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Homosexuality can be treated
Influential doctor changes his mind
Dr. Robert Spitzer, an instrumental figure in the American Psychiatric Association’s 1973 decision to remove homosexuality from its diagnostic manual of mental disorders, has announced a new study which has altered his beliefs on the issue.
“Like most psychiatrists,” said Spitzer, “I thought that homosexual behavior could be resisted, but sexual orientation could not be changed. I now believe that’s untrue—some people can and do change.” Spitzer presented his study at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
In the most detailed investigation of sexual orientation change to date, Spitzer interviewed 200 subjects (143 men and 57 women) who had experienced a significant shift from homosexual to heterosexual attraction, which had lasted for at least five years. Most of the subjects said their religious faith was very important in their lives, and about three-quarters of the men and half of the women had been heterosexually married by the time of the study. Most had sought change because a gay lifestyle had been emotionally unsatisfying. Many had been disturbed by promiscuity, stormy relationships, a conflict with their religious values, and the desire to be (or to stay) heterosexually married.
Typically, the effort to change did not produce significant results for the first two years. Subjects said they were helped by examining their family and childhood experiences, and understanding how those factors might have contributed to their gender identity and sexual orientation. Same-sex mentoring relationships, behavior-therapy techniques, and group therapy were also mentioned as particularly helpful.
To the researchers’ surprise, healthy heterosexual function was reportedly achieved by 67 percent of the men who had rarely or never felt any opposite-sex attraction before the therapy process was begun. Nearly all the subjects said they now feel more masculine (in the case of men) or more feminine (women).
Spitzer concludes, “Contrary to conventional wisdom, some highly motivated individuals, using a variety of change efforts, can make substantial change in multiple indicators of sexual orientation, and achieve good heterosexual functioning.” Spitzer readily conceded that his findings suggest a complete change—the cessation of all homosexual fantasies and attractions—is probably uncommon. Still, he reported finding that when subjects did not actually change their sexual orientation, but merely curbed their behavior through self-control, they nonetheless reported an improvement in overall emotional health.
Stem cell alternatives
Fat, marrow reported to provide useful material
A group of scientists has claimed a breakthrough in stem-cell research: growing many kinds of tissue from stem cells taken from fat. Their research, if confirmed, could render moot the heated debate over the use of fetal tissue as a source of stem cells.
Researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Pittsburgh separated the stem cells—cells which have the potential of growing into any of the tissues and organs that make up the body—from fat removed by liposuction. They reported that they have already been able to grow the cells into bone, cartilage, muscle, and fat. The study was published in the journal Tissue Engineering.
Researchers predict the first practical use of laboratory-engineered tissue could come within five years. Eventually, scientists hope to use a patient’s own fat to supply the tissue required to treat disease or repair injuries. “We hope one day to be able to remove diseased tissue or organs, harvest stem cells, and replace the lost tissues on the same day during the same operation,” said Dr. Marc Hedrick of UCLA.
The discovery came just as President George W. Bush signaled he might reinstate bans on federal funding for studies that use cells taken from aborted children.
Then, just days later, another study revealed that stem cells taken from the bone marrow of adults may be as versatile as stem cells taken from embryonic unborn children. Dr. Neil Theise of New York University and Dr. Diane Krause of Yale said that the findings of their study provided the strongest evidence to date that the adult body harbors stem cells that are as flexible as embryonic stem cells. The findings appear in the journal
Cell.
Protection for the unborn
Abortion advocates worried by implications
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that would apply additional federal penalties to crimes committed against pregnant women if the crimes cause harm to the unborn child.
The bill was hailed by most pro-lifers, although at least one group called the bill a retreat from the pro-life cause. Judie Brown, president of American Life League, said the bill—the Unborn Victims of Violence Act—represents “the latest line of retreat of the beltway lobby, which can no longer claim that protection for all preborn persons is its goal.”
The House voted 252-172 to pass the measure after a lengthy debate in which pro-abortion advocates called it an attempt to push for the legal recognition of an unborn child as a person. “This is not an abortion bill,” said Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Without this bill, crimes against these innocent victims will go unpunished.” The measure would apply only to crimes in federal jurisdiction, but 24 states have similar statutes. President George W. Bush has said he would sign the bill if it passes the Senate.
Republicans seek Catholic support
New program to reach swing voters
The Republican Party has launched a new campaign to reach out to Catholic voters: a group that was evenly split in last year’s presidential elections.
Republicans will visit key states with large Catholic populations and potential GOP voting blocs, such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, to establish a network of Catholic leaders who will work on the grass-roots level.
The plan was revealed by Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Gilmore in a speech at the party’s National Catholic Leadership Forum in Washington. “In order to maintain and build on our recent successes, we must continually reach out and develop new relationships to make our ranks grow,” he said in a videotaped presentation.
The party has formulated a new plan to reach out to minority and other groups that may not have been traditionally thought to be a natural Republican constituency, including Hispanics, blacks, and Catholics.
In the new outreach to Catholics, the local “team leaders” are asked to participate in conference calls with policy-makers, provide the e-mail addresses of 10 fellow Republicans, call local talk-radio programs, recruit additional “team leaders,” and forward Republican e-mails to five of their friends.
Republicans held their next Catholic event in Pittsburgh on May 3, to be followed by one in Michigan on a day to be announced. “We’re going to battleground counties as well,” said Ana Gamonal, who is coordinating the RNC’s outreach to Catholics. “Religiously active Catholics should naturally be voting Republican,” she said.
Still not silenced
Defiant nun wins homosexual activists’ award
A gay-rights group has given an award to a Catholic nun who has defied the Church’s ban on her advocacy for homosexuals.
Sister Jeannine Gramick of the School Sisters of Notre Dame received a direct order from the Vatican last May to cease making public remarks about her efforts on behalf of homosexuals; it was an order she has refused to obey. She has traveled throughout the US to lecture about gay rights and to air her dispute with the Church’s teachings. “I chose not to cooperate in my own oppression,” Gramick said.
PrideFest America gave Gramick its annual Tom Stoddard National Role Model Award, conferred each year on a person who has fought for civil rights for homosexuals. “For her to put her career in jeopardy is a remarkable act of courage,” said PrideFest executive director Malcolm Lazin. Gramick said as she received the award, she would be “apologizing to lesbian and gay people for the sins that not only my Church, but all of organized religion, has committed against them.”