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from Parenting & Family and Gay Activism in the Social Sciences
Advocacy Versus Science
By Mike Hatfield
April 8, 2008 - The American Psychologist (October 2007) features several responses to a previous article by Gregory Herek (September 2006) on same-sex marriage.
One of those responses was from A. Dean Byrd, Ph.D., and Christopher H. Rosik, Ph.D., on the civilizing of male human nature. According to Byrd, Rosik: "What is the active ingredient in marriage that serves the socially advantageous goal of civilizing male sexual nature? Our contention is that the primary civilizing agent is not marriage, but the institution, but rather the gender complementarity that marriage has traditionally afforded."
They noted that a study comparing heterosexual cohabiting couples versus homosexual couples showed a stark contrast in the numbers of extra partners that homosexuals had. Michael, Gagnon, Laumann and Kolata found that among heterosexual couples, 75% had only one sexual partner in the previous 12 months. This was contrasted with 66% of gay men who had another partner during the first year of the relationship. That figure rose to 90% if the relationship lasted five years.
They observe: "We find it very hard to comprehend the scientific basis on which Herek (2006) can consider this gender difference to be of 'small or nonexistent' relevance to the formation of public policy surrounding same-sex marriage."
In the same issue of American Psychologist, Virginia M. Shiller of Yale University criticized Herek as well. Shiller pointed out that Herek had admitted that his personal support of gay marriage and the APA's support were based on policies enacted by the APA since 1975 that, according to Herek, have been designed to "take the lead in removing the stigma of mental illness that has long been associated with homosexual orientations."
Shiller observes: "Both the 1973 Tyler principle and the 1975 series of APA policies are laudable, but if they are to be equally respected, then efforts to reduce discrimination must be solidly grounded in science."
She concludes by asking the question: "Given that opponents make egregious statements about the unfitness of gay and lesbian parents and the pathology of their children, are we justified in lowering our standards about how scientific research is described and reported? Herek (2006) was correct when he called for more research in understudied areas (p. 614), but until such research is conducted, psychologists must consider carefully what standards to use in summarizing and communicating research findings."
In a separate article, Bruce Thyer of Florida State University, argued that the APA should use its position as an accredited non-governmental organization with the United Nations to lobby for an amendment to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to guarantee the right of every gay person to marry. Thyer believes that amending the declaration would provide "a legal rationale and international precedent for equal civil rights for gays and lesbians within the United States and other countries."
Additional Reading:
Gay Activism in the Social Sciences; Parenting & Family
Updated: 9 April 2008
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