An organization called, Truth Wins Out, which is a non-profit organization that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the "ex-gay" myth and educates America about gay life criticized Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin today for repeatedly saying in an interview with Katie Couric on CBS News that
homosexuality is a choice.
Truth Wins Out wrote on their website:
"We are disturbed that a person on the cusp of enormous power could hold such backward and unscientific views," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "She seems to be in lockstep with her church that promoted a 'pray away the gay' conference in Anchorage. We hope Palin will choose to educate herself so she will learn that being gay is not a casual choice, like eating moose stew for dinner. We want her to understand that you can't pray away the gay."
On the topic of sexual orientation, Palin told Couric the following:
"And you know, I don't know what prayers are worthy of being prayed and I don't know what prayers are going to be answered or not answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships. I have one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years who happens to be gay, and I love her dearly, and she is not my 'gay friend, she is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn't a choice that I have made. But I'm not going to judge people."
I hope that Palin does become educated on the harm done saying that homosexuality is a choice. She sounds as though she lacks education and information on gay culture and individuals as is most of society given there is little to no education on homosexuality.
There is a difference between sexual orientation and sexual behavior. People do choose to live gay and lesbian lifestyles because their sexual orientation is homosexual just as heterosexual choose to live a straight lifestyle. We all choose to live in integrity or not. Those who believe homosexuality is a choice reduce homosexuality to a behavior and not an identity.
By promoting that homosexuality is a choice is harmful to those whose innate sexual and romantic identity is truly homosexual. Every respected medical and mental health association in America - including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association, The National Association of Social Workers and the American Counseling Association- warn that so-called "ex-gay" sexual engineering programs can be harmful.
I'm not against those of a homosexual orientation who choose not to live as gay or lesbian. They should be allowed to choose for themselves whether a gay or lesbian lifestyle will or will not work for them in terms of their religious and moral beliefs. I do quarrel with their constant attempts to pass laws against lesbians and gays. It is not okay to say that "if homosexuality is wrong for me than it is wrong for everyone". That is a narcissistic mentality.
It is important to note that for those who are homosexual and choose not to live or self-identify as a gay or lesbian person, they are only "living" that way. Nothing has changed. They do not become straight--they just choose to live that way.
Gays and lesbians also need to be willing to acknowledge that for many individuals with a homosexual orientation cannot reconcile themselves to live their lives this way. If we want others to accept us and our community we must do the same for them. We must accept that there are those for whom living a gay affirmative life is never going to be okay for them.
However, we are not to accept the hate or the anti-gay statements or laws, and the ex-gay movement promotes hate and negativity toward gays and lesbians by saying "everyone can--and should--change from gay to straight.
The Ex-Gay Agenda
Ex-gays are taught to go to extremes to avoid sexual contact with the same gender, even if it means behaving in hateful ways-such as trying to pass legislation against gays.
I strongly believe that those in the forefront of the ex-gay movement suffer from self-hatred about their own homosexuality, which was taught to them as children. So many come from families, cultures, and communities that disdain homosexuality, and have incorporated this to such an extreme that they can never fully actualize themselves as the gays and lesbians they were meant to be and truly are. Along with their true sexual orientation, they have shut down their capacity to be loving and accepting, particular toward other gays and lesbians by allowing the existence of openly affirming gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals and couples.
Dr. Nicolosi, the founder of the National Association for Research and Therapy on Homosexuality (NARTH) wrote in his book, "Healing Homosexuality" states that there is nothing positive about homosexuality. In other words, all homosexuality is bad and wrong. Again this might be true for those who do not wish to pursue a life supporting their innate orientation but to say this is the case for all gays and lesbians is mean-spirited and judgmental.
The harm done is that those with homosexual orientations remain closeted, marry heterosexually and have children, become depressed and even suicidal.
Let's choose education and information over sweeping generalizations.
