Is My Child Becoming Homosexual?

From the ultra right-wing fundamentalist Christian organization Focus on the Family, courtesy of Balloon Juice, courtesy of Crooks and Liars:

Evidences of gender confusion or doubt in boys ages 5 to 11 may include:

1. A strong feeling that they are “different” from other boys.

2. A tendency to cry easily, be less athletic, and dislike the roughhousing that other boys enjoy.

3. A persistent preference to play female roles in make-believe play.

4. A strong preference to spend time in the company of girls and participate in their games and other pastimes.

5. A susceptibility to be bullied by other boys, who may tease them unmercifully and call them “queer,” “fag” and “gay.”

6. A tendency to walk, talk, dress and even “think” effeminately.

7. A repeatedly stated desire to be — or insistence that he is — a girl.

If your child is experiencing several signs of gender confusion, professional help is available. It’s best to seek that help before your child reaches puberty.

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Part of me wants to laugh; part of me wants to scream and yell. What's important is that there is no such thing as "professional help" for children who might be gay, at least no legitimate "professional help." Over three decades ago both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association declared that homosexuality is most decidedly not a mental illness: any "professional" who claims to be able to "treat" people for the "disease" of homosexuality is simply a snake oil salesman. That includes Focus on the Family founder, Christian "psychologist" Dr. James Dobson. It amazes me that fundamentalists continue with this crap. Even though I'm not happy with it, I greatly prefer the Catholic take on gayness that homosexuals should simply resist their urges because the Bible says acting on them is sinful. The fundamentalist take, however, tries to place a pseudo-scientific veneer on their opposition to homosexuality, which causes real psychological harm in the long run. Of course, this is totally in keeping with their general opposition to and twisting of true science in numerous areas, from evolution to AIDS prevention to global warming. How can so many lunatics have so much influence?

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