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Participating
in the Public Forum:
Why the Scouts Were Right to Ban Gay Activists as Leaders
by
Camille S. Williams
Parents
have the legal and the moral right to be concerned about youth leaders'
values and conduct.
The Boy Scouts
of America argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that as a private
group they have the right to set the moral criteria for their youth
leaders. The Court agreed, but some private and public entities
have declared the no gay leader policy to be discriminatory and
have withdrawn financial support. Apart from the constitutional
issues the raised by the case, there are also public health and
public policy issues which have not been fully discussed.
Because
youth leaders may greatly influence their children, parents have
the legal and the moral right to be concerned about youth leaders'
values and conduct. Leaders should not implicitly or explicitly
encourage risky behaviors. As a group, persons reporting
same-sex orientation, whether married, single, or in a relationship,
report having a larger number of sexual partners over their lifetimes
than do persons in heterosexual unions. They also are more likely
to report having a history of substance abuse, and to participate
in sexual and other practices which put them at risk for a shorter
life. (1)
The persistence
of unsafe sexual practices among gay men is widely documented, and
has recently increased, despite massive public health education
efforts. (2) While the behavior of
any specific man may be beyond reproach, a gay activist, by definition,
seeks to legitimate an unhealthful lifestyle. Parents and anyone
else concerned about individual and public health should seek to
discourage risky behaviors which increase the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases.
Sexual
orientation and behavior are malleable. Youth learn about familial
and sexual behaviors from the older generation, their parents, teachers
and leaders. Those leaders' behavior should demonstrate a healthful
lifestyle. We do not have adequate empirical research to support
claims that the sexual practices of parents or other adults will
have little or no impact on the children they raise, teach or lead.
In fact, only about 3% of the population consider themselves homosexual
(Laumann, p. 297), and that homosexual identity is not a uniform
attribute across individuals, is not stable over time, and is not
easily measured (Laumann, p. 283). In studies conducted during the
past twenty years, the sexual orientation of both subjects and control
groups have generally been assumed, rather than assessed,
thus calling into question the validity of the results.
(3) We might reasonably conclude, as did a Florida judge
in an adoption case, that because most children will grow up to
be heterosexual, they need stable adult heterosexual role models
as they develop into men and women interested in appropriately interacting
with members of the opposite sex. (4)
Sidestepping
the labels. Those who believe homosexual behavior is wrong
have been characterized as ignorant, fearful, or prejudiced. Using
such labels for those opposing increased acceptance of same-sex
relationships simply shifts the focus from the issues related to
same-sex sexual behaviors to a consideration of the character or
credentials of an opponent apart from his arguments. Boy Scout and
religious leaders who oppose homosexual activity are not necessarily
unaware of scientific evidence supporting their views, though they
may not choose their policies nor counsel their members on the basis
of medical or social scientific arguments and evidences.
For gay activists
to characterize those who disagree with them as ignorant, fearful,
or prejudiced squelches public dialogue about public health issues
and impoverishes moral reasoning on issues of central importance
to individuals, families and organizations.
Notes
1. For analysis of risk and case studies, see
Jeffrey Satinover, M.D., Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth,
1996; Charles Socarides, Homosexuality: A Freedom Too Far,
1995; For theory and narrative, see Claudia Card, Lesbian Choices,
1995; Celia Kitzinger and Rachel Perkins, Changing Our Minds,
1993; Robert L. Barret, Gay Fathers, 1990; Frederick W.
Bozett, Gay and Lesbian Parents, 1987; D. McWhirter and
A. Mattison, The Male Couple, 1984; Martin Weinberg, et
al, Dual Attraction: Understanding Bisexuality, 1994. For demographic
and statistical information, see Edward O. Laumann, et al,
The Social Organization of Sexuality, 1994, pp. 283-320.
2.
"HIV Rate in S.F. Gays has Tripled in 2 Years," Associated
Press, Deseret News Saturday July 1, 2000.http://wwwdesnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_reg?dn00&0007030120.
3.
Y. Barry Chung and Motoni Karayama, "Assessment of Sexual Orientation
in Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Studies," Journal of Homosexuality,
Vol. 30(4) 1996, 49-61.
4.
State Dept. of Health v. Cox, 627 So. 2d 1210, 1220 (Fla. App.
2nd Dist., 1993).
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