Local Commentary

Commentary

December 18, 2011

Ignorance and confusion falsely tie homosexuality and pedophilia Commentary Marie Gray

IN THE wake of the media exposure of the alleged occurrences of multiple sexual assaults on underage males by former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, gays and lesbians are again confronted with the familiar erroneous belief referencing an inherent link between homosexuality and pedophilia.

More specifically, this response is related to a letter to the editor by Mr. Curt Piazza that appeared in The Times Leader. (“PSU alum says Bible 101 should be required class,” Nov. 19.)

Mr. Piazza alleged that the Penn State diversity program promotes a so-called “homosexual agenda,” and he inappropriately and inaccurately links sexual abuse and pedophilia to homosexuality. The purpose of this commentary is not to retaliate against Mr. Piazza, who evidentially possesses his own personal agenda, but to serve as a means of providing accurate information pertaining to the context of the purposes of diversity programs on college and university campuses as well as to separate the flawed affiliation of pedophilia, child sexual abuse and sexual assault from homosexuality or an LGBTQ orientation.

According to the American Psychological Association, there is no relationship between child sexual abuse and homosexuality.

Furthermore, there has been no evidence presented within current literature respective to a predator’s heterosexual orientation cited as an explanation for crimes committed against opposite gender victims. Men who molest underage females are specifically identified as “pedophiles” or “sexual predators.” Men who molest underage males are simply called “homosexuals,” which postures sexual orientation as the motivation rather than a power-over mentality to which the victim is subjected.

In part, the confusion between homosexuality and the molestation of young boys comes from the terminology used by researchers themselves. If an adult male molests a young boy, that type of molestation is typically called a “homosexual molestation.” However, when described in this manner the term “homosexual” is used as an adjective in its most literal sense – the victim and perpetrator are of the same sex. It doesn’t refer to the sexual orientation of either the victim or the perpetrator.

The research to date all points to there being no significant relationship between a homosexual lifestyle and child molestation. There appears to be practically no reportage of sexual molestation of girls by lesbian adults, and the adult male who sexually molests young boys is not likely to be a homosexual.

Mr. Piazza’s letter made a statement about forced compliance of students who are paired with an LGBTQ roommate and labeled as “homophobes.” Incidents of on-campus peer bullying have resulted in a demonstrably high suicide rate among LGBTQ students and exemplify our culture’s tolerance and encouragement of hate in the name of “God.”

When we tolerate hate and victimization on one level we encourage its escalation and give permission for it to occur at more intense levels. One might reference the “brown eye/blue eye” experiment that exemplified targeting “different” as a means for discrimination and perception of one being “less than equal” to another.

Many colleges and universities maintain active ally and diversity programs that demonstrate cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, based on the assumption that this training will benefit an organization by protecting against civil rights violations, increasing the inclusion of different identity groups and promoting better teamwork.

As colleges are responsible for educating future professionals, it remains imperative to assist learners in both “learning” to accept differences in others and “unlearning” distorted belief systems.

As a professional educator, licensed and credentialed practitioner within my field which specializes in traumatology and victimology, as well as an advocate for victims’ rights, I believe it’s important to assist our students into developing into caring, compassionate and community-oriented individuals. Thus, I argue that these organizations’ programs remain invaluable.

Furthermore, citing a literalist interpretation of the “Bible” remains biased and unrealistic in scholarly application, given that this historical religious document was not drafted by one individual at one sitting and has been modified, censored and edited by numerous authors, some of whom have had their gospels edited out of the text, such as “The Gospels of Mary Magdalene.”

Those who initiate argument to justify hate and intolerance citing said justification as the “word of God,” for example, know how powerful and effective such slander remains.

The discovery that one’s child has been sexually violated remains one of the worst nightmares for a parent. Anti-gay activists feed on this fear, as do biblical literalists, to further their agendas. “It is easier to nauseate than it is to educate.”

Our children remain at risk. However, we continue to facilitate this risk based on our ability to be suspicious of the wrong people.

Members of the LGBTQ community, as well as diversity and ally programs, are not the enemy. Ignorance and intolerance are the enemies, and as we continue to project responsibility onto the wrong people and justify our hate or even ambivalence, predators will continue to harm our children without reprimand, accountability and scrutiny.

As our culture continues to encourage marginalization of LGBTQ individuals through ignorant association with sexual predators and pedophiles, predators will continue to have free reign to abuse innocent children. Sadly, by erroneously identifying diversity programs, gays and lesbians as the problem, more young lives will continue to be shattered and more parents will suffer the agonizing heartache of learning that they trusted someone who destroyed their child’s future.

It was my understanding that Mr. Sandusky identifies himself as “heterosexual.” Regardless of his orientation, his alleged behavior remains criminal, and the flaws in mandated reporting processes demonstrate the need for accountability from those people who allegedly “put on the blinders,” thereby inhibiting the judicial process.

Marie Gray, of Cornerstone Counseling & Consulting Specialists near Dallas, is a psychologist and board certified expert in both traumatic stress and sexual abuse.

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