible, and should never be considered or labeled as harmless or acceptable, the American Psychological Association has issued a public `Resolution Opposing Child Sexual Abuse' ;

Whereas Paidika--The Journal of Pedophilia, a publication advocating the legalization of sex with `willing' children, has published an article by one of the authors of the study, Robert Bauserman, Ph.D. (see `Man-Boy Sexual Relationships in a Cross-Cultural Perspective,' vol. 2, No. 1, Summer 1989);

and

Whereas pedophiles and organizations, such as the North American Man-Boy Love Association, that advocate laws to permit sex between adults and children are exploiting the study to promote and justify child sexual abuse:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--

(1) condemns and denounces all suggestions in the article `A Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples' that indicate that sexual relationships between adults and `willing' children are less harmful than believed and might be positive for `willing' children (Psychological Bulletin, vol. 124, No. 1, July 1998);

(2) vigorously opposes any public policy or legislative attempts to normalize adult-child sex or to lower the age of consent;

(3) urges the President likewise to reject and condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any suggestion that sexual relations between children and adults--regardless of the child's frame of mind--are anything but abusive, destructive, exploitive, reprehensible, and punishable by law; and

(4) encourages competent investigations to continue to research the effects of child sexual abuse using the best methodology, so that the public, and public policymakers, may act upon accurate information.

Passed the House of Representatives July 12, 1999.

"Pressure from Dr. Laura Schlessinger, child protection organizations, and many pro-family legislators, along with support from past and present officials of the American Psychiatric Association, forced the APA to take a second look and admit their mistake," said Robert Knight, FRC's Senior Director of Cultural Studies. "We commend them for doing so and urge them to prevent such future occurrences. The publication of a detailed critique in the Psychological Bulletin is another important step that should be taken in this corrective process."

Gay Magazine Warns Editor of Psychology Today, "Remember What Happened to Dr. Laura"....

However, Signorile warned, editor Epstein would do well to remember what the gay community had succeeded in doing not so long ago to Dr. Laura. In a series of acrimonious and very public protests, gay activists were instrumental in forcing Dr. Laura's television show off the air by flooding the airwaves, the print media, and the streets outside the TV studio with protests that frightened off her advertisers.

APA Rebuttal by Dr. Paul Cameron

Finally, APA makes progress:

Should Reorientation Therapy Be Available?
APA Journal Article Says Yes

A new 2002 article published by the American Psychological Association journal "Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training" defends the ethics and effectiveness of sexual reorientation therapy.

The paper is entitled "Ethical Issues In Attempts To Ban Reorientation Therapies," by Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D. of Regent University and Warren Throckmorton, Ph.D. of Grove City College.

"Anybody that tells you they definitively "know" what "causes homosexuality" is feeding you a line of crap."

Then why do homosexual web sites such as youth.org continue to post links to sites that tell kids that the cause of homosexuality is, as a matter of 'fact', genetic and biological, as documented here?

You'll note that the person answering the question (Chris) states:

"The fact is, you don't get to decide whether you're gay, lesbian or bisexual. That was decided by the time you were born, and is an innate part of you, and here to stay." and
"If you are bisexual, the thing is it is not emotional baggage... It is, rather, a biological and genetic part of your very being, of who you are. And just like being born with a particular skin color, that might make it harder to get by in some areas, or finding out that you're left handed and living in a right-handed world, you will do best to just get over it, and deal with it."

Unfortunately, our children continue to be fed "a line of crap." The homosexual agenda continues...

Efforts to Silence NARTH Continue

"...NARTH recently requested the help of the Research Office of the American Psychological Association to obtain names and addresses of A.P.A. psychologists. We need to survey psychotherapists about their therapeutic successes in sexual-conversion therapy, in order to complete our large-scale research project (we currently have 1,000 responses). Such help is routinely provided to other organizations. Yet A.P.A.'s Director of Research, Jessica Kohout, Ph.D., refused NARTH's request.
NARTH Executive Director Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D. replied as follows..." (read the letter written by Dr Nicolosi)

Anybody that tells you they definitively "know" what "causes homosexuality" is feeding you a line of crap."

Then why do homosexual web sites such as youth.org continue to post links to sites that tell kids that the cause of homosexuality is, as a matter of 'fact', genetic and biological, as documented here?

May have to draw a picture for madg.

"Then why do homosexual web sites such as youth.org continue to post links to sites that tell kids that the cause of homosexuality is, as a matter of 'fact', genetic and biological,"

Because they are full of crap.

"An obscure ADVICE COLUMNIST from an obscure (and now apparently defunct) magazine?!!"

Obscure? One of OutProud's advertised links obscure? Defunct? Because the link doesn't work at the moment? Ya think the website might be experiencing technical difficulties or perhaps be down for maintenance today?

Load up Google and search on: "Oasis Magazine"

Oasis Magazine
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Load up Google and search on: "Oasis Magazine" + 2003

Oasis Magazine > News
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By the way madg, what exactly is a "questioning youth"? I thought the claim was homosexuals were "born that way". If they're "born that way," what's there to question? Ever notice how these pro-homo webs sites for kids always include the "questioning" category?