Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public Policy

Does present important and relevant data on homosexuality that will help sensible professionals and lay people alike refute the specious arguments of....radical right politicians and religious leaders. --Book Reviews "John C. Gonsiorek and James D. Weinrich are skillful in their application of research to public policy . . . . This book is exceptionally readable. . . . [they] are to be particularly commended for their editorial expertise." --Contemporary Psychology "Gonsiorek and Weinrich′s book is a gem! It provides the most up-to-date discussions of all the crucial issues that anyone who deals with gay and lesbian issues must understand--the myths, prejudices, and the knotty issues of policy and the scientific research relevant to them. Whether one needs to know about ′child molestation,′ ′choice,′ ′role models,′ or any other ′old chestnut,′ this book provides a clear and scholarly treatment of the controversy and the research relevant to it. It is indispensable!" --Clinton Anderson, Officer for Gay and Lesbian Concerns American Psychological Association "Gonsiorek and Weinrich assemble a most distinguished group of contributors who, in turn, examine the most important issues regarding the subject of homosexuality from the perspective of psychological research. This book is an invaluable resource for forensic psychologists, lawyers and law makers. It offers a thorough exploration of the research necessary to formulate public policy on these issues. In addition, mental health service providers, instructors, and students alike will find that this book covers the basic issues in the psychology of lesbians and gay men with competence and care. A powerhouse of a book!" --Kristin Hancock, Ph.D., Past Chair, Association of Lesbian & Gay Psychologists and Past President, APA Division #44 "There are so many outstanding contributions to this book and so many reasons to get it. This work flies in the face of hearsay and shatters psychological myth with research. It clearly has many uses in the education and training of psychotherapists. It is the sort of work which would also prove to be an invaluable resource to those who need well-documented, clearly written reviews of available research on gay men and lesbians--whatever the reason." --American Psychological Association, Division #44 Newsletter Despite scientific study and scholarly research, homosexuality continues as the subject of an intense, and often bitter, debate. Current and concise, Homosexuality summarizes what science knows about homosexuality and its relevance for public policy. The chapters here focus on concerns that have been most central to current public policy debates about homosexuality, including: the nature and causes of sexual orientations; the reasons why homosexuality is not an illness; the ethics of various mental health approaches to homosexuality; the effects of social and legal discrimination; newer biological and psychological understandings of homosexuality; homosexual people as couples and parents; and the implications of the AIDS epidemic. Because the contributors hail from a variety of disciplines (social, clinical, and counseling psychology; law; psychiatry; social work; biology; nursing; and anthropology), this volume offers a balanced approach to an important--and controversial--issue. This intriguing and timely volume encourages readers to become discerning consumers of the scientific discourses on homosexuality--past, present, and future. As such, students, scholars, and professionals in psychology, sociology, counseling, and social work will use this volume time and again.

Table of Contents:
Introduction - John C Gonsiorek and James D Weinrich The Definition and Scope of Sexual Orientation - John C Gonsiorek and James D Weinrich Homosexuality, Nature, and Biology - John A W Kirsch and James D Weinrich Is Homosexuality Natural? Does it Matter? Masculinity and Femininity in Homosexuality - Richard C Pillard `Inversion′ Revisited Strange Customs, Familiar Lives - James D Weinrich and Walter L Williams Homosexualities in Other Cultures Stigma, Prejudice, and Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men - Gregory M Herek Sexual Orientation and the Law - Rhonda R Rivera Psychological and Medical Treatments of Homosexuality - Charles Silverstein The Empirical Basis for the Demise of the Illness Model of Homosexuality - John C Gonsiorek Constructionism and Morality in Therapy for Homosexuality - Gerald C Davison Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Gay Men and Lesbians - Douglas C Haldeman A Scientific Examination Homosexual Identity - John C Gonsiorek and James R Rudolph Coming Out and Other Developmental Events Lesbian and Gay Relationships - Letitia Anne Peplau Lesbian Mothers and Gay Fathers - G Dorsey Green and Frederick W Bozett Partner Notification as an Instrument for HIV Control - Edmund F Dejowski et al AIDS Prevention and Public Policy - John C Gonsiorek and Michael Shernoff Conclusions - John C Gonsiorek