Homosexuals—perhaps as many as 12
million American men and women —are one of the nation's most despised
and harassed minority groups. A poll taken for CBS-TV not long ago
revealed that two out of three Americans look on homosexuals with
disgust, discomfort or fear, and one out of ten regards them with
outright hatred. A majority considers homosexuality more dangerous to
society than abortion, adultery or prostitution. Society's hostility
toward the homosexual—particularly the male —leaves him wide open to
blackmail and job discrimination. Police, concentrating more on
attempting to control homosexuals than those who prey on them, often
resort to such quasi-legal and demeaning tactics as entrapment. The
stresses of living hidden lives create in homosexuals a high incidence
of anxiety and other psychological problems. Injustice and Suffering. A far-reaching report on homosexuality for the
Federal Government's National Institute of Mental Health, released this
week, maintains that such hostility is unjustified by any dangers that
homosexuality may pose for society. The 14-member task force that
prepared the report was headed by U.C.L.A.'s Evelyn Hooker, an erudite,
compassionate psychologist who is one of the nation's most
distinguished researchers in the field. A majority of the panel, which
included psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists, lawyers and a
theologian, urges states to abolish the laws that make homosexual
intercourse a crime for consenting adults in private. More
controversially, their report recommends that government and private
employers “reassess” their current standards and implies that they
should hire homosexuals who can pass normal screening procedures. The report is the
first by any group under U.S. Government auspices to take this stance. Says the report: “The extreme opprobrium that our society has attached
to homosexual behavior has done more social harm than good, and goes
beyond what is necessary for the maintenance of public order and human
decency. Homosexuality presents a major problem for our society largely
because of the amount of injustice and suffering entailed in it, not
only for the homosexual but also for those concerned about him.” The report comes at a time when homosexuals are more visible and
assertive than ever—in films and plays that explicitly depict their
private lives and in public organizations that militate for their civil
rights. Still, the report notes, parents who find out that their child
is a homosexual or a lesbian almost inevitably suffer, fearing that
they are somehow guilty of a tragic failure. The task force notes that “misinformation abounds.” The “homosexual
orientation” is not a ground for despair. Endorsing the findings of
pioneering research that have accumulated in the past two decades, the
group says that “many homosexuals are good citizens, holding regular
jobs and leading productive lives.” Psychiatric treatment permits about
30% of adults who seek help to enjoy a normal sex life. An even larger
percentage of children who are incipient homosexuals can be reached in
time to avoid the condition entirely.
