I understand the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy to some degree, even if the army's supposed to be a band of brothers/sisters, and everyone's family — but I think I'm drawing the line right here. According to Yahoo.com, the Pentagon is now listing homosexuality as a disorder. This is a mistake thirty years in the making, when once, in our peak of barely looking past identical suburban homes and police riots, homosexuality was mislabeled as a mental disorder. According to James H. Scully JR.:
"Based on scientific and medical evidence the APA declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973 — a position shared by all other major health and mental health organizations based on their own review of the science."
Let's go over our list of disorders. We have eating disorders, ADD and ADHD, mental disorders, etc. These all imply that something is wrong. Something isn't working quite right. By that definition, how is homosexuality any type of disorder when it is a choice and nothing more?
I promised myself that I'd never re-enter the scary realm of conservative politics, but someone has to speak up. How long is this intolerance going to run? Till we shred ourselves completely dry of morals? Till we go back to a time of witch hunts and holocausts? There is nothing in our world that is certain except this. People who chose to be homosexual are still people. They still lead normal lives, and they want that security for anyone else who makes the same decision. In essence, they want to be safe. They want reassurance that some day, the government is going to turn around and take away every one of their rights because — because what? because they choose to love within their gender?
Love is freaking complicated at times, and I never thought I'd have the horror of finding myself write this article, but there are a lot of things we as a country need to learn. This is barely the tip of the iceberg.
Read 5 comments (Leave a comment?)
Amanda said:
The argument is of course, that homosexuality isn’t a choice. That’s what the gay community is trying to make people understand, that one doesn’t choose to be homosexual, one is born that way. I believe there’s also been scientific evidence that backs this up, showing hormonal imbalances in the brains of homosexuals when compared to heterosexuals.
Posted on June 22, 2006 7:11 AM; Permalink
Biscuitrat said:
I’ve looked at it both ways personally. You can choose your sexual orientation based on experiences, a sort of predestination. I guess the point I was trying to go with was that the Pentagon as declaring that homosexuality was wrong - under the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, I think the article said 73 homosexuals were dismissed. It’s not fair to anyone.
Posted on June 22, 2006 10:59 AM; Permalink
Lav said:
It is wrong that they list it as a disorder. Happens in nature too. Pft. Intolerant bleeps. John Howard’s a stubborn bleep here in Australia too - the federal government just denied gay marriage in the capital though the State government tried fighting back >It is wrong that they list it as a disorder. Happens in nature too. Pft. Intolerant *bleeps*. John Howard’s a stubborn *bleep* here in Australia too - the federal government just denied gay marriage in the capital though the State government tried fighting back >
Posted on June 23, 2006 4:26 AM; Permalink
Alice said:
thats just aweful thats its labelled as a disability! jesus the bigitedness of some poeple. its all trough fear i think, all though fear of the unknown
Posted on June 23, 2006 7:34 AM; Permalink
Biscuitrat said:
Fear of change, I guess. Texas banned it too because we’re all apparently conservative and Republican. What is this country coming to? :(
Posted on June 23, 2006 9:53 AM; Permalink