Transcript 同性戀能改變嗎－從臨床經驗談天生論的迷思

同性戀能改變嗎
從臨床經驗談天生論的迷思
Melvin W. Wong, Ph.D.
黃偉康 博士
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
ChristianMentalHealth.com
220 Montgomery Street, Suite 1098,
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
(思仁 翻譯)
Dispelling Common Myths
Overview of Myths
• 10% Myth: that 10% of population is homosexual ‘48
• Homosexuality is not a mental illness (DSM)’73
• Brain dissection of cadavers: Dr. Simon LeVey, ‘91
• Twin studies: Drs. Bailey & Pillard, ‘91
• “Gay Gene”: Dr. Dean Hamer, ‘93 Science
• “Immutability” & “Sexual minority” perspective
• Homosexuals are a “Deprived minority” group
• Homosexual “love” is a committed, monogamous
• Homosexuals are “chic”, youthful & healthy
• AIDS is not a homosexual disease
Dispelling Common Myths
“Political Correctness”
• Homosexuals are born not made: An “ethnic” quality
• Homosexuals can’t change
– If you don’t accept; you’re homophobic
• 10% of population is destined to be homosexuals
• Homosexuality as another life-style & is healthy&
harmless: Physically, Emotionally & Spiritually?
• That sexuality, like a rainbow, is a continuum
• Sin of Sodom is not about homosexuality
• Biblical condemnation on homosexuality is
not the same as we know it today
“Ten-Percent” Project Ten in schools
Kinsey, A.C, Pomeroy W.B., & Martin, C.E., Sexual Behavior
in the Human Male 1948 Philadelphia:W.B.Saunders Co.
• Allegedly Kinsey was believed to have been
an advocate & promoter of homosexuality
• Homosexual activists claim a consistent 10%
across time & cultures, which they offer as
supportive evidence that homosexuality is
biologically based
-------------------------------------------------
• “If this condition is genetic & since most homosexuals
do not reproduce, there should be a gradual decrease
of instances of this condition, & not an increase”
Yen, R., MD, PhD "No Need Of Any More Social Experimentation With Our
Military, An Open Letter to President Clinton," Challenger, Vol 32, No. 4. April
1993
Homosexuality is not a mental illness (DSM-IV)
• American Psychiatric Association deleted homosexuality
from its official Diagnostic & Statistical Manual in 1973
• By implication their action declared homosexuality to be
"a normal form of sexual life” (There was no explicit statement)
• This was a decision voted on by committee members that
passed with a very narrow margin. Many observed there
were intimidation tactics & moving personal testimonies
• This was a political decision & not scientific or medical
• Wide dissension among mental health professionals about
treatability of homosexuality:(Political intolerance present)
What does the DSM-IV say about
Gender Identity Disorder & Homosexuality
What does the DSM-IV say about
Gender Identity Disorder & Homosexuality
“By late adolescence or adulthood, about
three-quarters of boys who had a childhood
history of Gender Identity Disorder report a
homosexual or bisexual orientation, but
without concurrent Gender Identity
Disorder.”
“Most of the remainder report a heterosexual orientation,
also without concurrent Gender Identity Disorder.”
Homosexuality is normal, biologically
determined & cannot be changed
There is no scientific research indicating a
physiological cause for homosexuality
Biological factors, as yet unknown, may play a role
in the predisposition to homosexuality
Research most strongly suggests that individuals are
likely to become homosexual when subjected to
childhood trauma & disturbances in family structure
E.g. Problems in early family relationships, sexual seduction,
emotional conflict, & sense of inadequacy with same-sex
peers, with resulting disturbance in gender identity
Comments from a geneticist & anesthesiologist
Yen, R., MD, PhD "No Need Of Any More Social Experimentation With Our
Military, An Open Letter to President Clinton," Challenger, Vol 32, No. 4. April 1993
"Obviously, these people could not be here if both parents
were homosexual. Two sperms cannot make a baby. If a
gay man wants to have a baby, he will need a partner of the
opposite sex. Since lesbians prefer females as sex partners,
the gay man will need the help of a heterosexual female.
Therefore, half of the baby's genes come from a heterosexual. It is clear, then, if there are genes that determine
homosexuality, 50% of them will be lost in one generation.
No genes can long survive this kind of Darwinian attrition.
If homosexuality is based on the passing of "homosexual
genes" from one generation to another, gays & lesbians
would long have become extinct."
Brain Dissection Studies: Dr. Simon LeVay
LeVay, S., " A Difference in Hypothalamic Structure Between
Heterosexual & Homosexual Men," Science, 253:1034-1037, 1991
Neurobiologist & homosexual activist, he studied 41 cadavers
He focused on a tiny region of the hypothalamus, a part of the
brain that regulates body temperature, blood pressure,
pulse rate & hormone production. It is also "the chief
coordinator of instinct & drives," including sex drive.
INAH-3 (the third interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus), no bigger than a grain of sand. Speculating that
the INAH-3 controls sexual orientation, he compared the
brains of 19 homosexuals with those of 16 "presumed
heterosexual men" & 6 "presumed heterosexual" women
INAH-3 region in females & homosexuals tended to be only
half the size of that in heterosexuals
Brain Dissection Studies: Dr. Simon LeVay
LeVay, S., " A Difference in Hypothalamic Structure Between
Heterosexual & Homosexual Men," Science, 253:1034-1037, 1991
Size of INAH-3 is so small it is difficult to measure. In
addition, it does not have clear boundaries, therefore it is
hard to tell where it begins & where it ends. So the
measurements of the same INAH-3 in a cadaver may be
different from one researcher to another
Here it is important to note that LeVay may not have been an
objective researcher since he is a homosexual "looking for
support that homosexuality is inborn." It would have been
a lot better in the research design to use at least two
observers who do not know the intent of this study to make
measurements of the same INAH-3 to see if they agree.
When measurements agree, then the data will be included
in the statistical analysis to test the hypothesis
Brain Dissection Studies: Dr. Simon LeVay
LeVay, S., " A Difference in Hypothalamic Structure Between
Heterosexual & Homosexual Men," Science, 253:1034-1037, 1991
Sexual orientation of his cadavers can be confusing because
LeVay relied on medical records that are un-reliable in
identifying homosexuals versus heterosexuals. So what he
thought as homosexual may be heterosexual & vice versa
Even if there were definitive identifiers to separate a
homosexual from a heterosexual, the definition of what
made a person homosexual needed clarifying.
– If a man had one homosexual contact in his life-time does that
make this man homosexual?
– For how long does a person have to practice the homosexual lifestyle before he or she be admitted as homosexual?
– How does the duration of this homosexual practice influence the
dimension of INAH-3?
– Does it affect male homosexuals differently than females?
“Twin Study”
Bailey, J. M. & Pillard, R. C., "A Genetic Study of Male Sexual
Orientation." Archives of General Psychiatry, 48:1089-1096, 1991
• Professors at North-Western & Boston Universities
• Recruited 161 bisexual or homosexual men
with at least one male sibling & then
interviewed them to see how many brothers
were also homosexual
• Found 52% of identical twins were both
homosexuals, compared with only 22% of
fraternal twins & 11% of adoptive brothers
Sexual Orientation & Identical Twins
Tim Wilkins, The Cross Examiner, March 1998
Questionable subject recruitment method: ad in homosexual
magazines; concordant (both homosexual) twins respond
more than discordant (1 homosexual, other not) twins.
Alleged claim: Non-responding twin was homosexual.
Same-sex Twin Sexual Experimentation: King & McDonald
“Homosexuals Who are Twins: A study of 46 Probands”
British Journal of Psychiatry, 1992. 1/5 same-sex twins
had sex with one another. Same room, same bed.
100% Genetic Similarity = 100% Incidence Rate: Identical
twins share identical genetic material, when 1 twin is
homosexual, the other twin should always be homosexual
“Gay Gene” Research
D. H. Hamer et al, “A Linkage Between DNA Markers on the X-chromosome &
Male Sexual Orientation,” Science (1993), 261, np. 5119, pp.321-27
• “Research Points Toward a Gay Gene,”
Wall Street Journal, 16, July 1993
– A geneticist was quoted, “the gene…may be involved
in something other than sexual behavior. For example,
it may be that the supposed gene is ‘associated’ with
homosexuality, rather than a ‘cause’ of it.”
• New York Times “Report Suggests homosexuality
is Linked to Genes,” noted that other researchers
warned against over-interpreting the work, “or
taking it to mean anything as simplistic as that he
‘gay gene’ had been found.”
“The Personality of Genes”
J. Madeleine Nash, Time, April 27, 1998 p. 60-61
“Unlike the genes that are responsible for physical traits,
Hamer emphasizes, these genes do not cause people to
become homosexuals,”
“Still, as critics emphasize & Hamer himself acknowledges,
genes alone do not control the chemistry of the brain.
Ultimately, it is the environment that determines how these
genes will express themselves.”
“Indeed, while Hamer has maintained a professional distance from his
studies, it is impossible to believe he is not also driven by a desire for
self-discovery.” (He turned 40, ‘bored’)
“He has tried to stop smoking & failed, he confesses, dozens
of times. ‘If I quit,’ he says, ‘it will be an exercise of
character.’ and not, it goes without saying, of his genes.”
Problems: Genetic Studies on Homosexuality
• Too Small Sample Size
• Biased Subject Selection (Randomization problem)
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of a Control Group
Correlation does not mean causation
Flawed comparison of disparate features
Exaggeration of findings
Ideologically influenced designs & reporting
– Statistically significant correlation not “Cause”
• Unable to Replicate Findings in other studies
Studies prove: homosexuals are born?
“There is no evidence at present to
substantiate a biological theory… The
appeal of current biological explanations
for sexual orientation may derive more from
a dissatisfaction with the present status of
psychosocial explanations than from a
substantiating body of experimental data.”
William Byne & Bruce Parsons, Human Sexual Orientation: The Biologic Theories
Reappraised, Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol 50, March 1993, pp 228-239
Homosexual Treatment is Inhumane & Immoral
• Electric Shock Treatment
– Electro-convulsive therapy for depression: Myths & realities
•
•
•
•
It was first used as an experimental resort to treat depression
It is consider controversial & ethically procedure
It has been widely used before there was effective medication
It is used currently in the SF bay area in very severe
depressions only: such as severe vegetative states & suicides
• This may have been used in parts of Russia or China
• This methodology may be used by some psychologist for
addictions
• Reparative Therapy
– It is a term to describe a treatment procedure/protocol
– It is counseling by talking, support & guidance: No physical contacts
二百個自稱已將他們的性取向從
同性戀者改變成為異性戀者
羅拔使賓莎博士
哥倫比亞大學
Key Homosexual Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sexual attraction
Lustful thoughts
Same sex fantasies during masturbation
Same sex fantasies during heterosexual sex
Yearning for romantic emotional intimacy
Homosexual behavior with excitement
Most Helpful or Only Type of Help
Mental health professional
47%
ExGay/ religious support group
34%
Other (mentoring, books, spiritual
work)
19%
Sample Description
Age (mean)
Currently married
Married before change
Caucasian
Completed college
43
M=76% F=47%
20%
95%
76%
Religion
Protestant
Catholic
Mormon
Jewish
Religion “extremely” or
“very important”
Had publicly spoken in
favor of efforts to change
81%
8%
7%
3%
93%
78%
Time Line
Age
Onset of same sex arousal
12
Begin change effort
30
Begin to feel different sexually
32
End of change effort (for 78% of
subjects)
35
Reasons for Wanting to Change
Gay life-style not
emotionally satisfying
81%
Religious conflict
79%
Desire to get or stay married
Male
67%
Female3
5%
Assessment of Change in Sexual
Orientation Indicators
BEFORE: 12 months before change effort
AFTER:
past 12 months
Sexual Attraction Scale Mean
(100 = same sex, 0 = opposite sex)
100%
80%
Male
Female
60%
40%
20%
0%
BEFORE
AFTER
Exclusively Homosexual BEFORE
Exclusively Heterosexual AFTER
55%
60%
42% 46%
Male
Female
40%
17%
20%
0%
BEFORE: Exclusively
Homosexual
AFTER: Exclusively
Heterosexual
AFTER: Good Heterosexual Functioning
in 33 Males Who Before Change Effort Were
Extreme on Homosexual Indicators
67%
70%
• No teenage opposite sex
attraction
• Never had heterosexual
sex
• Before: no heterosexual
masturbatory fantasies
• Before: attraction 95+
(homosexual)
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Three Variables in the 56 Subjects Having Regular
Heterosexual Sex Both BEFORE and AFTER
100%
98%
100%
80%
52%
60%
40%
25%
Before
After
43%
6%
20%
0%
Satisfying
emotional
relationship
(7+ on 1-10
scale)
Sex
physically
satisfying
(7+ on 1-10
scale)
Often
(20+%
during sex
think of
same sex)
“Markedly” or “Extremely”
Bothered by Depression
80%
60%
43% 47%
Male
Female
40%
20%
1%
4%
0%
BEFORE
AFTER
Change effort was “Very Helpful”
in…
…feeling more [masculine,
feminine]
…developing nonsexual
relations with same sex
87%
93%
Also… Reported Change Strategies
• Narratives linking childhood or family
experiences to condition
• Building on an intense emotional
relationship to effect change in sexual
feelings
• Group or individual support
• Thought stopping
• Avoiding situations that triggered feelings
What we conclude…
• Some highly motivated individuals through
a variety of change efforts can make
substantial changes in multiple indicators of
sexual orientation and achieve good
heterosexual function
• Subjects who made less substantial changes
still believed that such changes were
extremely beneficial
• Complete change uncommon
Difficulty finding subjects suggests…
• Those rejected from study indicate that
many who claim to have changed sexual
orientation, have only changed identity
and or behavior
– For these individuals, such limited change
was experienced as substantial
improvement
Misuse of Study Results
• To assume that it shows that homosexual
orientation is changeable for most highly
motivated individuals
• To dismiss the value to some conflicted
homosexuals of a shift in sexual identity and
unwanted sexual behavior, even when sexual
orientation is not substantially changed
• To justify coercive treatment and the denial
of civil rights