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from Books & Reviews
Report on 'The Gay Report'
By Gregory Rogers
(In the following essay, numbers in brackets indicate page numbers, which
refer to The Gay Report by Karla Jay and Allen Young, Summit Books, New York,
1979).
The first major survey on homosexuality in America was conducted in 1979 and
published as The Gay Report. The survey has since become a benchmark in this
area and one of the largest of its kind ever conducted, with 5,000 gay persons
of all ages and from all walks of life (and Christian denominations) surveyed on
various aspects of their lifestyle and sub-culture. The study was conducted by
English Professor Karla Jay, Ph.D., and journalist Allen Young, who holds two
masters degrees. The work is cited even today in academic work.
What might immediately strike one as odd is that Jay and Young are both gay
activists. The question of partiality might therefore immediately present
itself. What is somewhat more curious, however, is how potentially damaging to
the gay liberation cause is the data presented in the study. Jay and Young
apparently have no qualms about publishing admissions from the gay quarter of
underage sex, gross promiscuity, disease, suicidal tendencies, and more.
The work, further, was welcomed by voices within the gay community. Professor of
Sociology and gay author Laud Humphreys insists, "all of us who are gay will
find ourselves here" (cited in book jacket). Author Jane Rule asserts "This is
not just a book of statistics; it is a book of voices, our voices." (ibid.)
Let us see, therefore, what the gay community admits about itself and its
practices, admissions it apparently is little concerned to transmit to the
straight mainstream.
Promiscuity
The Gay Report was unique in that for the first time society was permitted a
glimpse into the gay subculture, to see if the rumors, stories and hearsay that
had persisted for so long were true. In many cases, it appears, they were.
Accusations of promiscuity had long been levelled at the gay community. As Jay
and Young's research indicates, these fears were justified. According to the
study, 35% of respondents admitted to having had 100 or more different sexual
partners throughout their lives (p.249); 18% admitted to having had between
seven and 60 such partners in the previous month alone (p. 248), and 18% to
having had three or more in the previous week (p. 248). 38% said the longest
relationship they had ever had did not last longer than a year (p. 340). For
lesbians the average relationship lasted 38 months (p. 302).
In answer to the question "how often do you go home to have sex with someone you
have just met?" a total of 50% answered under the "always," "very frequently" or
"somewhat frequently category" (p. 251). Jay and Young sum up, "Clearly, then,
the one-night stand is within the experience of an overwhelming majority of gay
men" (p. 252).
Furthermore, 77% of respondents had taken part in "threesomes" at least once,
while 59% had taken part in orgies or group sex (p. 587). 38% had partaken of
sadomasochistic practices at least once and 23% had practiced urination in
association with sex (p. 555). 24% admitted to having been paid for sex (p.
260).
Nor are gay leaders shy to publicize their feelings in this regard. In the
classic gay work Gay Manifesto, author Carl Wittman said that sadomasochism,
"when consensual can be described as a highly artistic endeavor, a ballet the
constraints of which are the thresholds of pain and pleasure" (cited on p. 554).
Celebrated gay poet Allen Ginsberg commented favorably on orgies that, "It's an
important human experience to relate to yourself and others as a hunk of meat
sometimes" (pgs. 589-590), and referred to the orgy as "one holy divine yoga of
losing ego" (590).
Curiously, Jay and Young appear to have little notion that the above constitutes
"promiscuity." According to them, "Where does one draw the line and say that
certain people have been promiscuous, and others have not? What value judgment
is implied by the term 'promiscuous'? These questions are impossible to answer
because they depend on subjective attitudes" (p. 249).
They cite gay respondents as saying that, "Promiscuity is a heterosexual concept
used to attack us... If you speak in terms of 'sexual freedom' and sharing of
sensual experience, it can be a fine thing. I guess it all depends upon motives"
(p. 249). Another asserts that, "I have trouble with the word 'promiscuity'
because I really do not know what it means. What is the line between infrequent
or frequent sex and promiscuity? If I have sex three times a day and am very
selective in the choice of mates, am I promiscuous or highly selective and
super-horny?" (p. 249)
Substance Abuse and Safe Sex
Substance abuse is also a major problem in the gay community. In the study 44%
admitted to using alcohol "somewhat frequently," "very frequently" or "always"
in association with sex (p. 496), with the figure at 32% for marijuana. 64% had
so used marijuana at least once (p. 496). Correlating figures for lesbians were
29% for alcohol and 29% for marijuana (p. 431).
This at very least raises questions about how effective safe sex can be, if
significant numbers of gays are stoned or bombed out during sex. It also raises
questions about gay adoption of children, not only as regards what effect
extreme promiscuity and sex practice might have, but also what sort of role
model the gay parent would be.
Not surprisingly, venereal disease is also a problem. Thus 35% of gay
respondents admitted having had gonorrhea at least once (p. 691), with 69%
admitting to having had crabs (p. 692). Jay and Young admit that, "VD is a major
source of concern for the gay male community." According to them, "In the early
years of the gay movement, some activists objected to the idea that venereal
disease is more prevalent among male homosexuals. Presumably, the VD
'accusation' was being used as a weapon against gay people. However, gay men
cannot afford to worry about their 'reputation' when in fact people are
transmitting diseases through sexual contact at a rapid rate" (p. 691).
Interestingly enough, 60% of gay respondents had college diplomas (10, although
there are admittedly possible sample problems here, as indicated by the
authors), thus refuting the objection that gays lack the education to adopt
effective safe sex methods.
Pedophilia and Bestiality
Rumours of pedophilia and child molestation by gays have also long persisted. In
the study, 23% of respondents admitted to having had sex with youths aged 13-15
(p. 275), while 19% felt positive about sexual activity within this age group
(p. 276).
Also noteworthy is that 13.5% of respondents admitted to being guilty of
bestiality (p. 555). Gay publication Fag Rag ran an article entitled "Bestiality
as an Act of Revolution" (p. 567). (At this point I should say that there are a
number of quotes on the matter by respondents on pages 567-568, but I will not
tarnish these pages by citing them, surely in St. Paul's words "too shameful to
mention in secret.")
The above, of course, raises immediate questions concerning the present gay
adoption debate, not to mention the question of gay priests, i.e., should such
gay priests be allowed access to Sunday Schools or youth groups?
Psychological Problems
The study contributed little to the question of psychological/emotional problems
among gays. However, it did indicate that a full 40% had either attempted or
seriously contemplated suicide, with the figure at 39% for lesbians (p. 728).
12% of male gays and 18% of lesbians were currently seeing a psychologist or
psychiatrist for any reason (p. 722).
Questions Raised About Gay Claims
The gay lobby has long insisted that gays are "born that way," that they cannot
change, and to expect them to lead heterosexual lives is unfair and contrary to
their biology. The study, however, indicates otherwise.
Of male gays, 66% had had at least one sexual experience with a woman in the
past, and 20.5% said they were currently having sexual experiences with women
(p. 123). Astonishingly, 83% of lesbians had had sex with a man at least once
previously, with 17% currently having sex with men. 23% of lesbians, further,
felt "very positive" or "somewhat positive" about these previous relationships,
with 21% neutral (p. 59). 13% of male gays had biological children (p. 133),
with the figure at 18% for lesbians (p. 79). At very least, this hardly sounds
as though gays have a natural, biological revulsion to relationships with the
opposite sex. Here Jay and Young admit that the 13% "could well be considered a
large percentage considering the myth that gay people "can't have children." (p.
133)
Interestingly enough, 50% of male respondents had had their first sexual
experience aged 15 or less (p. 107). The figure is 20% for lesbians (p. 52).
This, of course, points toward an environmental cause of homosexuality, implying
that homosexual development might come about as a result of being abused at a
young age and is the result of stunted emotional/psychological development,
rather than having a genetic root. It could also account for the relatively high
level among gays of sexual interest in teenagers, the theory running that,
having been abused at so early an age, gays did not develop emotionally past
that age, and so are attracted to persons of a like young age. Notably, in the
study many gays reported negative feelings in their first sexual encounter,
which later became more positive (p. 107).
On a final note, 20% of male gays and 8% of lesbians have sought so-called
"reparative therapy" to change to straight (p. 722), and 6% of male gays and 0%
of lesbians say they would medically change their orientation to straight if the
means and technology were so available. A further 17% of male gays were "not
sure" whether they would do so (p. 772).
Apart from questioning the notion that gays "can't do it" with women, the above
also raises serious questions about the spread of diseases from gay to straight
society (if they are having sex with straights). About 50% of AIDS cases in the
States (formerly 70%) are gay men. Not to mention the relatively high levels of
other diseases (see above). Have gays in some measure been responsible for
spreading these to the mainstream?
Conclusion
It needs be said that we are not asserting that all, or even a majority, of gays
partake of the above practices. Indeed, as the study indicates, many such
practices are condemned by many gays - but also openly praised by many. If
public opinion felt that all gays so partook, it was indeed in error. However,
what The Gay Report clearly indicates is that the above practices are
significant problems in the gay subculture, with numbers and percentages
alarmingly higher than the mainstream. Further, praise and support for
promiscuity and various practices by leading figures from within the gay
community is also worrying. In all, the situation is of huge concern, especially
since the stated aim of gay activists is to have the gay lifestyle fully
incorporated into mainstream society and everyday living. Most of all, we must
ask whether we want to grant access to our children and our society of a group
where underage sex, significant promiscuity, sexual disease, drug abuse and
suicidal tendencies are glaring problems.
Curiously enough, authors Jay and Young seem little to realize how damaging
their own study is to their position as activists. They make the astonishing
statement that "While it should be obvious by now to any straight reader that
gay people's lives are not without problems, it should be just as obvious that
these problems are not necessarily more overwhelming than the problems that
straight people have to solve - just different" (p. 771).
As any fair-minded reader of the above will see, however, there is very simply
no comparison between the problems of the gay community and those of straights.
Moreover, the objection that gay problems are due to a homophobic society have
little basis, and cannot finally be proven.
This essay may well be criticized in that it cites an old study. Notwithstanding
the fact, however, that age does not stop the gay lobby from citing old studies
when and where they wish (the infamous 1948 "ten-percent of society are gay'
statistic of Alfred Kinsey being the most palpable example).
Note too, that the Jay and Young study is still cited today, such is its
importance as the first, and one of the largest, studies ever conducted on this
subject. Further, many of the stats indicated in the survey can be backed up
with more recent data. There is little indication that much has significantly
changed from 1979.
However one may criticize the study, however, it still raises significant
questions. Surely the very existence of such open admissions by respondents
creates too great a question mark simply to continue allowing gay rights their
inexorable march to full legal status. Surely the reasonable person in the
street must agree (at very least) that before the gay sub-culture is allowed
free access into society's domain, these questions must be answered, and that
the ball rests firmly in the court of gay activists to prove their case.
Gregory Rogers is a native of South Africa and a freelance journalist who has written extensively on homosexuality and gay activism.
Updated: 3 September 2008
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