Homosexual Youth
Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D.
There is little question that one of the biggest socio-political issues of our time is homosexuality. Conservative individuals often believe homosexuality to be an abomination while liberals are more likely to consider it as simply an alternative lifestyle. My purpose here is not to debate either point. Instead, I'm concerned that the field of clinical psychology of which I am a part has made several serious errors in logic as they have tried to address the question of homosexuality in childhood and adolescence. Here are four errors I've identified.
First, many children and teens believe they are homosexual and have always felt "different." These long-lasting feelings are proof that their sexual orientation is natural and normal. However, this logic fails to work with anything else. Lots of feelings are natural, but not desirable. I've worked with many children who have struggled with compulsivity, inappropriate sexual expression, and even attention-deficit disorder. I don't know any therapist that would argue that these children were born that way and, therefore, culture should embrace them as they are.
Second, self-proclaimed homosexual teens argue that they feel love so it shouldn't make any difference if it is a same-sex or opposite-sex partner. How can love be wrong? Again, this makes no sense in any other context. Suppose a married woman decided she loved another man. Few would argue that the urge itself was justification to pursue it.
Third, the homosexual lobby in mental health proposes that research has validated that homosexual behavior is common and naturally occurring in the animal kingdom and animals studies show that when an animal is injected with hormones of the opposite sex, it is more likely to display homosexual behavior. This data presents two logical problems. The first is, while it is true that many animals will mount an animal of the same sex, there is no animal that will engage in a relationship with a same-sex animal. There is a difference between sexual expression and relationship. Animals will also mount inanimate objects, but that doesn't demonstrate the natural order of engaging in a relationship with an inanimate object.
The second logic error with animal studies is that animals do many things we do not accept as humans. For example, while some animals are monogomous most are not. Both males and females of many species in the animal kingdom only copulate for reproduction (a distinct difference from humans) and they will copulate with any and all animals of the opposite gender that will allow it. Very few psychologists argue that humans should copulate with as many people as they want since animals have sex with any animal that will slow dow long enough to do so.
The final logic error regarding teens is that many counselors argue that if teens are struggling with homosexuality, perhaps they are homosexual and, therefore, they should stop fighting it and embrace their sexual identity. This may be the biggest flaw of all. There is no other issue where any adult would make the same argument. We do not let teens marry, drive without supervision, carry firearms, or have surgery without adult permission. We don't even expect that teens' "certainty" about a professional career will pan out into adulthood because we recognize that they are not mature enough to make such decisions. Allowing them to make decisions about sexual orientation in adolescence, decisions that have life-long consequences, is illogical.
I admit that there are almost certainly people who are born with homosexual drives and that this is a very complicated issue. The practice of homosexuality in adulthood and the social issues related to homosexuality are issues for another column. My point here is that children are not mature enough to make life-long decisions about sexual orientation based on feelings, urges, and "love." When mental health professionals participate in this illogical process, it only complicates the issue more for the child.
I have compassion for those who struggle with any issue,
including sexual identity, and I'm not suggesting that the therapeutic
solution is to ignore it or condemn it. I also recognize that
conservatives have their own set of logic problems. I'll save
that for another article. However, it is irresponsible for us
to apply these logic flaws with our children who may be unable
to see the problems with the arguments.