Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Homosexuals

The Advocate has an article about a 1967 CBS News Special Report titled "The Homosexuals"



There is a growing concern about homosexuals in society; about their increasing visibility. In preparing this broadcast, CBS News commissioned a survey by The Opinion Research Corporation in the public attitudes towards homosexuality. We discovered that Americans consider homosexuality more harmful to society than adultury, abortion or prostitution

Homosexuality is, in fact, a mental illness.

The average homosexual, if there is such, is promiscuous.  He is not interested in or capable of a lasting relationship like that of a heterosexual marriage.

The aim of a homosexual act, paradoxically enough, is to seek masculinity.

The church has a great deal of sympathy for those who are handicapped in this way.

[Being a homosexual] automatically rules out that [the man in question] will remain happy.

Hmmm, sounds like stuff I might hear at church - I'm starting to wonder how much progress we've actually made in the last 43 years.

4 comments:

Laurent said...

Well, let's see.

Indicators of progress:
1. I don't think American society as a whole thinks any longer that homosexuality is worse than abortion, adultery, prostitution, etc.

2. American society, overall, are basically aware that homosexuality is not a mental illness. That's not even the LDS church's position anymore.

Where we still need some work on:

1. The perception of promiscuity is still evident.

2. We, overall, tend to still think that gay men seek some masculinity that has eluded them in childhood.

3. There is still a perception that non-heterosexuals can ever be truly happy.

So, I think, as compared to 1967, we have made a few steps forward, but we haven't reached the goal yet.

Bravone said...

Damn that pink shirt. I knew better. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.

I swore I would never wear a pink shirt or paisley tie, and that darn sister-in-law of mine gave me a pink shirt and paisley tie for Christmas the very next year. At first I despised them, then tolerated them, then embraced them. Sad story.

Now I have three pink shirts of my own choosing. What next?

Abelard Enigma said...

Other Species - I agree that society, in general, has moved beyond the attitude of the 60's - what I'm not so sure about is Mormon society.

Braveone - pink shirt AND a paisley tie? There's no hope for you - you might as well add a feather boa to your ensemble :)

cj said...

Sheesh, that movie is poison! No wonder some early church leaders had it so wrong.