PSYCHOENDOCRINE RESEARCH AND THE SOCIETAL STATUS OF HOMOSEXUALS: A REPLY TO DE CECCO.

Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F. L.

The article focuses on the status of homosexuals. The anomalous biological status of homosexuals is the physical basis for their emotional attraction to members of their own sexes. These presuppositions inevitably result in a repathologization of homosexuality. The psychobiological explanation unwittingly reinforces the societal intolerance of homosexuality. Retrospective surveys show significant cross-gender childhood behavior in about two thirds of homosexual males and females and subsequently prospective studies of preteenage boys with gender identity disorders show that many of them become homosexual. In spite of the difficulties inherent in research involving nature-nurture interactions, the last 2 decades have brought remarkable progress ill the elucidation of physioiogical factors in human psychosexual differentiation and sexual functioning. Whether such progress will extend to research on the development of sexual orientation remains to be seen hut can certainly not be decided by prejudgment without further empirical research results.

HOMOSEXUALITY; PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY; NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY; NEUROPSYCHOLOGY; ENDOCRINOLOGY; SEXUAL psychology; PSYCHOLOGY

Journal of Sex Research, 1987, Vol 23, Issue 1, p114

0022-4499

Academic Journal

10.1080/00224498709551347