Why should sexual orientation matter at all?

Being attracted to someone of the same sex can be frightening so frightening that you may deny your feelings, or throw yourself into dating the opposite sex, just to prove you are not gay or lesbian.

Homosexuality is neither mental illness nor moral depravity. It is simply the way a minority of our population expresses human love and sexuality. In the Bible the love between two men or two women can be as natural as the love between a man and a woman. An attraction felt by a man for other men or by a woman for other women is never described by Jesus as disgusting or offensive. A human is a warm, lovable, and attractive being, whatever the gender.

In the light of God's creation of and love for all people, regardless of sexual orientation we are alarmed at the rise of homophobic behaviour and public statements.

For too long homosexuality has been thought of as the central problem of gay men and lesbians. The real issue is not homosexuality but homophobia, society's fear and persecution of us.

Discussion of homosexuality produces powerful negative emotions. Feelings alone are not an adequate foundation for ethics. Many people "feel it's wrong" for members of different races to marry or even live near each other. Historically, "feelings" about inherent rights and wrongs have been used to justify racial and social segregation and oppression, among other evils. Feelings have a place in ethics, but need to be examined by careful reasoning.

Sexual attraction and sexual union leads to the closeness and intimacy of life, inspiring the kind and positive feelings and warmth that only sex can induce and only friendship and intimacy can sustain.

"Most of the emotional disturbance experienced by gay men and lesbians around their sexual identity is not based on physiological causes but rather is due more to a sense of alienation in an unaccepting environment. . . Through psychotherapy, gay men and lesbians can become comfortable with their sexual orientation and understand the societal response to it."
from "Health Care Needs of Gay Men and Lesbians in the U.S.: A Report Presented by the Council on Scientific Affairs to the AMA House of Delegates Interim Meeting," December 1994.

"Confusion about sexual orientation is not unusual during adolescence. Counseling may be helpful for young people who are uncertain about their sexual orientation or for those who are uncertain about how to express their sexuality and might profit from an attempt at clarification through a counseling or psychotherapeutic initiative. Therapy directed at specifically changing sexual orientation . . . can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation."

"The psychosocial problems of gay and lesbian adolescents are primarily the result of societal stigma, hostility, hatred and isolation. The gravity of these stresses is underscored by current data that document that gay youths account for up to 30 percent of all completed adolescent suicides. Approximately 30 percent of a surveyed group of gay and bisexual males have attempted suicide at least once. Adolescents struggling with issues of sexual preference should be reassured that they will gradually form their own identity and that there is no need for premature labeling of one's sexual orientation."
From a policy statement entitled "Homosexuality and Adolescence," published in the journal Pediatrics, Oct. 1993.