I thought about calling in queer (or at least sympathetic) tomorrow, but I have a very gay-friendly and supportive department already, so I’m not sure the point needs to be made locally, plus tomorrow was the only day that I could get a very busy group of committee members together for a meeting, so I’m going to work. But in lieu of calling in straight-but-not-narrow, I thought I’d take this opportunity to call in “educated” on some prevalent conservative arguments in favor of discrimination.

(1) Gays are psychologically sick, and gay families are not healthy environments for children.

In fact, the American Psychological Association took homosexuality out of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual nearly two decades ago, because there were no conclusive research studies that showed homosexuality impeding other normal social functioning, except insofar as gays experience increased stress from discrimination. (As a comparison, Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder isn’t considered a problem because it’s outside the norms of what most people do, but because, for example, needing to flip every light switch ten times in every room as you enter and leave makes it nearly impossible to get anything else done.) As for the question of gay families, over one hundred rigorous longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that gay people are often more devoted parents than straight parents, that children raised by gay parents are no more likely than the rest of the population to be gay themselves (i.e., 10%), and that gay families are no more likely to be disfunctional than the rest of the population. As with gays as individuals, the only consistently negative characteristic to be found in gay families is increased stress from discrimination. If you have lots of free time and want to read all these research studies, many of them are archived here at the APA website.

(2) Homosexuality is a lifestyle choice, and so-called gay people can choose to be straight, either through religious or other means.

Neuroscience suggests otherwise. Several research studies demonstrate that the brains of gays and lesbians look different from their same-sex counterparts, in terms of both structure and functional activation, with the gay male brain more resembling that of straight females and the lesbian brain more resembling that of straight males. Scientists hypothesize that these differences are too profound to be the result of behavioral shaping (as with cerebral cortex or muscular cortex changes that result from learning or sports practice, for example), and it is far more likely that the differences are present since birth.

(3) Homosexuality is an aberration, and its presence in Western society is caused by the erosion of traditional values.

Again, science says otherwise. Not only is same-sex mating behavior to be found among numerous species in the animal kingdom, homosexuality is well-documented throughout human history. (See Louis Crompton’s Homosexuality and Civilization for a very thorough treatment.) From an evolutionary perspective, it makes a great deal of sense, particularly in times of overpopulation or scarcity, to have adult members of a population whose sexual activity will not result in offspring, but who are otherwise of sound mind and body, so that they may contribute to the well-being of the rest of the population and their offspring, even engaging in nurturing of young themselves. (So why do we want to prevent gay people from adopting children again? See #1.)

(4) The Bible says it’s wrong.

I saved this one for last on purpose. Most people making this argument point to the destruction of Sodom (Genesis) and rules for cleanliness and purity (Leviticus) in the Old Testament, or the letters of the apostle Paul in the New Testament. As for the first instance, when the Angels of God visit Lot’s house in Sodom, Lot’s neighbors beat down his door and demand that he send the angel visitors out to them to be the subjects of a public orgy and gang rape. (Yeah, that’s right.  Look it up.  Interesting how so many toss-off references to this story leave out that little detail, isn’t it?)  So what was the Sin of Sodom, really? Same-sex coupling? Or profligate sexual violence? It’s an open question, but I think the latter is more likely (and arguably more deserving of having the whole town blown to smithereens). As for the other two, the concerns of both the rules in Leviticus and the apostle Paul have to be understood within their historical contexts. In both cases, homosexual behavior among men often occurred in the broader society as part of pagan rituals (see #3), and as such falls under the category of idolatry, which the Bible clearly says is wrong. Plus, there are plenty of other things the Bible says is wrong that modern Christians choose to blatantly ignore, such as eating shellfish and socializing with menstruating women. Finally, I’d like to end with what the Bible says is right: “He has shown thee, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee. But to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” (Micah 6:8)

So there you have it. Four widely-touted conservative assertions easily refuted by science, science, science, and some very basic Biblical exegesis. Seriously, speaking truth to power will only win so much of the battle here. We also have to speak education to ignorance.