Dear Dr. Dobson
Dobson's Homosexual Myths and Facts: Part 4
By Patrick M. Chapman, Ph.D.
In "Straight Answers: Exposing the Myths and Facts About Homosexuality," James Dobson's Focus on the Family organization counters eight supposed myths promoted by the homosexual community. Six of the supposed myths - that homosexuals are born gay, homosexuality is not changeable, the Bible does not condemn homosexuality, how many homosexuals there are in society, that homosexual relationships are no different than heterosexual ones, and that lesbian relationships are as unhealthy and life-threatening as gay male relationships - have been dealt with in previous months of the Rainbow Journal Olympia. Two additional supposed gay "myths" are: "AIDS is as much of a risk for heterosexuals as it is for homosexuals" and "homosexuals are normal, healthy, everyday people."
Focus on the Family counters the former by suggesting: "homosexual men are a thousand times more likely to contract AIDS than the general male heterosexual population." They counter the latter "myth" by stating: "contrary to claims made by gay activists, homosexually active persons as a group appear to be less psychologically healthy than the general population."
According to the United Nations and all other respected agencies, the vast majority of people in the world with AIDS are heterosexual, not homosexual. In addition, a majority of the victims are women and children, not men. I find it interesting that Focus on the Family focuses solely on males when discussing AIDS. Perhaps they realize that lesbians are far less likely to attract the disease than heterosexual women - Simply put, it is not sexual orientation that increases AIDS infections, but aspects of sexual behavior, drug use, and poverty.
Due to lack of evidence that homosexuality is a pathological disorder, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official manual listing emotional and mental disorders in 1973. Meanwhile, the American Psychological Association explicitly states that "Psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals agree that homosexuality is not an illness, mental disorder or emotional problem."
Evangelical leaders ignore or deny the testimonies of homosexuals who lead well-adjusted and happy lives. Instead, they place greater emphasis on the testimonies of "ex-gays" who say they were unhappy as homosexuals. However, there is no evidence that their unhappiness was an inherent result of being homosexual. On the contrary, it appears to be the result of them being outcasts of their faith community, supposedly consigned to hell because of their sexuality. In "Speaking My Mind," evangelical scholar Tony Campolo relates this rejection to the higher suicide rates of homosexual teens: "Believing that God created them for rejection, many homosexual people reject the God whom they believe has rejected them. The despair that such a theology can create has driven some gays to suicide."
Mental illness is an issue faced by some homosexuals: attempting to live a lie by hiding or denying one's sexuality, or facing threats of violence when one is honest about it, is enough to cause anyone some problems. These factors contribute directly to higher suicide rates among homosexuals, especially for teens who are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. However, many evangelical leaders view the higher suicide rates among homosexual teens not as the result of society's prejudice, but as the result of the natural consequences of a person straying, consciously or otherwise, from God's supposed intended use of the body. Such beliefs are inconsistent with scientific research.
In "Stealing Jesus," gay Episcopalian author Bruce Bawer argues the propaganda of Focus on the Family leads to the higher suicide rate among gay teens. He suggests that James Dobson is "more willing to sacrifice the lives of gay youth " who, devastated by hatred, commit suicide at an alarming rate "than to change the societal attitudes that cause them to take their own lives."
Evangelical psychologists Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse admit that "social hostility toward homosexuals is bound to be an influencing factor in any measure of emotional stability." The importance of the social environment for a person's mental health cannot be overemphasized. It permeates the home, work, and social areas of everyone's daily life. Facing constant hostility and pressure to hide an important and deeply personal aspect of one's life is simply not healthy.
The supposed "myths and facts" presented by Focus on the Family are simply based on evangelical stereotypes of homosexuals and ignore scientific evidence and reason.
Dr Chapman is an anthropology professor and author of the soon to be published book Thou Shalt Not Love.
A BETTER END-GAME STRATEGY
By Dennis Cavalier
It used to be true that after a diagnosis of H.I.V./A.I.D.S. people gave up any hope for a future. Everybody spent their last dime on what happiness they believed their money could bring, in an effort to ease out of this life in "comfort." Decades later, this proved to have been one of the most ill-advised moves.
Having survived H.I.V./A.I.D.S. far beyond the forecasted lifespan, I regret I am also one of those people. The despair that prompted such financial irresponsibility has brought with it some very unpleasant "side effects." All I can do at this point is brace myself for the future, and hope that the system of support that I count on through the Health Department, D.S.H.S. and Social Security holds out as long as I do.
Despite popular opinion that A.I.D.S. is no longer a deadly disease, it will still be what kills us. Those who say things like "AIDS is the new Diabetes" or that it is a "manageable disease" most likely do not have it. Our medication only ensures that we live longer and with fewer opportunistic infections over a greater period of time.
However, because we do live longer, there is renewed hope for making it to retirement age. With the arrival of more effective medication, planning for a retirement is no longer unthinkable. Instead, it has grown to be a necessity.
You can enjoy a decent quality of life in your "Golden Years" if you do it correctly. Take it from someone who knows; living on the scanty income that Social Security provides is more difficult that you might expect. The stress of jumping through the flaming hoops of red tape and documentation, over and over again just to continue to receive your benefits, can be nerve-wracking. Quite often, it takes more energy than you have to deal with it.
Planning your financial future now is your best defense against having to rely solely on social services. Here are a few items for your checklist that you may want to take note of to ensure a better standard of living when you retire:
First, think before you spend; get into the habit of saving for your retirement. If you are currently employed or able to work, contribute to an I.R.A., max-out your 401-K, and set a retirement savings goal.
If you have one, examine your investment portfolio. Be certain it is diversified, and monitor it regularly.
Review your Social Security statement. (You should get one in the mail each year.) Check it for accuracy, and contact them immediately with any corrections.
Don't forget to plan for your financial transition. How you take out your money determines how much you or your loved ones keep, and how much goes back to the government.
You'll also want to check the beneficiary forms on all your retirement accounts. Most people think somebody else took care of this. This is the key document that determines who receives all the money you've saved. If you are intimidated by the process, please talk to a financial advisor. Your future shouldn't be left to chance, and nobody wants to see their hard earned money go back to the government instead of the people they love.
Dennis Cavalier is a writer based in the Puget Sound area