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The public image of homosexuality is
still largely one of mincing, lisping
lavender. It conjure visions of effeminate
queens hoping to lure innocent young
men into perfumed bedrooms, there to
force them into unspeakable, even
undescribable rites of decadence.
The literature on homosexuality can
be divided into two piles, according to
James Cole, associate professor -of
psychology. One school of thought labels
homosexual behavior as an abnormality!
or a disease. The other suggests it is not.
"This abnormal pile tends to be
clinical data," Cole said. "It doesn't tend
to be written by scientists at all and most
of the evidence tends to be based on
personal observations with patients . the
writers see in psychotherapy.
"It seems to be older work, done prior
to the existence of much scientific data
on homosexuality. Those kind of people
tend to conclude homosexuality is a
disease."
The other pile of literature, Cole
continued, comes from behavioral
scientists, anthropoligists, psychologists
and sociologists, who "have a tendency to
gather empirically derived data."
"The conclusion of this literature is
that homosexuality cannot be labeled as a
mental illness. Not at all."
Cole, who serves as director of the
Clinical Training Program, said whether
or not homosexual impulses are natural
revolves around a definition of the term.
"When you talk in the area of human
sexuality we sometimes implicitly mean
some kind of moral judgement about
things," he said. "So what we mean by
'natural' or 'unnatural' is really 'moral' or
'immoral'."
But if the word is in another frame of
reference does it occur in nature?-the
answer is that homosexuality can be
found throughout the animal kingdom
and the history of mankind. In fact, Cole
said, from a cross-cultural point of view
contemporary American society is
abnormal.
Some individuals, he said, describe
society as ''homoerotophobic." The term
means that the male population fears
arousal of homoerotic impulses and the
expression of homoerotic behavior.
Cole descirbes society in a slightly
different way.
"It goes beyond the arousal of erotic
impulse, it's the whole sexual identity
phenomena," he said. "It's not
particularly the erotic behavior that is
emphasized, it's the effeminate behavior.
Cole blamed a Victorian heritage and
religious principles which set "some very
bad precedents" in sex. But, as society
changes rapidly, he said, there may be an
overreaction in some segments of society.
He said both the gay and straight
factions of society are having difficulty
coping with the issue.
"In the past the gay person had to
worry about a lot of things revolving
around keeping his homosexuality a
secret," Cole said. "Coming out is a
different pressure because it means
demanding dignity and rights as a human
being.
"The basic problem for most people is
trying to cope with something that most
of their lives they've been taught is an
extreme form of evil, terrible condition,"
In a February, 191 paper titled "Is
Homosexuality a Mental Illness?" Cole
wrote, "It is true that there are
homosexuals who have behavioral or
emotional disorders just as there are
heterosexuals who have disorders. ..but a
question remains.. .whether modifications
in social attitudes are needed or changes
in the individual's sexual orientation."
Cole also said life for a gay person in a
small town invites more pressure than life
in an urban area. Large urban areas exist
as a more acceptable context for
homosexuals, he said.
Cole also noted that female
homosexuality is more easily accepted by
society. He cited pornography as an
example.
"Pornography is almost exclusively
oriented to a male audience," he said.
"You find heterosexual behavior, but
another kind of behavior commong to
pornography is female homosexuality.
Men find that sexually exciting.
In his 1971 paper Cole concluded that
"...it behooves us to relate to all people
first as people, not a peculiar sexual
objects... Homosexuals are first people
from a wide variety of .walks of life,
personal tastes, values, needs, interests
and aspirations.
"Homosexuality is a major problem in
our society primarily because of the
amount of injustice and suffering not
only for the homosexual but for those
concerned about him. Fear and ignorance
are major causes of the problem."
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Associate Professor James Cole
