Just the Facts on Homosexuality

Mark Twain stated, "Get your facts first and then you can distort them as much as you wish." With President Barack Obama endorsing Gay Marriage, it would be good for all concerned to know some of the basic facts surrounding the discussion of homosexuality. So here's a short quiz on the facts on this subject.

True or False
1. In the early part of this, the 21st Century, scientists did locate a gene that establishes homosexuality is something "you are born with."

2. Choosing to be a gay or lesbian is not logical any more than one can choose one's skin color.

3. A person cannot decide who they fall in love with.

4. The American Psychology Association found conclusive studies to back up the Kinsey Report that consistently 10% of American men and 5% of women had homosexual tendencies.

5. After extensive scientific investigation, the American Psychology Association, removed homosexuality from its list of "diseases" or mental disorders. Their studies showed homosexuality was a result of biological factors, not environmental or behavioral actions.

6. The word "homophobe" literally means "to have a hatred of homosexuals."

7. While the Old Testament condemns homosexual actions, the New Testament makes no such condemnation of homosexuality.

8. In that same-sex attraction is neither a disease nor a disorder, it neither can be cured or needs to be cured.

9. Effeminate men are gay. Masculine women are lesbians.

10. If homosexuality is genetic, then identical twins would share the same exact DNA and so if one is "gay" then the other will be "gay" as well.

ANSWERS (Based solely upon current evidence and research. Additional facts are welcome.)

Here are the answers based upon facts:

Q 1. In the early part of this, the 21st Century, scientists did locate a gene that establishes homosexuality is something "you are born with."

A 1. False. No study has ever found a "gay gene." In 2009, Time Magazine announced that there "might" be evidence of a "gay gene" but that none yet existed.


Q 2. Choosing to be a gay or lesbian is not logical any more than one can choose one's skin color.

A 2. False. There is no evidence being gay or lesbian has any biological basis, but skin color is definitely gene based.


Q 3. A person cannot decide who they fall in love with.

A 3. Married men and women do not suddenly cease to be attracted to others when they marry. They decide NOT to act on those impulses. They decide to be faithful or unfaithful. They do "help it." Taken further, children do NOT fall in love with their parents and vice versa in a sexual manner. Nor with their brothers or sisters. We chose NOT to find those people sexually attractive -- or if we do society calls that incest and finds it repugnant. Society considers such behavior a perversion.

Members of NAMBLA -- the North American Man Boy Love Association -- supports the same idea of "you can't help it who you fall in love with." They maintain men who are attracted to boys are just acting upon irresistible forces -- that "they can't help it" and they were "born with these urges." Society chooses to consider such behavior unacceptable and a perversion.

On the same point, cousins do not fall in love with cousins because they know that children born from cousins can have enormous birth defects. So even though they "love" their cousin and wish they could live together the rest of their lives, they "choose" not to do so. Once again, society has established these "norms" over centuries of experimentation and rejection of actions that can destroy the society.


Q 4. The American Psychology Association found conclusive studies to back up the Kinsey Report that consistently 10% of American men and 5% of women had homosexual tendencies.

A 4. False. The famous Kinsey Report on Human Sexuality suggested that men who actually were fully practicing homosexuals was less than 2%. To get to the 10% figure they included anyone who even had a remote inkling that they might be attracted to other men. In fact, in those men, most rejected the notion and were sexually pleased with their female companion or companions, meaning they'd had multiple sexual encounters with members of the opposite sex. The APA has never confirmed this through their own extensive study although various members have conducted various studies that often found conflicting data.

No uniform study exists "proving" 10% of society can be considered homosexual. The data for females does show that significantly fewer women become practicing lesbians although more women may have experimented with same sex actions.


Q 5. After extensive scientific investigation, the American Psychology Association, removed homosexuality from its list of "diseases" or mental disorders. Their studies showed homosexuality was a result of biological factors, not environmental or behavioral actions.

A 5. False. When the American Psychological Association dropped homosexuality in the later part of the 20th Century from its list of treatable disorders, it did so with little explanation and cited no scientific evidence for doing so.


Q 6. The word "homophobe" literally means "to have a hatred of homosexuals."

A 6. False. The word "homophobe" can literally be broken into two parts -- "homo" meaning the "same" from Greek as in homogeneous (unified in structure) or "man" from Latin, as in homosapien. "Phobe" is the same as in "phobia" which is to fear, as in Acrophobia -- fear of heights, or Claustrophobia -- fear of enclosed places. Thus, literally, homophobia means "fear of the same, or fear of man." How it came to mean hatred of homosexuality is left to the cultural philosophers.

Q 7. While the Old Testament condemns homosexual actions, the New Testament makes no such condemnation of homosexuality.

A 7. False. The Old Testament does call upon the law to stone or kill men who "lie down" with another man. The New Testament's Gospels have no mention of Jesus giving an opinion or direction specific to homosexuality, but, the letters of the apostles are quite clear in their denunciation of homosexuality.


Q 8. In that same-sex attraction is neither a disease nor a disorder, it neither can be cured or needs to be cured.

A 8. Debateable.

Begin with discussing "Cured." The word "disease" has so widely been defined as to make it nearly useless. We all agree if you catch a cold, you have a microorganism that your body will try to fight. We call that a disease and all agree. But, you drink alcohol too much and your body is addicted and we now call that the disease of alcoholism. So lumping homosexuality in this category is not useful. Whether or not it is a disorder or "normal" is now a political football, so, Power of Facts won't comment. Instead go to the heart of the question -- can someone with a same-sex attraction be changed in such a way that they are now attracted to someone of the opposite sex?

Start with the premise and ask, "should they need to do so?" "Should they even bother to change?"

Science and research to find answers to questions is one thing, but the individual quality of life for a person is another. To the point, if a person likes his homosexual life, that is that person's conclusion. But there are humans attracted to the same sex who want a husband-wife traditional relationship, to have naturally conceived children and raise those children in a traditional home. Surely their opinion and desire ought to be as valid a concern as those who don't. Some professional psychologists have responded to the desires of their patients who have these concerns.

One such professional was asked, "What percentage of men with a same sex attraction can be helped to lead a "normal" traditional family life?" That professional with more than 15 years working with men with this desire reports, "The success rate is 100% if the person really wants to change."

Words are also messy things and some have called this "reparative" or change therapy. This doctor is strictly helping the patient achieve his goal.

This doctor will also state that like many things that bring pleasure, they are not likely ever forgotten. He refers to same sex attraction as being like a white dragon. He states it will ALWAYS be in your mind, but you can decide if you're going to keep it walking on a distant hill or beside you. Certainly the work of John Nash (as shown in the movie A Beautiful Mind) found he could lead the life he wished even though the images in his head he'd been following never left his mind. He simply persevered and kept the images far away from him. It is not an unusual therapy method for anyone wishing to change their behavior. It comes down to desire.

The name of the doctor is withheld for his safety due to the extremes people will go to who advocate for homosexuality.

Q 9. Effeminate men are gay. Masculine women are lesbians.

A 9. False. Nonsense. Projecting sexual preference from either effeminate traits in men or masculine in women is the same as "profiling" a black man in a Mercedes must have stolen it. Stereotypes are a statistically poor basis for predicting behavior. If only gay men frequented the theater the theaters would be dark. Men who are "light in the loafers" may be straight or gay. It's simply poor thinking to use these criteria for deciding what one's sexual preference is.

Those are the facts. Let's discuss the subject from a factual foundation basis. It is absurd to have every celebrity and "pro-gay" politician saying "it isn't a choice." Power of Facts does not know if it is purely biology vs. environment, or a mixture, but, neither does anyone else. To state it "isn't a choice" categorically cannot be substantiated. It is an opinion and we're making policies based upon emotion. Let's reason FROM the facts.

Q 10. If homosexuality is genetic, then identical twins would share the same exact DNA and so if one is "gay" then the other will be "gay" as well.

A. 10. That would seem to be obviously True. But apparently those with an ax to grind on the subject avoid this discussion.

Check out a study in the USA and one in Australia where they researched a person who was "gay" and an identical twin. Both studies were conclusive. More often than not the other twin was NOT "gay." In fact, the Australia study shows that far less than 50% of the brothers or sisters of the gay twin were not gay. It should have been at 100% if indeed homosexuality was biologically and DNA produced.

Bonus Question: Should people who choose to live a "gay" lifestyle be persecuted, ridiculed, and not be allowed contractual rights?

Answer: That's a political, and moral issue. The author's opinion is NO. Treating people by the Golden Rule is fundamental to societal decency and order.

That does not mean "marriage" is an automatic right. If you call a fence a cloud, the fence is still in the ground and the cloud is in the air. So trying to change the definition of marriage which has always meant a legal union between a man and a woman is NOT a right, but a political choice. As such, those who advocate the traditional definition are just as much in their right to advocate as those who wish a new definition. In the end, that is a society debate. In a politically polarized environment there is always an attempt by one side to gain power and dominate even if the majority rules against it. Does might make right or does majority rule?

However, if two men or two women want to live together, and wish for the other person to receive their work benefits, or have power of attorney, or share property and other rights, that is a contractual matter and they ought to have the right to do that.

Should they have the right to bring a child into their home? That again is a societal debate and might should not make right. Debate and compromise are the American way.

Should three men and one woman, or one man and many women, or many men or whatever have the right to marry? It's the same debate as should two men have contractual rights and should they have the right to unilaterally redefine what the majority want.

Facts are a messy think for ideologues.

If you have additional or conflicting facts, they are welcome.