A history lesson, I think.

I took a history class last spring semester, on U.S. History from WWII to Vietnam. In this class, we had to write a 10-12 page research paper on a topic of our choice within the scope of the class. In the first few weeks of the class, we watched a film called Coming Out Under Fire, which is a documentary about gay and lesbian soldiers in WWII. That video piqued my interest, so I decided to write my paper about a similar topic. I chose to research the tactics that the Selective Service used to try to weed out homosexuals from military service. Here's one quotation I found that Colonel William C. Porter made in 1941:

"We feel that homosexuals, if they are overt in their manifestations, can do inestimable harm in the Army of the United States by seduction of youths who are not homosexually inclined."*

If Alfred Kinsey was right about what percentage of the population is homosexual, then homosexuals should be a significant minority in the armed forces. And yet, it was believed that their presence was powerful enough to convert a straight man to gay. Does this mean that Colonel Porter believed sexual orientation was malleable? If so, then why couldn't the armed forces be used as a "reform camp" for straight soldiers to "seduce" gay soldiers? However, based on what the quotation says, it seems that he believes heterosexuality is able to be lost, but that homosexuality is permanent. Doesn't that imply that homosexuality is more powerful than heterosexuality? If so, then that goes against common stereotypes of homosexuals: effeminate, unmanly, etc.

Now let's compare that to today. Today we have ex-gay organizations (or, in the case of Exodus International, had, thank God) that exist to "convert" gay people to straight. So apparently the beliefs that proponents of these organizations hold about sexuality have changed: now homosexuality is able to be "cured," and heterosexuality has the ability to trump homosexuality. I think some people still believe that one cause of homosexuality is seduction, but they also believe that it can be undone through ex-gay therapy.

Both of these perspectives are total B.S., by the way.

I'm just observing changes over time. Really interesting.



*William C. Porter, "Proceedings: Seminar on Practical Psychiatric Diagnosis." Chicago, May 19, 1941.