Out Of The Shadows VII

Sexual orientation not a matter of choice
Published: October 15, 2007

By DEE MOORE

Of the News-Register 



More than 30 years ago, the medical profession concluded that homosexuality is neither a choice nor an illness. It is an orientation predicated either at birth or in early childhood. 


That finding countered the predominant belief of most religions that one chooses a gay lifestyle and thus descends into a form of sexual deviance. 


"It has been 33 years that the APA, American Psychiatric Association, made it official that homosexuality was not a mental illness," said Dr. Sally Godard, a psychiatrist who practices in McMinnville. "It saddens me that we are still debating the issue. 


"The medical community - health care professionals, professional educators, psychologists and psychiatrists, all professional groups - has come out with the stance that to be gay or lesbian is not a disorder or an illness. It is not a question in medical or psychiatric circles." 


Though the scientific community has yet to determine how sexual orientation is set in the developing fetus or child, it has developed theories. And research continues. 


Godard said sexual orientation is, more than likely, a result largely of genetics. However, cognitive and environmental factors during early development may also play a role.


"It is a complex interaction we have not sorted out with science," she said. But she was emphatic on one point: "This is not a choice, not a lifestyle decision, just like it is not for the rest of us." 


She acknowledges this is a concept not embraced by everyone - not by any means. "I think there needs to be a whole lot more education," she said. 


Exposure to scientific literature has an important role to play, she said, but in her view, "The best education comes when people begin to meet other people who are gay or lesbian. Once they start to know gay or lesbian people, a lot more understanding begins." 


Most people know someone who is gay or lesbian, Godard said, but are quite often unaware of it.

"There are an awful lot of people who aren't willing to out themselves, because they aren't willing to risk the isolation," she said. 


"In small communities, and in certain parts of the country and world, it is hard to come out sexually as being gay or lesbian. The emotional turmoil is very tragic. They need support in their community." 


Godard said individuals struggling with their sexual identity often come up against damaging stereotypes, leading to religious intolerance, family rejection and even insistence that they can overcome their sexual inclinations if they simply make the effort. 


She said some religious groups have organized so-called transformation ministries reputing to offer conversion therapy. 


"These have really blossomed in the past years," Godard said, "and they do more harm than good. They use the approach, 'You will never be happy if you are gay or lesbian.' It indicates there is something bad or wrong with you. 


"It is psychologically devastating. This amounts to emotional abuse, religious abuse." 


Godard said many professional organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, have come out against reparative or transformation therapies.

They have concluded these therapies are not going to be effective in the long run, and are likely to inflict much harm along the way. 


"There are no unbiased studies that have come out to prove these programs work," she said. "They can cause self-destructive behavior, along with anxiety and self-hate. It is unethical." 


Godard recommends individuals struggling with their sexuality seek out professional psychological counseling instead. 


"They will get the most back from the appropriate therapy," she said. "They have to realize they do not have to try to change, that this is the way they are, and learn to cope with this even though it may be a struggle." 


"We need to be giving people who have different sexual orientation full rights and benefits. I've never had anyone come to me to ask for change." 


Godard said many in the larger community also are under the misconception that churches uniformly reject gay or lesbian parishioners.

That may once have been the case, but it is most definitely not the case today. 


"Some churches are accepting of gays or lesbians," she said. "Though we hear a lot about Christian groups that are not supportive, the majority of Christian groups are."

Copyright owned by the News-Register.