J
jrgmercado
Guest
I have a theory on that…
Why, thanks for expounding on my exact point Ed. I didn’t think it needed it. But thanks anyway.The argument has been biased in this way because two gay men have always been the most common public depiction of homosexuality. Two gay women are not portrayed except in a few cases.
Yes, the lobbying did happen, but it’s not the only reason for the change. The lobbying really just brought to light a number of psychological studies demonstrating that homosexuality is not a psychological disorder. Lobbying is not science, but it can lobby for science. That being said, science is also not theology. That homosexuality is “disordered” per the Catechism, and is not a “psychological disorder” can both be true.The American Psychiatric Association was placed under pressure by radical gay activists like Frank Kameny in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Later, they would be lobbied by LGBT activists for a change in the category Gender Identity Disorder. Lobbying is not science.
Some of those new studies were by Evelyn Hooker:I would be interested to know which particular studies were brought to light at the time.
https://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_mental_health.htmlHooker’s (1957) study was innovative in several important respects. First, rather than simply accepting the predominant view of homosexuality as pathology, she posed the question of whether homosexuals and heterosexuals differed in their psychological adjustment. Second, rather than studying psychiatric patients, she recruited a sample of homosexual men who were functioning normally in society. Third, she employed a procedure that asked experts to rate the adjustment of men without prior knowledge of their sexual orientation. This method addressed an important source of bias that had vitiated so many previous studies of homosexuality.
Hooker administered three projective tests (the Rorschach, Thematic Apperception Test [TAT], and Make-A-Picture-Story [MAPS] Test) to 30 homosexual males and 30 heterosexual males recruited through community organizations. The two groups were matched for age, IQ, and education. None of the men were in therapy at the time of the study.
Unaware of each subject’s sexual orientation, two independent Rorschach experts evaluated the men’s overall adjustment using a 5-point scale. They classified two-thirds of the heterosexuals and two-thirds of the homosexuals in the three highest categories of adjustment. When asked to identify which Rorschach protocols were obtained from homosexuals, the experts could not distinguish respondents’ sexual orientation at a level better than chance.
A third expert used the TAT and MAPS protocols to evaluate the psychological adjustment of the men. As with the Rorschach responses, the adjustment ratings of the homosexuals and heterosexuals did not differ significantly.
Hooker concluded from her data that homosexuality is not a clinical entity and that homosexuality is not inherently associated with psychopathology.
Seems to me you’re right about dogma. But homosexuals do score higher than most on the narcissistic scale on the MMPI.He also said that he was “merely reflecting Catholic dogma on the topic”. But is it Catholic dogma that homosexuality comes from a “narcissistic search” for masculinity as he claims? I think that the Father is perhaps going a little beyond what Catholic dogma has to say on this subject in making that assertion.
In what way is njlisa’s experience with her lesbian friends not relevant to the topic? The topic is the claim that homosexuality is a result of failed psychological development and that gay people are narcissistic. But her friends sound quite the opposite of being narcissistic and they don’t sound like they’re mentally ill.What you point out is valuable but it does not address the topic.
Hi, Ed:The argument has been biased in this way because two gay men have always been the most common public depiction of homosexuality. Two gay women are not portrayed except in a few cases.
All relationships have various goods associated with them by nature. Anyone should be able to admit that. A person doesn’t have to be gay, straight, or indifferent to be compassionate and caring and be a good friend and companion.I’m not being contentious.
In the name of charity, we should look at same-sex relationships on a case-by-case basis.
A friend of mind has been in a relationship with another woman for 20 years. For the sake of clarity, I’ll call my friend Joan, the companion Beth, and Joan’s mother Martha.
When Joan’s mother was dying, Beth participated in Martha’s care. Just like the rest of Joan’s family, Beth took her turn taking Martha to the bathroom. Beth held Martha’s hand when she was afraid. Along with Joan’s family, Beth was present in Martha’s bedside.
No matter what I might think about the physical part of Joan and Beth’s relationship, I saw remarkable goodness, kindness, loyalty, and deep friendship.