What it Is and What it is NOT

Lots of talk on this subject on the site of late. I've been up on my soapbox a bit, but don't want to be annoying so I decided to put it all down in here, instead. What I have to say is based on research, and science, but since this is my blog, I'm not going to cite anything. If any readers would like the references, let me know and I'll dig them out and email them to you.

1. Homosexuality is not a mental disorder!!! Mental and medical health practitioners use a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to diagnose mental disorders. We are currently using DSM IV (TR)...DSM V is currently being produced. Until 1974 (ish), homosexuality was considered a mental disorder, and most therapists learned "conversion" techniques to help people become "straight". In this day and age, this is considered unethical. Being homosexual is a state of being, just like being heterosexual. There is lots of disagreement about why people are homosexual, but there is a growing body who believe that is just "is", that people are born that way...just like being straight. Why are some people homosexual and some people heterosexual? That is the million dollar question. We don't know....just like we don't know why one cell decides to misbehave to start cancer, why a baby knows its time to be born, or even why we yawn, for Pete's sake! Religious doctrine often times, but not always, considers homosexuality to be a "sin" because of the inability for this union to result, biologically, in a child. There are lots of questions about that, and I'm not a theologian, but I have to ask - if God creates each one of us, and if people are "born" homosexual - then didn't God allow it to happen?? This is where the "deviant" question comes in to play. Not a question I can answer, each of us has to answer it in our own way. In my belief - homosexuality is not a sin, nor a deviance, it is a state of being. Just like being straight.

2. Homosexual people are not freaks, deviants or crazy, and being homosexual does not mean someone has any other disorder of a sexual nature. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy refers to homosexuality, not pedophilia or anything else!!! Homosexuality does not "lead" to the other disorders!!!!! There is a huge difference between homosexuality, pedophilia, necrophilia, fetishes, beastiality, cross dressing, being transgendered, or any of the other disorders that involve someone's sexuality. Homosexuality is not the "norm", in the sense that "most" humans are heterosexual, and in the sense that lovemaking between homosexuals cannot result in procreation....but that does not logically lead to a diagnosis of a disorder.

Quick explanations of the more well known:
Pedophilia - being sexually attracted to children. Incest is when the child is related, either by blood or relationship.
Necrophilia - being sexually attracted to corpses.
Fetishes - being sexually attracted to a nonliving item(s).
Beastiality (actual term is zoophilia)- being sexually attracted to animals.
Cross dressing (transvestite) - straight men getting a sexual charge out of wearing women's clothing.
Transgendered - having the brain of one sex, and the body of another.
Masochism - getting a charge out of being hurt or degraded
Sadism - getting a charge out of hurting or degrading someone else
Frotteurism - touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person
Voyeurism - watching other people naked without their permission

"Sex" in the sense of being male and female has a biological component. Gender is the overall feeling.

Now - in my opinion, the only "disorders" that are "disorders" are those that harm other people, or result in "non-concensual" relations. Pedophilia - harms children in such horrific ways. Definitely a disorder. Necrophilia - the corpse can't say yes, and its desecration - definitely a disorder. Beastiality - this will seem bizarre, but the poor animal can't agree, so - disorder. Cross dressing - oh shit, whats the freaking harm? Fetishes - go for it. Have fun. Transgendered - an unfortunate set of circumstances, but not "crazy"....everyone deserves to be happy. Masochism/sadism - if both agree, go for it. Voyeurism - disorder, disrespectful. Frotteurism - disrespectful -disorder.

Okay - I've veered off on a tangent, as I am prone to do. Sorry.

Homosexuality is not a disorder. It is not deviant. It is nothing to be afraid of. You can't "catch it". It does not threaten your heterosexuality. Homosexual people do not recruit children. They will not ogle you in the shower, nor will they attack you in your rack at night. I will go further here to say that I absolutely approve of "same sex marriage". Why not? How does someone else's relationship, or legal status as being a married couple, threaten me, as a heterosexual woman, and a married woman? It does not!

Love is love, people. Love is all we need, it makes the world go around, and it conquers all. Fear is the absence of love. Don't be afraid.

Be Love!

Thanks

Kiss Kiss!!